library or contact the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), the representative group for the VECs. For further information contact: IVEA McCann House 99 Marlborough Road Donnybrook Dublin 4 Tel: 01 4966033/4966248 Fax: 01 4966460 Email: info@ivea.ie Website: www.ivea.ie 2. SPECIAL INITIATIVES FOR DISADVANTAGED ADULTS SCHEME (SPIDAS) – This scheme supports second chance education provision for people who are disadvantaged by making funding available to organisations working to tackle the issue and to the VECs towards the cost of courses (fees, books, materials, travel and meals). 3. GRANTS TO ADULT EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS - Grants-in-aid towards the running costs of adult education organisations are administered through this scheme. Organisations in receipt of these grants include AONTAS, NALA, the People’s College, the Dublin Adult Learning Centre and the Irish Country Women’s Association. For further information on these ALCES / SPIDAS and grants scheme contact: Further Education Section Department of Education and Science Floor 1, Block 4 Irish Life Centre Talbot St Dublin 1 Tel: 01 873 4700 Website: www.education.ie 4. EDUCATION EQUALITY INITIATIVE (E.E.I.) –This initiative is an expansion of the Women’s Education Initiative (W.E.I.) and provides for a widening of the process to include disadvantaged men. €4.4m has been allocated towards this initiative under the Equality Sub-Programme of the National Development Plan covering the years 2000 – 2006. The programme spans two phases and Phase 2, funding 10 projects, allows for the development of models of good practice in relation to education for marginalised groups which could be mainstreamed and from which policy lessons can be drawn for the future development of innovative learning opportunities began in 2004. Leargas provide the technical support for this programme.
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