Advocacy & Communications Project Officer

• Aug 2022 - Present

Working under the Director of Communications and Advocacy, I support the management of an array of projects focused on improving access to high quality, patient-centred, dignified sexual and reproductive health care services for everyone who needs them (with a strong focus on early medical abortion services). Established in 1969, the IFPA is a well respected authority on sexual and reproductive health and rights both nationally and internationally. As an organisation, they were instrumental in the fight for the removal of the 8th amendment in Ireland in 2018. The IFPA works closely with international partner organisations such as the UNFPA and the IPPF as well as with civil society to raise awareness of the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights at home and all over the world. The IFPA’s mission is to enable people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health and to understand their rights. Show less

Migrant Integration Worker

• Dec 2021 - Aug 2022

I am the manager of an Intercultural Drop in Centre in Tallaght. This is a community space where migrants can access 1-2-1 support, english language classes and build their social network. We also host social gatherings/workshops from time to time with a focus on integration, intercultural understanding and anti-discrimination. A large part of my role involves 1-2-1 support with clients. The level of support varies per client, but ranges from signposting & information provision to application writing support, referrals and advocacy. As of March 2022, I was promoted to work directly under the CEO on the emergency migrant response team focused on dealing with the influx of Ukrainian refugees. In line with this, these past months I have also been running social clinics in the Ibis hotel (housing approx 200 refugees) twice per week. These clinics focus on emergency integration support for newly arrived refugees from Ukraine. In this role, I act as a liaison officer, connecting different organisations with the population in the hotel and facilitating the organisation of different activities for this cohort. I do this work in conjunction with my previous role, working with migrants across the board from a variety of backgrounds. Inevitably, I also spend a lot of time advocating for the inclusion of asylum seekers and other newly arrived refugees in the initiatives taking place for newly arrived Ukrainians in Ireland. Show less

Retail Assistant

• Sep 2020 - Sep 2021

Events Co-ordinator & Treasurer

• Sep 2018 - Feb 2021

I was responsible for all treasury duties for the student driven, Global Health journalism platform, titled Eye on Global Health. I was also one of the events co-ordinators, responsible for organising a variety of different events relating to the topic of global health. This included among other things, documentary screenings, a fundraiser for a homeless service in Copenhagen and a two day event entitled 'Decolonising Global Health' which attracted over 60 attendees and involved an anti-racism workshop. Link: https://eyeonglobalhealth.com/ Show less

Covid-19 Response Research Assistant

• Mar 2020 - Aug 2020

I was hired to help with the collection of data relating to country level responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Personally, I was responsible for collecting data on approximately 30 countries, mostly on the African Continent, as well as the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands in Europe. Data gathered has been used to inform different international bodies such as the WHO and other humanitarian organisations.The dataset was produced in order to follow and document the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of understanding the secondary implications of differing responses to current national structures. Show less

Key Worker

• Dec 2017 - Jun 2018

"Peter McVerry Trust was established in 1983 by Fr Peter McVerry to tackle homelessness, drug misuse and social disadvantage. Since then it has supported thousands of vulnerable young people on the margins of Irish society and in 2016 worked with 4,584 people. We offer pathways out of homelessness based on the principles of the Housing First model and within a framework that is based on equal opportunities dignity and respect. In order to achieve our goals we provide a range or services primarily to young people with complex needs." - PMVT I worked in a supported temporary accommodation, aiding individuals on their pathway out of homelessness. I worked with a small team of individuals, managing the accommodation and ensuring the health and safety of the residents. The role was extremely varied, with every day bringing new challenges and new experiences, aiding my personal growth and enhancing my professional skillset. My main role was Key Worker of five clients. I worked with these clients on a one-to-one basis, linking them with the supports they need to get their life back on track. A large part of this role involved simply listening to the clients and empathising with them: providing them with a safe and non-judgemental space to discuss what they were struggling with and encouraging them to confront these issues. Additional Daily Tasks: - Tracking and administering medication to residents - Keeping detailed logs of the progress of clients - Researching courses and programmes for clients - Creating support plans for clients - Organising appointments for residents - Carefully reviewing CCTV footage after incidents - Writing up detailed incident reports - Writing up detailed handovers on each resident every night - Interacting and communicating with many organisations and government bodies e.g. the local council, An Guarda Síochána, local mental health services Show less

Transcriptionist & Research Assistant

• Jul 2017 - Feb 2018

I transcribed interviews which Joanna Mishtal conducted with Irish women at abortion clinics in the UK. The interviews were centred around the experiences of Irish women travelling to the United Kingdom to avail of abortion services prior to the repealing of the 8th amendment. I also reported back to Joanna about what was happening on the ground in Ireland, in terms or protests and so forth. Additionally, I helped to explain some cultural terminology within the interviews such as slang/euphemisms and so forth. From this work, I received a much more in depth understanding of the hardships endured by women living in a country that denies them access to abortion services. Not only does restrictive legislation on abortion place immeasurable barriers on women's bodily autonomy; it also legitimises a culture that makes women feel shame for obtaining such services. Listening to these interviews gave me invaluable insight into the array of difficulties which legal restrictions on abortion cause and it also reinforced to me the diversity of women in need of such services. Show less

Medical Anthropological Researcher

• Jul 2017 - Sep 2017

I worked for eight weeks with Mnazi Mmoja hospital conducting anthropological research with past patients who had suffered maternal near misses (i.e. they almost died during delivery) three months prior. This research was aimed at assessing the impact which this near death experience had on these women's lives on a physical, financial, social and psychological level. These were in a sense the 'forgotten women', because they had survived. Our aim was to give voice to these women's stories and to show the lasting impact which these complications have even for the survivors, making a case that quality of care needs to be improved for all women and that a decrease in maternal mortality is not enough to be deemed a success; a more holistic approach is necessary. Upon completion of the research, we presented the findings to the hospital staff as well as the women's recommendations for improved care at the hospital. Additionally, we wrote a report for submission to the Health Ministry of Zanzibar, in the hopes that these women's emotive stories would positively impact the amount of funding which the Ministry allocates to maternal health care. Finally, we worked across countries to write an academic article for submission to BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. The article (open access) is called: “I lost my happiness, I felt half dead and half alive” - a qualitative study of the long-term aftermath of obstetric near-miss in the urban district of Zanzibar, Tanzania open-access link: https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-020-03261-8 Show less

Invigilator

• Apr 2016 - May 2017

"The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities." - The British Council I invigilated for both oral and written British Council Exams throughout the Utrecht region of the Netherlands. The role involved administration, supervision, and the utmost confidentiality with regards to exam material. "The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities." - The British Council I invigilated for both oral and written British Council Exams throughout the Utrecht region of the Netherlands. The role involved administration, supervision, and the utmost confidentiality with regards to exam material.