I currently work as the Northern Ireland Regional Programme Coordinator for the post graduate Social Work and Community Development Approaches programme. I am based in a Social Services Learning Development Team in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. My background is in community development in the voluntary and statutory sectors. I have worked in practitioner, trainer, researcher and management roles across a wide range of groups. My main interest is around mainstreaming community development approaches in social work at all levels from work with people with lived experience, to social work practitioners, managers, policy makers and professional regulatory bodies. In March 2026 the Northern Ireland Social Care Council launched a Community Development in Social Work website which I helped develop as a repository for practice, research and reflective practice for social workers at undergraduate and post graduate levels. See https://learningzone.niscc.info/learning-resources/community-development-in-social-work/