Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB) has launched Get Lit, a new monthly podcast designed to share real stories, practical supports, and pathways into adult literacy. Each episode will feature learners, tutors, local partners, and special guests, highlighting the skills that help adults build stronger futures in reading, writing, numeracy, and digital literacy while raising awareness of unmet literacy needs across society.
The series supports the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL)-Ireland’s ten-year, whole-of-government and whole-of-society strategy to ensure every adult has the literacy, numeracy, and digital skills to fully participate in life and work.
Speaking at the launch, Peter Egan, Director of Further Education and Training, MSLETB said: “The Adult Literacy for Life strategy is about creating new opportunities for people across Ireland to gain the skills and the confidence they need to thrive. The launch of the Get Lit podcast, led with energy and passion by Regional Literacy Co-ordinator Roisin Egan, is an exciting new step in that journey. By sharing real stories and local voices, the podcast shines a light on the transformative power of literacy, in reading, writing, numbers, and digital skills to change lives and open doors.”
The podcast is being recorded in MSLETB’s state-of-the-art XRHub in Strandhill, Co. Sligo, a dynamic space designed for immersive technologies, innovation, collaboration, and digital creativity. These cutting-edge facilities provide the perfect backdrop to showcase how new technologies can open doors to learning and literacy.
Timed to coincide with International Literacy Day on 8 September 2025, the podcast aims to raise awareness, make supports easier to find, and connect people to MSLETB services and the wider Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) network.
The very first episode will feature two distinguished guest speakers: Minister Marian Harkin, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and Dr. Yvonne McKenna, Director of the National Adult Literacy for Life Office.
The involvement of Minister Harkin and Dr. McKenna underscores the importance of literacy at both a local and national level. Their participation highlights the urgency of unmet needs while showing how the ALL strategy is driven by collaboration. It also sets a strong foundation for the podcast as a space where learners, services, and leaders can come together to shine a light on literacy as a key to opportunity and inclusion.
“Get Lit is about clearing pathways to literacy supports,” said Roisín Egan, Regional Literacy Coordinator at MSLETB and creator of the podcast. “You’ll hear real stories, meet the people behind our services, and discover practical steps to build skills and confidence-wherever you are starting from. The idea of this podcast is that we ignite the conversation around unmet literacy needs, break down barriers to learning and working to remove any stigma attached to speaking about unmet literacy needs”
The national Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy, led by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and SOLAS, sets out a coordinated plan to make literacy supports visible, easy to access, and effective for individuals and communities. Get Lit contributes to this by raising awareness, signposting services, and highlighting local, impactful provision.
The first episode of Get Lit will be available on Spotify and LinkedIn.
