SETU welcomes €142,500 in funding through the Community Safety Fund 2026 to build on its successful ‘A Footbridge to the Pathway’ initiative in Portlaoise Prison, expanding access to higher education for people in custody and supporting safer communities through education, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
Led by SETU in partnership with Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) and the Irish Prison Service (IPS). ‘A Footbridge to the Pathway’ successfully delivered the first year of an accredited higher education programme in Community Development and Leadership to students in Portlaoise Prison.
The pilot addressed a significant gap in access to higher education within the prison system by bringing in-person flexible, accredited learning directly into the custodial setting. Students completed modules that can be recognised as standalone qualifications or contribute towards SETU’s Level 7 degree in Community Development and Leadership.
“Education can play an important role in creating pathways to opportunity, and that principle should extend to people in custody. Through this initiative, SETU and our partners have demonstrated what can be achieved when accredited higher education is made accessible in a way that responds to learners’ circumstances and supports them to recognise their own potential.
This funding will allow us to build on that work, creating further opportunities for people in custody to engage with higher education and develop knowledge, skills and confidence that can support their rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities.”
Rosemary Flynn Head of Department – Director of Lifelong Learning, SETU
“We have seen first-hand the positive impact that access to higher education can have on people in custody. Through this initiative, learners have engaged in a genuine university experience that has challenged and motivated them, helping them to develop academic skills, confidence. and a stronger belief in their own ability to progress in education.
The impact extends well beyond gaining a qualification. Education can support people to build a positive sense of identity, develop the skills and resilience needed to make constructive choices, and prepare for successful reintegration into their communities. The engagement and achievements of learners to date have been extremely encouraging, and this funding provides an important opportunity to build on what has been a ground-breaking initiative within the prison education environment.”
David Higgins Supervising Teacher, Education Unit Portlaoise Prison, part of LOETB
The initiative builds on SETU’s commitment to lifelong learning and widening participation in higher education, particularly for people who may not previously have engaged with higher education or who require flexible opportunities to develop their personal and professional skills.
The project originated from SETU’s HEA Performance Funding awarded in 2022, which supported collaboration with organisations, including Tiglin, and the delivery of educational programmes by SETU lecturers to people experiencing addiction and recovery, as well as individuals in custody at Portlaoise Prison.
The new Community Safety Fund awarded, will allow SETU and its partners to build on the success of the pilot, expanding higher education opportunities within Portlaoise Prison and exploring opportunities to work with additional organisations.
By providing structured pathways into higher education, the initiative aims to support personal development, rehabilitation, successful reintegration and safer communities. It also provides an opportunity to undertake research into the impact of higher education completion on individuals in custody and the wider community.
SETU welcomes the €142,500 award and the opportunity to further develop an innovative model that connects higher education, inclusion and community safety.