Extern Ireland Annual Report 2021-22

IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2021-22

IRELAND’S LEADING SOCIAL JUSTICE CHARITY

We are most grateful for the support of the following:

The Grace Trust

Kildare County Council

Hospital Saturday Fund

Life Credit Union Naas

*The names have been changed in the service user stories throughout this report to protect the identities of those involved. The photos we have used are for illustration only and should not be taken as bearing any resemblance to those people involved in our narrative.

Chair's Message

This has been a year in which our many positive achievements have shone through the challenges we have faced.

While the past twelve months have undoubtedly been a period of profound challenge for our organisation and for the thousands of people we support every day across our range of projects, so too have they given us much to celebrate.

Where other organisations like ours were faced with severe restrictions – and sometimes outright closure – during the Covid pandemic, we ensured that our efforts to deliver the vital, life-changing services which so many have come to expect from our frontline projects remained largely unaffected.

Once again our teams across the country stepped up where they were needed most. Their dedication, resilience and ingenuity ensured that our services could be adapted to meet people at their point of need with as little disruption as possible.

I know that I speak for everyone on the Board of Extern Ireland when I say that we are immensely proud of our staff at all levels and in all parts of our organisation for the way in which they responded to this crisis.

We have continued to grow in 2021-22, and I was delighted to see another new project, the Intensive Family Support Service, joining our service portfolio. Meanwhile, the expansion of our ground-breaking Bail Supervision Scheme to two key new areas, as well as widening out from its original delivery area in Dublin, is testimony to the hard work and dedication of those teams in making this project such a success.

The rollout of our new Extern Extras volunteering campaign here for the first time will also be of great benefit for our profile across the country. I certainly look forward to seeing this grow and develop in the years ahead, and the impact that our new volunteer recruits will have upon the people we support.

Meanwhile, the acquisition of two new respite properties in Co Clare and Co Roscommon has been a fantastic boost for our work with vulnerable young people and those with an intellectual disability or autism, as well as their families and support networks. So much hard work has gone into acquiring these wonderful new sites, as well as in getting them fit for purpose and ready to receive visitors.

I was also pleased to see our fundraising work extend further across the country with our Safe Haven campaigns. These have played an important role in not only bringing in vital funds, but in helping to raise awareness of our work and of the issues being faced by so many young people in our communities.

The arrival of new colleagues onto our Board of Trustees and the additional skills and experience they bring to the organisation will be of immense benefit going forward. The launch of our new five-year strategy over the next year will also provide exciting new opportunities as well as a strong basis for further growth and development.

I would like to thank all those who have supported us through another year, including our much-valued commissioners and funders, without whom we would not be able to reach so many people. To my colleagues on the Board of Trustees too I extend my gratitude for their hard work, and I pay tribute to the Strategic Leadership Team who have continued to guide us through these difficult times. I also warmly thank our wonderful staff and volunteers for their ongoing commitment and professionalism.

And of course I extend my sincerest gratitude to our service users who once again place their trust in us to deliver on their behalf.

Jim Daly Chair, Extern Ireland

Welcome

In many ways we might be forgiven for being glad to have seen the end of a year which has been particularly challenging not only for Extern but our fellow peers across the sector. We have been faced with the resurgence of Coronavirus, ongoing funding challenges, the effects of political uncertainty, and increasing legislation and regulation in compliance and governance.

Sadly, so many organisations in our sector have struggled to recover from the colossal impact of the Covid pandemic, as the endless cycle of lockdowns and restrictions have had a dramatic impact upon the economy.

Yet, when we think of the journey that we have been on in those twelve months alone, we are filled with immense pride at what we have achieved and for the fact that we are still here, stronger and more determined than ever.

We have opened new projects, expanded existing services and brought others to a successful conclusion with valuable learnings and experience to apply across our work in so many other areas.

We have also continued to strengthen our existing partnerships, while building new relationships and exploring innovative avenues of service delivery.

