AIEB Bursary Fund Information and Application Form

Supporting Access to Endorsed Professional Postgraduate Community Work Education and Training.

Are you working as a community worker, manager of a community work organisation or undertaking community work duties in an associated role in an organisation with a community development mandate?

Do you have a degree but not a professional community work qualification?

Are you interested in pursuing a postgraduate professionally endorsed community work qualification.

If so the AIEB bursary fund supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development may be of interest to you.

The bursary application form and associated information note can be downloaded here.

Bursary Important Information and Application Form

Bursary support of up to a maximum of €3000.00 in 2023 and €3,000.00 in 2024 is available to support a limited number of people.

Please note the closing date for receipt of bursary applications i Friday September 29th at 5.00pm.

To apply you need to:

have applied for and secured a place on the blended postgraduate e MSocSc Community Work and Youth Work, part-time, in-service programme at Maynooth University.
be employed as a community worker, manager of a community work organisation or someone who undertakes community work duties in an organisation with a clear community work mandate.
have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in the field.
have the support of your employer to participate in the programme.
be able to demonstrate an interest in and commitment to community work practice, issues, standards and values.
be committed to professional community work education and training and want a professional community work qualification.

To find out more join one of our online lunchtime information sessions:

Bursary Fund Background

Reinforcing the community work/community development workforce, including through increasing the number of partitioners with access to professional qualifications, is a key concern for the All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training (AIEB). Two issues of very immediate concern in this regard emerged from the AIEB Education and Training Needs Assessment that was undertaken in a number of areas:

firstly, professional qualifications for practitioners with degrees but not a professional community work qualification
secondly, routes to professional qualifications for those involved in community work in various ways

The AIEB Bursary Fund supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development has been established to support those with degrees currently employed in community work and associated roles to pursue endorsed professional qualifications in 2023 and 2024.

As of now, the recently modified postgraduate in-service Masters in Community and Youth Work (MCYW) from the Department of Applied Social Studies at Maynooth University is the only postgraduate part-time programme in Ireland with professional endorsement by AIEB. Its new mode of delivery makes it potentially suitable for bursary applicants – who will need to secure a place on the programme in the first instance.

Information about the programme can be found by following this link MSocSc CYW part-time in-service information 2023 entry FINAL– and further details on the programme are available from the Department of Applied Social Studies in Maynooth University.

We are also currently developing and seeking additional support for an initiative for people employed or involved in community work and associated work but who do not have a degree and/or professional qualifications to commence in 2023 or early 2024. The programme(s) supported through this fund will be those recognized by AIEB and can provide participants with a certified qualification that ensures the foundations essential for further professional studies. We will keep you informed as the initiative develops.

Enquiries about any aspect of the bursary can be made to bursary@aieb.ie