An Cosán’s VCC €50k winners have an opportunity of doubling their grant
By Aideen O'Flaherty
AN COSÁN’S Virtual Committee College (VCC) is one of 15 groups in the capital who have been named as winners in the Google Impact Challenge, where they have secured €50k, but they now have the opportunity to double their money – if the community gets behind them in a public vote.
The VCC was set up as a way to extend Jobstown-based An Cosán’s work in promoting and providing educational opportunities in West Tallaght, to extend their reach so they can provide the same opportunities nationwide.
Students from An Cosán.
An Cosán’s VCC provides an alternative path to higher education through blended learning consisting of online live lectures, off-line activities and assignments and face-to-face workshops, with a particular focus on helping early school leavers, lone parents and the unemployed.
The funds that VCC have been awarded as part of the Google Impact Challenge will be used to expand the college’s Community Education Technology Network, which enhances the digital capacity of community organisations around the country, ensuring that they will deliver a world-class digital skills programme for their learners.
VCC is one of fifteen non-profits who will receive grants of €50,000 each, and they now have the opportunity to double that figure to €100,000 if they receive the most votes in a public vote – with votes being accepted online until March 26.
Maria Flanagan, the community partner lead of VCC, told The Echo: “There was great excitement in the office this week when we learned that we were successful, knowing that this will enable us to better support our community partner network and ultimately our learners.
“We can’t wait to spread the word with our Community Partner Network and learners across Ireland.
“We believe strongly in the famous quote, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’.
“Working together, with our Community Partners and now with funding and support from Google.org, we can build sustainable communities that can thrive in the new world of work in a digitised society through collaboration and partnership.”
They’re now hoping that the community will get behind them and vote for them to double their funding, which you can do by visiting https://impactchallenge.withgoogle.com/dublin2018. Votes will be accepted until March 26 – for more details about the VCC visit anconanvcc.com