Most importantly of all, thousands of young people, families and individuals have seen their lives continue to be transformed for the better over this past year alone. We often hear reflections from our service users describing Extern as a ‘life-saver’ - and that is no faint praise, as we have indeed been the difference between life and death for some of them.

So much of this is down to the incredible team of staff and volunteers alongside whom we have been immensely proud to work. Their incredible commitment and expertise is the envy of many organisations, and we are so lucky to be able to call them colleagues and friends.

Those qualities will undoubtedly be well-tested as we face into another year of hardship for those we support, not least with the cost-of-living crisis which will impact hardest upon the most vulnerable in our communities. Yet we will continue to be there for them, providing the same diligent, focussed and compassionate support for which we have become so well known.

We do so from a much stronger position now too, as we have dedicated great time and effort to ensuring that our policies, procedures and safeguarding measures are fully strengthened and tailored for every individual project. For this we thank our Boards of Trustees for their hard work in ensuring that this vitally important work has been carried out.

We also thank our commissioners and funders for their ongoing support as we continue to ensure that our projects are better able than ever to meet the increasing needs within our society.

We hope that you find this annual report an enlightening and informative record of another incredible year in our organisation, not least the inspiring first-hand stories from those we have supported across such a wide range of projects.

These personal stories truly are the inspiration for our work, and we offer our thanks to our service users for the trust and confidence they have placed in us to support them through their challenges.

Strategic Leadership Team, Extern

Like so many of those we support, we have learned to draw strength from our experiences during this most difficult of years

We are Extern Ireland

Our Vision

We will aim to change lives to support a socially just and inclusive society.

Our Mission

We will create opportunities and provide supports to enable everyone to meaningfully participate in society.

Our Values

Respect

We value the feelings, opinions and rights of our service users, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

Integrity

All our decisions and interactions will be ethical, open, honest, and transparent.

Compassion

We care about our service users and colleagues and will act with empathy in all engagements.

Accountability

We hold ourselves and each other responsible for our decisions and actions.

Professional

We work inclusively with service users, colleagues, and key stakeholders to deliver high quality supports and evidence-based services.

Dublin

Meath

Louth Laois

Monaghan

Donegal

Antrim

Armagh

Tyrone

In 2021-22 we delivered services in 28 counties across the island of Ireland

Why We Are Needed

63%

of young people engaged in Youth Diversion Projects across ROI had experienced four or more adverse childhood events before the age of 18

27%

of 15 to 24-year-olds in Ireland have used an illegal drug in their lifetime

40,000

people in Ireland are believed to have a gambling addiction

41% of young people in detention at Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus in 2019 had a mental health need

x6-7

higher rate of suicide among Travellers than in settled population across Ireland

available

SOURCES: YouthRise, An Garda Síochána, Health Research Board, Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus, All-Ireland Traveller Health Study. Details

on request

Highlights of 2021-22

5,721

The Extern Problem Gambling project continued to expand its reach with a series of workshops aimed at highlighting the dangers of betting among young people. The workshops, which were funded through the HSE National Lottery Grants scheme, were rolled out to students at secondary schools across the country to highlight the impact which problem gambling can have on individuals, families and communities.

Our ground-breaking Bail Supervision Scheme continued to reach in to new areas in Cork and Limerick following a successful tender to open new schemes. Building upon the success of the Dublin project, which opened in 2016, the new schemes include expanded referral pathways, while the Dublin project has now widened its reach to new geographical areas outside the city.

598 people directly supported through our Young People & Families services

The opening of our new Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS) in Drogheda at the beginning of the year has enabled us to bring even more supports to young people at risk of engaging in criminal activity. As well as intensive face-to-face support, the project provides young people and their families with access to one of Extern’s respite facilities.

people benefitted from Extern Ireland’s support

solid grounding for future recruitment in the years ahead.

Havens of hope

Two new properties were added this year to Extern’s list of respite centres aimed at providing vital supports to young people and families, as well as adults with learning disabilities.

