The women4women Network and Southside Partnership Women’s Programme are always looking on the bright side and exploring ways to support women, find solutions and to empower them. We have all had challenging times over the past 7 months and there is no end in sight.

We are pleased to invite you to hear 4 inspirational speakers with an opportunity to ask questions, discuss and network . Join us in “Reconnecting During Uncertain Times” online via Zoom. You will be introduced to:

1. Catherine Lane; Women in Local, Community and Rural Development Officer with the National Women’s Council of Ireland

2. Anne Marie Sheridan; Project Worker with the Springboard Family Support Project, Loughlinstown

3. Clodagh Erasmus; Health & Wellbeing Coordinator at Grow Mental Health

4. Fardus Sultan; Lecturer in Marketing and Cyber Psychology and director co-founder of Farend.net

You will also be able to enjoy coversations with coffee/tea/snack in the comfort of your own home.

Once you register, we will send you the Zoom link a day before the event. Registration is 9:30am and starting at 10am sharp, please be there on time, and in case there’s any technical issues.

Catherine Lane

Catherine Lane is the Women in Local, Community and Rural Development Officer with the National Women’s Council of Ireland. Founded in 1973, the National Women’s Council (NWCI) is the leading national women’s membership organisation. We represent and derive our mandate from our membership, which includes over 190 groups and organisations from a diversity of backgrounds, sectors and locations across Ireland. Catherine has worked in community development with local development companies for almost 10 years and is a qualified community worker with a Higher Diploma in youth and community work from NUI Maynooth.

In her current role, Catherine is working to ensure that women’s equality and women’s rights are placed at the heart of local government processes. Her focus is on recognition and proper resourcing for the women’s community sector and that women in all their diversity have a right to be everywhere decisions are made about their lives. NWCI have consistently called for policy and programme development at a local level that should facilitate increased representation and participation of marginalised women. Catherine currently represents NWCI on the Community Platform, Community Work Ireland and the European Women’s Lobby. www.nwci.ie

Anne Marie Sheridan

Anne Marie Sheridan is a Senior Social Work Practitioner with extensive experience in child and family work. She is based in Springboard Family Support Project, Loughlinstown where she practices and supervises as part of a team - providing a range of family support services to parents and children under stress. Prior to this role, Anne Marie worked in the areas of Child Protection and Fostering for many years. She has experience in working with families under stress, in poverty, living with addiction and mental health and domestic violence.

In recent years, Anne Marie trained as an NVR (Non-Violent Resistance) Practitioner. Through this work, she supports parents to address conflict, aggression and violence from their children. She also works within Meitheal (a national practice model) - bringing families and services together to plan for the best interests of the child. Having come to Social Work via Adult education, Anne Marie is keenly aware of the importance of community supports and services for families - particularly in light of the isolation resulting from Covid 19.

www.facebook.com/meathspringboard

Clodagh Erasmus

Clodagh Erasmus is the Health & Wellbeing Coordinator at Grow Mental Health. Clodagh runs a diverse range of programmes such as the Mental Health Education Programme both within the community and workplace. The aim of these programmes is to increase awareness of Mental health, to outline the relevance of mental health in our lives today and the need and importance of maintaining one’s own mental health and general sense of well being. In addition to the above Clodagh has facilitated new peer support groups online where members meet weekly and follow a structured programme to find ways to manage the challenges they face. In addition to the above Clodagh is a Life & Executive coach and enjoys helping people overcome obstacles and plan for their future. www.grow.ie

Fardus Sultan

Fardus is a PhD researcher and a Lecturer in Marketing and Cyber Psychology. Her research focuses on the online environment in the context of children and ethnic minority women and also a co-founder of an IT consultancy and graphic design company. www.farend.net

Fardus has been a member of Women4WomenDLR steering group since 2012 and in addition to which she is a PPN representative at the DLR County Council SPC Committee on Enterprise and Economic Development. She is also a Board Director of Southside Partnership, Muslim Primary Education Board as well as an Advisory member of LIFT Ireland.