Hundreds of Limerick people benefit from 20 years of local facility

TWENTY years of community outreach has been marked by one educational facility. 

The University of Limerick (UL) AccessCampus, located at the former Krups site in Roxboro in Limerick, has celebrated its 20th anniversary having been opened in 2003 by Mr Pat Cox, then President of the European Parliament. 

The facility benefits thousands of families, with a core aim of challenging educational disadvantages in areas of social and economic deprivation. UL AccessCampus is in a partnership with Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP).

“The idea for AccessCampus originally came from LEDP, who set out to re-establish the former Krups site in Roxboro into a meaningful, impactful and relevant presence in the local communities,” said Donal O’Leary, UL’s AccessCampus coordinator.

“What was created was a mini-campus which supports people in realising their potential through outreach educational opportunities and the AccessCampus caters for a diverse range of learners, ranging from primary school children to mature learners and to University students.”

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Since its establishment, the UL AccessCampus has seen over 1,500 young people join Study Club from 15 different local secondary schools. The work in AccessCampus has been supported by almost 1,000 UL student volunteers.  

The AccessCampus is open 12 hours a day from Monday to Friday, and also opens for two local church groups at weekends.  

Speaking from a celebratory event at the AccessCampus this week Niall O'Callaghan, CEO, LEDP said: "Over the past 20 years, AccessCampus has become more than just a link between education and the community.

"It has become a place where people can find hope and unlock their true potential. We’re keenly aware of the barriers to further education, so we look forward to continuing this unique partnership initiative with UL and furthering the educational opportunities for all students in our community. "

This week a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Professor Kerstin Mey, UL President and Niall O’Callaghan, CEO of the LEDP, to formalise the ongoing collaboration between the two organisations for the operation of the AccessCampus for the next five years.