For our Extern Outreach Support Service in Co Limerick, which supports people with an intellectual disability or autism, being able to acquire a quiet, secure location was crucial in being able to meet the needs of its service users.

A generous donation of €300,000 from the JP McManus Fund was agreed in the Spring of 2021, enabling us to find a suitable property in Co Clare, within easy travelling distance of our service base in Limerick city. Nestled on the edge of the peaceful and picturesque Cratloe Woods (above), the house has a number of bedrooms, activity rooms and a kitchen/dining area to welcome visitors, as well as provide the necessary framework for adapting the property to meet any change to future needs.

Funding was also secured for capital works at the site from a range of organisations, including the Smurfitt Kappa Foundation and Irish Civil Service Fund, among others. By the end of the year work was ongoing to acquire the necessary permits and registration to begin operation.

The launch of our Safe Haven campaign was an important milestone in our work to build our fundraising profile across the island of Ireland. Launched in April, and followed by a Christmas-focused drive in December, the campaign helped showcase the life-changing work being carried out at our range of respite centres across Ireland.

The acquisition of a new respite property in Co Roscommon has also been a major development for our youth work provision in the area. Situated on the shores of the beautiful Oakport Lough, The Haven comprises bedrooms and communal areas, as well as separate ‘cottage’ accommodation. The property also benefits from access to outdoor activities in the local area which can provide positive engagement for the young people who visit.

The centre was purchased to provide short-term respite accommodation for young people engaged on our programmes such as Time Out and Janus. Further discussion has since been ongoing with Tusla over how the centre can further meet their service needs.

The beginning of 2022 saw the rollout of our new Extern Extras volunteer campaign into the Republic for the first time. A variety of roles were offered across a number of locations, including Youth Engagement volunteers to support the work of our young people and families projects. The new campaign provided a

Making a Difference

98% of young people believe they have learned new skills since engaging with Extern

(Young person, Cork)

100%

of parents believe Extern staff treat them with respect and honesty

“Extern helped me get back into education and made me realise how much it really matters.”

(Young person, Dublin)

98%

of young people who engaged with Extern believe they now get on better in their day-to-day life

“Extern helped me through a tough time in my life and onto a new chapter.”

(Young person, Cavan)

100%

of parents stated they trust Extern staff

Extern went above and beyond to support us as a family.”

(Parent of young service user, Dundalk)

96%

of young people feel that overall things have improved for them since they started with Extern

99%

of parents stated that their relationship with their child has improved after working with Extern

95%

of parents stated that overall things have improved for their child since they started to attend an Extern project

“Extern has helped me so much in my life. I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

Every

A Welcome Boost

(Referring professional, Galway)

100%

of referring professionals believe Extern staff are flexible and responsive in meeting young people’s needs

This year saw Extern widen its volunteering recruitment to the Republic for the first time

While volunteers have played an active role in Extern’s projects for many years, it was in 2021-22 that the organisation approached the idea of recruiting at an island-wide level in order to further support the work of its frontline services.

100% of referring professionals believe Extern follow through on what they say they will do

(Parent of young service user, Limerick)

Following a comprehensive review of volunteering needs across the organisation, the Extern Extras programme launched in May 2021 with a special online event.

Building upon a successful recruitment drive in Northern Ireland during 2021, the programme was widened out in early 2022 to include the Republic of Ireland as part of Extern’s first-ever dedicated volunteer recruitment campaign there.

New opportunities were offered in Dublin, Cavan, Dundalk and Drogheda, including a new Youth Engagement volunteer role to support Extern’s staff teams to deliver workshops and activities to young people who are vulnerable or marginalised.

100% of referring professionals stated they would refer other young people to Extern

Extern’s award-winning Practice Development Unit also provided support with a bespoke training programme to prepare the new recruits for their roles.

The programme has continued to go from strength to strength, with plans for developing new roles and opportunities into the following year.

year, Extern Ireland seeks feedback from those we support, including referring professionals, parents and young people themselves. These statistics from 2021 show the impact we have had on hundreds of people across Ireland throughout the year.

