Giving back - Adminovate and The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP)

When we decided we were going to start a new conference exploring innovation in the Funds Industry we quickly concluded that it would have the most impact if ran as a not for profit event.

Our vision is for Adminovate to be the rising tide to lift all boats in the Funds Industry while giving a leg up to those in need.

While chatting to Natasha Haugh from Carne, and asking for suitable causes to benefit from the conference, Natasha mentioned The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) and how they help students from low income backgrounds access third level education.

Hosting the event in Trinity and with our focus on education and inspiration, it became obvious that The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) was a great fit to benefit from Adminovate.

We’re delighted to today formally announce The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) as a beneficiary of Adminovate.

You can read more about TAP below:

Transforming higher education access & progression

“No society can afford to waste potential. And to do so is dangerous because it breeds aggression and resentment…Broadening access to third level is a human rights issue. It is also an economic issue, and a creative, intellectual and societal issue.”

- Provost’s address at the Founders & Benefactors Dinner, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, 20th April 2016.

The Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) is a flagship initiative of Trinity College Dublin, which aims to be a catalyst for social transformation, by supporting people to reach their full educational potential through innovation, research and advocacy. It contributes towards a number of College strategic goals, including engaging wider society, strengthening community, building valuable partnerships and demonstrating institutional leadership. TAP works in close collaboration with Bridge21 and the School of Education. Since the 1990s, TAP has developed a range of developmental outreach activities, university foundation courses and other alternative admissions routes that have enabled the progression of over 2,000 students from low-income backgrounds to the university and many thousands more to other higher education institutions. Trinity has consistently led, innovated and scaled high quality, evidence-based programmes in this area by, as the Provost recently remarked ‘promoting change in Irish society by educating a diverse student body’. Over the last decade, TAP graduates have progressed to become a Senator, a Reader in Human Rights Law in SOAS, an election candidate for the Social Democrats and an orthopaedic surgeon, to name just a few.

The ripple effect: educational outreach & progression

TAP has established a range of highly regarded programmes at primary, second level and third level. ‘Pathways to Law’ is a leading programme in creating a more diverse judiciary.

About TA21

TA21 is an action-research project, funded by Google through a €1.5 million donation in Phase 1 (2014-17) and by a combination of state and private sources, totalling €2 million, in Phase 2 (2017-20), which aims to effect change in the Irish education system by raising student aspiration and helping teachers to create technology-mediated collaborative classroom environments. For more information see: https://www.tcd.ie/ta21/index.php

The 11 schools comprising the Trinity Access 21 research cohort are Ard Scoil La Salle; Balbriggan Community College; Ballinteer Community School; Colaiste Bride; Loreto College, Crumlin; Marian College; Mercy Secondary School, Inchicore; Moyle Park College; St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush; St Mark’s Community School; Tallaght Community School.

The TA21 team believes that the structural barriers to the educational development of low SES students include:

A lack of access to information about school subject choice and college course options;
Educational guidance in low SES schools often being replaced by counselling for critical personal issues;
A lack of access to available trusted role models from similar communities who have gone on to higher education;
School learning environments that tend to be teacher directed.

Trinity and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, have created a four-year partnership for development and dissemination of a Foundation Year for low income young adults. Oxford University has just had their first round of Foundation Year graduates and have welcomed in their new students.

TAP is fundamentally a story of individual triumph over adversity; one that generates hope, creativity and change. It has a very tangible impact on the students involved and it will have a lasting impact for generations to come. That resonates with people, not just here in Ireland but all over the world. TAP finds and develops the very best of students, regardless of their economic or ethnic background to model how equity and excellence can not only co-exist, but flourish alongside one another.

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