From our Past to our Present and into our Future
With Extern now in its fifth decade, we draw strength from a rich history that continues to inform and inspire our work today.
We operate in a rapidly changing landscape where fast-paced political, social, economic and technological shifts are reshaping the ways in which we operate. These changes challenge us to think differently, forge new partnerships and create greater impact than ever before.
Throughout our journey, one constant has remained: our belief in the unique worth of every person who turns to us for support. It is this belief, combined with the compassion, dedication and respectful approach of our staff and volunteers that drives us forward. Together, we face fears, uncover struggles and walk alongside people as they move towards a better tomorrow.
Our Purpose
As a community and voluntary organisation, our primary purpose is to provide services to support adults, young people, families and children who are:
• Facing family breakdown
• Dealing with substance misuse
• Impacted by suicide and poor mental health
• Living with past offences or in the criminal justice system
• Experiencing homelessness
• Children looked after
• Young people in alternative education
• Engaged in alternative education and employability supports
• Members of the Traveller Community
• Living with neurodiversity
We are commissioned by public sector bodies and government departments from across the island of Ireland.
How we shaped our new strategy
This strategy has been shaped by the generous insights and feedback of our commissioners, the people we support, our staff and our Board of Trustees. Its successful delivery will depend on the continued involvement of everyone who has helped guide its direction. Together, and in partnership with our commissioner-funders and dedicated team, we will bring this strategy to life.
Our Inspiration
Something remarkable happened in Belfast in the mid-1970s. Almost by chance, a group of young social workers and probation officers who were like-minded and interested in the criminal justice system came together. Among them was John Fairleigh, an energetic law lecturer at Queen’s University
They all shared a deep interest in the causes of crime and social deprivation and wanted to help improve the lives of young adults coming through the criminal justice system. Taking action, they set up the first hostel for individuals exiting prison in partnership with other supportive organisations who believed in the idea and wanted to help. Once premises were secured the Probation Service came on board with the referral pathway for accommodation and career supports. And that is how the very first service began with a group of volunteers with the passion to support people towards a better tomorrow.
In time, more hostels, day centres and night shelters were opened and services expanded in Belfast. However, funding was always a challenge. In order to overcome this and partner with government agencies to provide services in the community, the founding volunteers moved to formally name and register their services under the entity called Extern Organisation in 1978.
In 2024 Extern’s Founder, John Fairleigh and some of the original volunteers met with the current team enlightening everyone about the story of how it all began. Extern is indebted to its founding volunteers and to John’s vision which inspires the organisation to this day. Five decades on, Extern continues to be led by volunteer trustees with a service portfolio that stretches to the four corners of the island of Ireland.
Extern has never lost sight of its founding principle – that resolving issues of inequality and lack of opportunity requires care and compassion, coupled with action. That is why the primary focus of everything we do is to treat people with respect and increase their opportunities for a better tomorrow with services that are relevant, practical and effective.
“When we started out, Extern was built on enthusiasm and idealism. We didn’t have any notion it would develop into the extraordinary and fully professional organisation it is now. But we had a firm belief that we wanted to change people’s life opportunities, because when we are given the right opportunity, guided by realistic expectations and treated with dignity, all of us can achieve remarkable things.”
John Fairleigh, Founder Extern
Our Six Strategic Pillars
THE PEOPLE WE SUPPORT
We AIM to
• Support people as we find them through a positive, trauma-informed approach where they experience being listened to and their needs are put first.
• Ensure everyone, as a priority, experiences wellbeing and safety.
• Empower people to lead the change they want in their lives so that they develop and flourish as they achieve greater independence. We will seek feedback so we can evaluate and build upon the impact of our approaches.
• Be inclusive, ensuring everyone is treated fairly and equally, and has access to the resources they need when they need them.
• Offer opportunities to value lived experience and to lead positive changes for both the individual and our services.
• Continue to serve people who are excluded and isolated to improve their lives and contribute to their communities through access to the right services.
• Evidence service impacts and better communicate outcomes to advance our vision of a society where everyone who faces crisis, discrimination, difficult personal challenges, or social inequalities, receives support and understanding and have better experiences.
• Strengthen Regional Presence and Accessibility of Services.
• Develop our services as trauma-aware, deepen quality delivery, enhance through technology, uphold the highest standards of safe practice, and promote continuous learning and collaboration with our commissioner-funders.
• Improve the engagement and contribution of lived experience in the development of services.
Extern’s six strategic pillars guide and support the delivery of our strategic goals.
OUR COMMISSIONER FUNDERS
We AIM to
• Be a valued and trusted service delivery partner.