“Extern have made a big difference in the life of this young person.”

“Extern was always there for me to talk to.”

Keeping families together

As the year began, the impact of the pandemic made home and doorstep visits to families difficult due to the level of risk assessment which was required on a daily basis.

Staff also found that issues such as school refusal, anxiety and disharmony within the home were particularly prominent in 2021-22 due to the pressures of lockdown on families and less availability of support services.

Our teams nevertheless continued to offer face-toface engagement wherever possible and overall Extern’s response was fast and responsive to ensure support remained in place for vulnerable service users.

In consultation with funders Tusla, our Intensive Home Support Service (IHSS) projects sought to alter how we deliver our service. This included working more closely with parents and guardians to support them in learning new methods of boundary setting. This opened the opportunity for greater speed of change within families and for working with more cases during the year.

Based in Dublin City North, the Youth Support programme offers services to young people aged 8–12. While some of its work was restricted during the summer, team members continued to engage with young people via phone and video calls. The team found that many young people also remained on the programme for longer than usual. This was due to them having missed out on core parts of the group activity elements during the Covid lockdowns.

For our Janus teams located across the country, this was also a busy year as they developed new ways of connecting with young people and families.

In North Dublin, our Janus team began piloting a new approach to their referral to review process, which incorporates our Outcomes Stars assessment process with regular focus on young person’s objectives and action plans.

Cavan Janus took an innovative approach to engaging with young people by developing a recipe booklet for use in our overnight respite facilities. Cooking is an area many young people enjoy being involved with when on respite and is also an opportunity to teach basic living skills.

Our Kildare Janus teams established a parents group, which was well-attended and allowed families to highlight issues of particular concern.

The East Coast Bray project also worked with parents groups using the Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) approach for child to parent violence which has proven to be very effective with those involved.

And our Galway/Roscommon Janus continued to work in partnership with Tusla and Petersburg Outdoor Education Training Centre (OETC) to provide respite to young people on our projects. This has proven to be very successful to date and is expected to feature significantly for future summer programmes.

support services continued their work through this most difficult of periods

My family and I were referred to Extern because we had some issues with our day-to-day lives – things like establishing a good family routine, budgeting our money and getting the children to school on a regular basis.

The team supported us hugely through weekly sessions and activities with the kids. They helped me to become more organised and to work on my parenting skills. They have been a great support emotionally too. My coping skills are much better, and I no longer feel in a dark place. I’m happier and I get out of the house more often. I always make sure my children don’t miss appointments and that they have everything they need.

With the help of Extern I have put so much time into improving my home and worked very hard in all aspects of my life. I can now make a phone call confidently and manage my own responsibilities whereas before I would have let other people do those things for me.

I am so proud of how far we have all come. We wouldn’t be where we are without Extern – they have been the best thing that has ever happened to my family.

Parent, Intensive Home Support Service, Dublin

young people provided with mental health and addictions support

Working together for positive change

services reaching in to even more areas of need across the country

The launch of the government’s Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 underpinned a very exciting year for our Justice services, as it brought a greater focus towards collaborative working to strengthen families and communities in living free from crime and harm.

The objectives in the strategy emphasise the need to maximise the opportunities which are available in order to promote positive behavioural change for young people.

This includes a wide range of issues relevant to children and young people at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system, including: Early intervention and preventative work; Family support; Diversion from crime; Court processes; Supervision and support in the community; and Detention and support post-release.

Following an outstanding evaluation on the Bail Supervision Scheme in Dublin, Extern were successful in the tender to open two new Schemes - one in Limerick and one in Cork. We have seen successful outcomes in both new sites for young people and have expanded the referral pathway to include An Garda Siochana and probation services. The original Dublin scheme has also expanded its target area to include Drogheda, Trim, Naas and Bray.

