Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN) and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) have announced details of a new strategic partnership aimed at enhancing the skills and qualifications of education and training facilitators throughout the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

The collaboration will enable NICVA to deliver accredited qualifications through OCN, ensuring facilitators and trainers across the sector have access to high-quality, recognised training that meets the evolving needs of communities.

By equipping professionals with essential skills and recognised credentials, this initiative will strengthen the capacity of voluntary organisations to deliver impactful education and training programmes.

Martin Flynn, CEO of OCN, said: “We are delighted to formalise our working relationship with NICVA to extend the reach of our qualifications further in the community and voluntary sector. This partnership will provide valuable opportunities for trainers and facilitators to develop their skills, ultimately benefiting the individuals and communities they serve.”

The partnership aligns with the broader economic goal of fostering a skilled and resilient workforce within the community and voluntary sector. Both organisations are looking forward to working together to create meaningful learning opportunities that drive positive social change.

Celine McStravick, Chief Executive of NICVA, commented: “At NICVA, we are committed to supporting the sector by providing access to high-quality training and development. By partnering with OCN, we are ensuring that our members and the wider sector can access accredited qualifications that enhance their ability to educate, train, and empower people across Northern Ireland.”

OCN’s offices are based in Belfast, and they are regulated by statutory bodies to develop professional and technical (vocational) qualifications from Entry Level up to and including Level 5 across all subject areas. Its mission is to ‘develop and award qualifications which engage, enrich and equip learners for life.’

They are an independent, self-financing charitable organisation that has a proven track record of delivering and contributing to the NI skills agenda. As an indigenous Awarding Body based in Belfast, its priority is to develop and maintain qualifications tailored to the needs of people living and working in NI.

Its flexibility and responsiveness to economic need ensure its qualifications are tailored to the needs of education and training providers, employers, learners and align to the outcomes of the NI Skills Strategy.

Through working in partnership with recognised education and training providers, they are able to develop and award qualifications which help tackle educational underachievement and remove barriers to learning. To date, the educational charity has registered over 500,000 learners and has worked with over 400 organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.