• Achieve our mutual goals through open and transparent collaboration and have the best collective impact together.
• Share our knowledge, insights and expertise to positively support the development of commissioner future priorities
• Be accountable in all our activities, challenges and opportunities and foster deeper professional relationships with our funders.
• Ensure services evidencebased impact is communicated with commissioners and jointly reviewed to shape greater outcomes for the people we serve.
• Develop a vibrant impact focused work environment where trauma informed values and behaviours are at the heart of our culture.
• Enhance employee experience, focusing on diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and the voice of our people to shape our approach.
• Continually improve our recruitment and retention outcomes, creating a workforce that supports the delivery of exceptional service and positive outcomes for all.
• Foster a culture of learning and development to meet diverse needs across the organisation.
• Bring out the best in our people and invest in leadership and management capability and promote cross-functional partnership working.
• Build a distinctive voice and reputation for Extern. We will amplify the voice of the people we support in the media.
• Build Public Affairs and Stakeholder engagement plans in partnership with commissioners.
• Shape the debate with Government, commissioners, media and society to evolve attitudes. Show our work in action by evidence-based insights and sharing real life impact stories.
• Deepen our engagement and expand the ways we communicate with Our People to nurture an open and honest culture as a Trauma Informed Organisation.
• Evolve and innovate our funding streams to broaden our base to form new partnerships to support future growth and service models.
Our strategic pillars have been developed to underpin the delivery of the highest quality services for the people we support
OUR GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY
We AIM to
• Demonstrate our commitment to the highest level of charitable governance with absolute integrity, openness, transparency and accountability in all we do.
• Advance our organisation’s focus on its Sustainable Development Goals.
• Act with financial propriety and transparency in all our work and continue to improve how we manage the charity’s assets.
• Seek economic efficiencies as well as diversifying our funding base to fund the impact we want to have, and the organisational change we need for a sustainable future.
• Develop new approaches and technologies in our central support infrastructure and operation, to maximise efficiencies and further improve our operations.
In line with our commissioners’ analysis of future societal needs, we have developed eight core Services Aims which are delivered by a portfolio of Extern Services to meet the complexity of social challenges being experienced across the island of Ireland.
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services will support individuals with complex needs to sustain and maintain independent living through holistic provision of services.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
• Supported Accommodation & Housing
• Family & Youth Supports
• Mental Well-Being
• Youth Justice Reform Supports
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services are committed to the provision of long-term sustainable accommodation for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
• Supported Accommodation & Housing
• Family & Youth Supports
• Youth Justice Reform Supports
• Mental Well-Being
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services will focus on a harm reduction model with emphasis on focusing on harm reduction wellbeing.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
• Racial & Ethnic Minority Supports
• Harm Reduction & Recovery
• Mental Well-Being
• Youth Justice Reform Supports
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services will support family unity through the expansion of respite services and community-based supports.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
• Intellectual Disability & Neurodiverse
• Family & Youth Supports
• Youth Justice Reform Supports
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services will aid the development of strong and inclusive communities by encouraging integration, active participation, collaboration, and sustainable development efforts to imp rove the quality of life for all residents.
HOW WE DELIVER THIS SERVICE AIM
Mental Well-being
Racial & Ethnic Minority Supports
Family & Youth Supports Youth Justice Reform Supports
Extern services will support individuals to achieve their education and/ or employment goals, to promote social and economic stability.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
Education & Employment
Family & Youth Supports
Youth Justice Reform Supports Care Experienced Children Supports Mental Well-Being
Harm Reduction & Recovery
Supported Accommodation & Housing
Racial & Ethnic Minority Supports Intellectual Disability & Neurodiverse
1 3 5 7 8 4 6 2
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services will offer opportunities for people with lived experience to influence service design and delivery including opportunities for volunteering and direct employment.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
Education & Employment
Family & Youth Supports
Youth Justice Reform Supports
Care Experienced Children Supports Mental Well-Being
Harm Reduction & Recovery
Supported Accommodation & Housing
Racial & Ethnic Minority Supports Intellectual Disability & Neurodiverse
STRATEGIC SERVICE AIM
Extern services are committed to shared learning internally and externally to provide increased service supports across the island of Ireland.
THE SERVICES SUPPORTING THIS AIM ARE
Education & Employment
Family & Youth Supports
Youth Justice Reform Supports Care Experienced Children Supports Mental Well-Being
Harm Reduction & Recovery
Supported Accommodation & Housing
Racial & Ethnic Minority Supports Intellectual Disability & Neurodiverse