In April 2021, Extern opened the Intensive Family Support Service (IFSS). This is a Department of Justice-funded project and is a partnership between

the Department of Justice, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the School of Law at University of Limerick.

The aims of the project are to reduce the influence of criminal networks on children and to improve prosocial outcomes for those who become involved in criminal networks. The project also provides new insights into how criminal networks attract and confine children, encouraging and coercing them to be involved in serious crime.

Janus Justice in Limerick continues to lead the way within the justice sector, being one of two ‘Specialist Projects’ funded by the Department of Justice. The service continues to work with harder to reach young people that are continuing to offend past the point of diversion programmes and aims to reduce recidivism through increased school/vocational placements and increased life skills.

Extern’s four Youth Diversion Projects are continuing to implement a one-to-one model for young people involved in the criminal justice system. The YDPs were invited to apply for additional workers in the areas of early intervention and family support, with a view to being able to access additional funding to focus on these areas as outlined in the strategy.

Before my family started working with the Bail Supervision Scheme, I had no confidence, I was stressed and anxious about my child because I knew he was going down the wrong path. Everything came to a head one night when he broke into a number of cars, and I had to go to the garda station.

I had to attend court, where my child was brought before the judge. I felt like a failure and that I had let him down. It was one of the lowest moments of my life and something I never thought I would have to do. I couldn’t see a way out.

On the next court date, I was referred to BSS and MultiSystemic Therapy. We worked step by step together to look at the problems my family were facing, made small goals and worked bit by bit to reach those goals. It was flexible with all of my family’s needs, and it helped my child to accept responsibility for his actions.

Together we achieved so much. My child got back into education and has developed a positive routine. He has taken up soccer and cycling, has taken positive steps to reduce his drug use, and has a better relationship with his father.

I too have more confidence as a parent. I have hope for the future. And most importantly of all, I now believe that my child can succeed in the future.

Parent, Bail Supervision Scheme, Limerick

576 people provided with support through our justice services

Responding to greater need

The year began very positively for the Extern Problem Gambling project when it was selected by AIB Bank as partners, together with the GAA, for their ‘Hidden Problem’ initiative. The PR campaign was led out by GAA legends Oisin McConville and Niall McNamee, with €50,000 in funding given to the project to provide helpline and counselling supports to the public.

Altogether, the project handled 319 helpline calls and delivered 1,095 hours of counselling to a total of 109 clients across 2021-22.

Another key milestone was the launch of the Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP), across four of the HSE’s Community Healthcare Organisation regions. The service was delivered to over 3,500 students in 44 schools, across 14 counties, with the aim of educating and informing them on the impact which problem gambling can have on individuals, families and communities. A further 11 schools also paid privately for the service, reflecting the genuine need for such services within the system.

The project continued to have a strong presence in the media, where it was regularly sought for interviews with national newspapers and broadcasters, as well as at a political level. Project Manager Barry Grant presented to both the NI Assembly’s All-Party Group on Reducing Gambling Harm and the Oireacthas Justice Committee on the Gambling Regulation Bill.

The profile of the project has also continued to expand throughout lockdown, with service delivery moving

online. This has enabled the project to reach into Northern Ireland as well, through service delivery, advocacy and media presence.

As gambling regulation/legislation is due to be enacted in both ROI and NI in 2022-23, the project is set to continue its advocacy and lobbying work, to encourage policymakers to fast-track much-needed measures which can reduce the harm associated with gambling.

For our MYDAS drug and alcohol project, the year began with a growth in the numbers of young people and families accessing the service. Overall, staff saw a rise in young people presenting with grave mental health issues, with each case requiring a considerable amount of care.

A number of key posts were also filled within the team, and all staff members became accredited on Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT).

As we entered 2022, we were advised that our contract with funders would be coming to a close at the end of the year. While this was sad news for the team, it was testament to their professionalism that they rallied and continued to deliver a quality lead service supporting the needs of young people and their families engaged in the service.

increasing demand for their services in response to the pressures of lockdown.

