The Team

Sara Kickham- Board Member

 Sara is the Youth Development Coordinator with Wexford Local Development, formerly Co. Wexford Partnership. She has developed YAS, Young Adult Support a mentoring programme which is available to all secondary schools throughout Co. Wexford. She has also developed MAGIC (Mentoring, Awareness, Guidance, Information, and Consultation) a primary school Mentor programme. Her speciality is development of training programmes and the support of volunteers working with young people.  

Helen Dowling - Board Member

Helen is the Director of the Life Centre, Cherry Orchard, an educational centre which provides formal and informal education in a home like environment to 12-16 year olds in, including preparation for Junior Cert exams. She is a qualified secondary teacher, counsellor and psycotherapist and has experience of working as a rehabilitative training facilitator for adults in recovery from mental health difficulties. She works closely with the families of the young people who attend The Life Centre and with local community agencies and serves indirectly as an advocate for the young person in increasing community integration and helping to reduce marginalisation. She also works as a volunteer counsellor for a suicide bereavement group in Co.Kildare and sits on the Board of Management of The Life Centres (Dublin)

Catherine Byrne - Board Member

 Catherine is a project worker with the Drug Prevention & Education Initiative (DPEI) which is managed through Foróige National Youth Development Organisation. Catherine's role involves the development and provision of a range of Drug & Alcohol Awareness Training to staff & volunteers within Voluntary, Community & Statutory Services in Kildare, West Wicklow & South Dublin. Catherine also provides consultation & support to services working with young people and parents to develop drug prevention programmes and interventions and also supports the development of organisational substance use policy.

Staff
 

 Marie is Network Director of Breaking Through. Her role is to coordinate the development of Local Support Networks in areas throughout Ireland. Her work involves targeting areas, identifying the needs and initiating the development of interagency collaboration in both the statutory and voluntary sector.  She is also responsible for coordinating seminars and conferences together with the board of management and overseeing the ongoing development of the organisation. 

Yvonne Casey-Administrator

 Yvonne is the part-time administrator with responsibility for accounts. She provides support to the Network Director in developing the networks and co-ordinating training events. She is also responsible for the maintenance of the website.