Khalil Moran is pursuing a PhD in Democratic Economic Solutions to Inequality, with a specific focus on Community Wealth Building, an approach coined in Cleveland in the US and Preston in the UK. They have a particular interest in the interplay between our intra and interpersonal skills, theories of learning and how they impact our communication, and the systems and institutions we shape and are shaped by.   Khalil has been a staff member at Wicklow Democratic School since it opened in 2016 and was the Project Coordinator for two years. They currently work on the WDS staff team as a facil ..read more

Prof Brian Caulfield is Head of Discipline in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. His research addresses global issues such as the environmental impacts of transport and methods to reduce the carbon impacts of transport. He has published over 200 papers in international journals and conferences and to date has been awarded approx. €7 million in research funding. He currently has 9 PhD students and 6 postdoctoral researchers in his research group.  He is a Senior Editor of Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews and an Editor of Transport Policy. He is a m ..read more

Dr Clodagh Harris is a senior lecturer in the Department of Government & Politics in UCC and affiliate of the Environmental Research Institute and MaREI.  Her research focuses on deliberative and participatory democracy; democratic innovations; and deliberative democracy and climate change. She sits on the expert advisory group of Ireland’s Citizen Assembly on biodiversity loss and is part of a wider consortium funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to design and implement a young persons and children’s assembly on biodiversity loss.     Clodagh presen ..read more

Meaghan is the Coordinator of Coalition 2030 where she supports over 70 Irish Civil Society Organisations in their collaborative efforts to bring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to fruition. She has eight years of experience in the non-profit world pushing for social, environmental and financial justice, while simultaneously developing a skill-set ranging from policy analysis and campaigning, to communications and mobilisation. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Ollscoil na Gaillimhe and a Masters in International Political Economy from University College Dublin.  ..read more

Fleachta Phelan is Senior Policy Advocate with the Disability Federation of Ireland. She chats with Susanne Rogers about  The Cost of Disability in Ireland – Research Report (The Indecon Report), the history behind it and what we are likely to see next.    Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters Green Paper on Disability Reform – A Public Consultation to Reform Disability Payments in Ireland The Hidden Cost of Poverty Report   ..read more

Séamus Boland is the CEO of Irish Rural Link and the current President of the European Economic Social Council - Diversity Group III. The Diversity Group is made up of delegates drawn from each member state, representing sectors which include, community, agriculture, environment, consumers, social economy and various professions. He spoke at our 2021 Annual Social Policy Conference, Social Rights for All? Time to Deliver on the European Pillar of Social Rights.   All videos, papers and presentations are for the 2021 Annual Social Policy conference are available for download HERE ..read more

As Ireland becomes more and more diverse, assisting communities to thrive and develop as they adapt is vital. Valerie McAllorum Byrne is Integration Officer with Fingal County Council. She chats with Susanne Rogers about the work she does in this vibrant, diverse growing county to support everyone living there to be part of the community. Learn more about the work HERE. If you read this on time and live local, Fingal Inclusion week takes place between the 13th and 19th November 2023. Details can be found HERE.  We discuss the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) Reports which can be access ..read more

In today's episode, Colette Bennett chats to Dr. Yvonne Skipper of Glasgow University on a brilliant project - Project Real - which provides a full, fun and interactive lesson plan for educators of 11-13 year olds on how to spot fake news, fake photos, fake people, and fake videos. Check it out at www.projectreal.co.uk This is a really timely interview in light of a recent report which indicated that internet use by Irish children is well above the European average (87% v 62%) with more than half of Irish children using the internet daily or nearly daily - Risks and Safety for Children on the ..read more

In May 2023, Coalition 2030 published their Report, authored by Sorley McCaughey (independent freelance public affairs, advocacy and communications strategist), 'Furthest Behind First, or Falling Behind Further? The human stories that challenge Ireland’s claims to be leaving no one behind' which can be accessed HERE. Following on then, in July 2023, a delegation of Coalition 2030 members travelled to the United Nations for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The Coalition 2030 delegation comprised: Louise Finan, Head of Policy and Programme, Dóchas Dr. Sadhbh O'N ..read more

MECPATHS is the only non-profit organisation in Ireland which focuses specifically on the issue of Child Trafficking.  It works to raise awareness on this hidden issue and educates frontline and emerging professionals to prevent Child Trafficking and enhance existing protective measures. Education Manager, Ann Mara and Network & Communications Manager, J.P. O’Sullivan chat with Susanne Rogers about the issue of child trafficking in Ireland, how we currently understand it, how the language needs to shift and what supports must be put in place.  The podcast referenced by J.P.,  ..read more