I was a dad, a husband and a friend to many. People would have described me as fun-loving, kind and caring. But behind it all I was dealing with an escalating addiction to gambling which had lasted for years.

It got to the point where I contemplated taking my own life. Thankfully, I managed to get support and was admitted to hospital, which is where I first heard about Extern Problem Gambling.

I listened to every episode of the Problem Gambling Podcast and it was a relief to hear other people’s stories about their gambling addictions and how they have turned their lives around.

I reached out to the team, and they came back to me quickly. That was the first of many steps I took towards managing my problem gambling - now, I had a professional to speak to when I got out of hospital, which was a great start for me. Mentally, this was so uplifting for myself and my family.

I haven’t had a single lapse since I first got in contact with Extern. My relationships, my communication skills and my ability to concentrate at work have all improved. Crucially, I have found healthier coping skills for dealing with stressful situations.

I’d like to think that maybe one day I too can give back to help others who have been where I was when I faced my problems with gambling addiction.

Declan,

Extern Problem Gambling, Dublin

159 people provided with problem gambling support

Building hopes and dreams

At the beginning of the year, the EOSS project –which supports people with an intellectual disability or autism - was rapidly expanding, with additional staff and service users commencing with both our Outreach and Time Out teams.

The team also relocated to a purposelyrenovated space comprising office facilities, gaming room, sensory room, art room, kitchen and two living areas. This enables service users to achieve their goals, while building on social interactions and independent living skills.

The rollout of a new Person-Centred Planning Framework by the HSE was introduced. This is designed to support people with disabilities to make choices about how they wish to live their lives. It focuses on hopes, dreams, and wants, rather than the needs of the person and was implemented in line with the HSE’s New Directions programme in both the Outreach and Time Out projects.

As with all projects, Covid posed challenges with both staff and service users. A study by the National Advocacy Services for People with Disabilities in Ireland reported that people with a disability were one of the worse groups affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Closure and reduction of day services nationwide led to many people with disabilities losing social interaction, confidence, and skills. There was also an increase in mental health concerns including anxiety and depression. Carers also reported exhaustion and anxiety.

EOSS services continued to be provided and staff worked diligently and creatively to think of activities to keep people socially active within the community, while adhering to the most up to date Covid guidelines and ensuring a high standard of infection control.

When we first met Brendan he was isolated from his family and his community. He was in a wheelchair and residing in a nursing home, despite only being a relatively young age.

Independent living just wasn’t an option for him at this point in his life, which left him feeling frustrated and angry. He was untrusting of people and felt he had no one to listen to him.

Extern provided Brendan with weekly visits in the nursing home and phone calls to check in when staff knew he was struggling emotionally. Little by little, Brendan began to build a trusting relationship with our team and began to feel he could better articulate his feelings and emotions.

Gradually, Brendan also began to build a relationship with his family and went home to visit them. When the decision was made that he could move to a supported living facility in the community Brendan was overjoyed, as he could now begin to see himself living his life independently.

Thanks to Extern, Brendan can begin to get out and enjoy life and feels more hopeful for his future as a result of engaging with Extern.

Team member, Extern Outreach Support Service, Limerick

Service project adopted an innovative new approach to supporting people.

better health

This was a busy year for the Cavan-based Traveller project with the team delivering information and awareness sessions on key areas including mental health, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular health.

Covid vaccinations were a particular priority, with staff assisting in registering members of the Traveller community and encouraging and promoting uptake, as well as promoting the importance of social distancing and good hygiene.

The team formed a strong partnership with Mental Health Ireland and the Education and Training Board to facilitate a number of initiatives including mindfulness programmes, self-care, yoga, and accessing online health supports through short computer courses. Through this relationship, we now have one staff member from the Traveller community who sits on the committee for the Mental Health and Human Rights group.

Along with the HSE Traveller Mental Health Coordinator, the team produced a special leaflet with a list of all mental health supports available. This leaflet was given out to each Traveller family engaged with, along with other self-care and mental health memos.

