Services for Practitioners Working with Young People and those working with other vulnerable or disadvantaged members of the Community in Ireland

Breaking Through achieves it's work through the following channels:

Local Support Networks:

Local Support Networks offer practitioners an opportunity to meet individuals from other agencies both in the community/voluntary and statutory sector working with similar disadvantaged young people and adults. These Support Networks provide a forum for discussion, a place for sharing information and ideas.  Through communication and collaboration the Networks open up an opportunity to work as a team, share resources and to tease out difficulties that they may encounter in their daily work. Local issues can be addressed and raised at national level. This can be done by utilising Breaking Through as an umbrella body to lobby on their behalf. The Networks also provide a space for professional bonding.

Website:

The Breaking Through website provides information on the history of Breaking Through from it’s inception in 1999 up to the present day. Information on current training initiatives and courses of particular interest to the Community & Voluntary Sector is also posted on the website. Details of relevant Conferences and Seminars are available on Dates for your Diary section. As the website develops we hope to bring you a comprehensive database of members and a membership forum.

Annual Conferences:

The main event of our calendar year is the Breaking Through Annual Conference. We have to date held nine annual conferences on a broad range of topics. The theme of these conferences is generated by members throughout the year and in feedback given in evaluation sheets at previous conferences. Therefore we have tried over the years to provide information on issues as requested by our membership. We have been complimented on the quality and calibre of the keynote speakers and workshop facilitators who have taken part in the conferences. People have returned year after year to take part in the Breaking Through Annual Conference which is a testament to it’s success.

Quarterly Newsletters:

The distribution of our quarterly newsletter has proven to be a welcome addition to our service. Information on new or upcoming innovative programmes together with reports on the Local Support Networks is circulated throughout the membership. Members are also invited to submit articles or relevant pieces of information on their own organisation or group for general publication.

Lobbying:

Breaking Through offers the opportunity for collective lobbying to governmental departments and other agencies. Issues and problems that are identified at Local Support Network meetings can be processed and brought forward to the national agenda. Breaking Through provides a forum where matters of concern can be aired under the Breaking Through umbrella. Thus Breaking Through, on behalf of it’s members can become a lobbying force at national level.


Breaking Through has grown from a small beginning in 1999 to a national organisation with a committed staff and a network of dedicated volunteer board members providing information and support to practitioners.