About the Project
Background
UCC’s achievements in challenging deficit-focused perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) were profiled in an Impact Case Study submitted to the Higher Education Authority in 2021. The case study described the Certificate in Contemporary Living, a 2-year part-time course which graduated over 100 students between 2009 and 2020. Established as a pilot project supported by the Brothers of Charity, Cope Foundation and Enable Ireland, it was designed to meet the need for non-segregated, inclusive post-secondary education for people with intellectual disabilities, and was recognised as a model of good practice.
Based on this case study, funding of €1million was awarded to support a new project developing rights-based, inclusive education programmes which:
a) Provide mutually beneficial learning synergies between students with and without disabilities
b) Enable PWID to develop skills for future learning and employment
c) Build capacity in inclusive education for PWID across the higher education sector.
This new project is called The id+ Project.
Four Workstreams
The id+ Project started in January 2022, and is being delivered through four inter-related workstreams:
1. Certificate in Social Citizenship (CSC)
2. Certificate in Disability-Inclusive Practice (CDIP)
3. Graduate Internship/Education/Training Progression Pathways (GPP)
4. Transferable Inclusive Education Resources (TIER)