Other important initiatives included the Steps to Health Challenge, and Diabetes Awareness Day, for which the team developed a leaflet specific to the Traveller community. Staff also developed ‘step and stroll’ groups in the local area to highlight the importance of regular physical exercise among the community.

I was going through depression and anxiety as well as being socially isolated. I stayed at home all day and had no motivation to do anything.

The Traveller team supported me with getting out more and trying new things like exercise classes, mindfulness, self-care, healthy eating and art. Thanks to this I’ve become more active and self-aware of health for myself and my family.

It has also helped me to interact more with other members of the Traveller community and to connect with services. I now feel more comfortable going into public places such as cafes, libraries and resource centres – those are places where I would have felt judged before because of my Traveller background.

Extern has helped me build my selfconfidence and motivation levels. I had no structure or routine before, but I now enjoy going to the groups. It has also made me understand and respect my heritage more, and helped me to interact with more people from the Traveller community.

Caoimhe, Traveller Healthcare Programme, Cavan

Our Traveller Healthcare Programme team played an important role in keeping the community well-informed throughout Covid.

Appendix 1) Company Details

Chair

Gerard Campbell (resigned 25 November 2021)

Jim Daly (appointed 1 April 2021, Chair from 25 November 2021)

Other Directors

Aideen D'Arcy

Allen McCartney

Brendan Johnston (until 25 November 2021)

Ian McAvoy

Marian Quinn (appointed 1 April 2021)

Eavann Murphy (appointed 21 October 2021)

Michael Holley (appointed 21 October 2021, resigned 24 April 2022)

Company Secretary

HBK Secretarial Services Ltd, Dublin

Management Team

Danny McQuillan, (Interim CEO from 9 November 2020, CEO from 18 October 2021)

Dr Gavin Adams (Director of Business Development)

Jonathan Carroll (Director of People & Organisational Development)

Pauline Flynn (Director of Finance & Corporate Services)

Leslie Ann Scott (Director of Services RoI)

Thelma Abernethy (Interim Director of Services NI until 30 September 2021)

Principal Bankers:

Bank of Ireland

Naas, Co Kildare

Auditors:

Moore NI

Donegall House, 7 Donegall Square North

Belfast BT1 5GB

Company Reg No:

383201

Principal Solicitors:

Beauchamps

Riverside Two, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, D02 KV60

Registered Office

1st Floor, Block 4

Monread Leisure & Commercial Centre

Monread Avenue, Naas, Co. Kildare W91 YWX3

Charity No.:

CHY15770 & 20055318

Appendix 2) Extern Ireland Board of Trustees

Jim Daly

Jim is a self-employed business consultant from Clonakilty, Co Cork. Jim is a qualified teacher and former school principal who is currently completing his studies with the Institute of Directors to become a chartered Director. Jim spent 16 years working as a public representative and announced his intention to retire from politics in 2020 while serving as Minister for Mental Health & Older People. Jim has a keen interest in children’s welfare and education and recently completed studies at UCC in Trauma Informed Care. He is currently a non-executive Director of a number of private and notfor-profit boards as well as providing consultancy services to a wide range of businesses, especially in the health area.

Gerard Campbell

Gerard is the Chief Executive of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, and previously led Colleges NI, the membership body representing the six Regional, Further and Higher Education Colleges in Northern Ireland. Before that, he was Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children & Young People. Prior to that, Gerard was the Director of Corporate Services with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Gerard is currently the Chair of two small charitable organisations in Antrim and was previously a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of the Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and a Board Member with Sport Northern Ireland. Gerard is also the independent Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee with the Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland.

Aideen D’Arcy MBE

Aideen was educated at Queen’s and the Ulster Universities. Aideen taught in the post-primary sector before embarking on a career in social housing for over 30 years, specialising in the provision of supported accommodation for vulnerable people. Aideen served on the NI Regional Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul for over 15 years and undertook several initiatives to improve standards of accommodation and service provision of the organisation's homeless facilities throughout Ireland.

Brendan Johnston MBE

Brendan is a social worker and has spent his career in statutory social work in Northern Ireland. He has had experience of many different roles in his career, working in all programmes of care, though mainly in the area of children’s services. In the late ‘90s he worked closely with Extern West, particularly with development of Killadeas, and later Roscor. More recently, Brendan was the first Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Social Care Council and was responsible for establishing the regulation of social care workers in Northern Ireland.

Ian McAvoy

Ian lives in Belfast and was educated at MCB and London University. After graduating in economics Ian studied accountancy. After a spell in practice, he became the Finance Director of a leading Irish brand and was promoted to Chief Executive, holding that position for 16 years. He has much expertise in strategic planning, transformation, finance and marketing. Ian was Chair of PlayBoard, Vice Chair of Sport NI, Director of Sport NI, and is presently Vice Chair of Ark Housing. He holds the position of Chairman of Rugby at Queen's University, Belfast.

Allen McCartney

Allen is by profession a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, with degree qualifications in both electrical engineering and corporate leadership. He had a distinguished career at Director level in Northern Ireland Electricity and Viridian Group and brings a wealth of experience from previous public sector board appointments in the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the Department for Regional Development, and the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland. He is a Lay Magistrate and an Assessor for the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency.

Marian Quinn

Marian is a qualified Life and Business Coach and General Nurse. Her career has focused on children, young people and families through roles in both the statutory and non-profit sector. She has also lectured part-time in Maynooth University, Ireland, at post-graduate level in Adult and Community Education. Since becoming CEO of the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) in 2007, Marian has overseen the design, delivery and evaluation of practice models across a spectrum of needs. Marian has previously held roles in the HSE and Department of Justice and has also worked directly with young people and early school leavers. Marian has been a member of the new Children’s Hospital Board, and the Social Work Registration Board. She remains a member of the Airfield Trust Board.

Eavann Murphy

Eavann studied HND Computer Science, Masters - Marketing Management and ACCA Diploma Accounting & Finance at the University of Ulster. She is Managing Director for the Wholesale Division of eir Group and founding Chair of the eir Group Brand Council. Eavann has an extensive corporate career working in Bank of Ireland, Northern Ireland, from 1988-2000 in various marketing and strategy roles, then in Telecommunications with Vodafone 2000-2014. Since 2015 she has worked within the eir Group managing key business units across consumer, business and public sector markets. She previously served on the Board of Governors for Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and completed the Institute of Directors Chartered Directors Diploma in 2021.

Michael Holley

Michael has a degree in Chemistry from Swansea University. His career has largely been in export credit and political risk insurance. He has travelled to many countries in emerging markets in connection with this work, and served for many years on the boards of companies in Germany, the US, the UK and Ireland. Michael currently has a portfolio of non-executive director and consultancy positions across various sectors, including software development and a classical music festival.

Appendix 3) Financial Accounts

The Extern Difference

There are many reasons why people choose to work with Extern. There are two core beliefs, however, that we call the Extern Difference, and they are:

We Don’t Walk Away

We keep going back. We believe in giving people as many chances as they need to transform their lives. Whatever problems or challenges a person may be facing, we keep going back - and back - until they are ready to engage with us. And if someone chooses to step back from working with us, we leave them with one important message: “When you are ready, however long that may be, we will be here for you. And we’ll say hello again soon.”

We Don’t Reach Out, We Reach In

We reach in. Every day we work with people who are marginalised, who feel isolated and vulnerable, and may find themselves unable to break out of the situation they find themselves in. So, when we knock on a door for the first time, we are often seeing an adult, a family or a young person at their most raw or vulnerable.

And we understand, because we deal in reality. We are proud to work alongside people who society may have forgotten about, or dismissed as ‘hard to reach’. So, when that person is ready, we help them open the door to begin to change their life, by reaching in and offering the support that they need.