The Team

Bernie Downes-Board Member

Bernie is Director of Roscommon Education & Development Centre, Roscommon VEC.  She was involved with the initial set up of Roscommon Intercultural Women’s Group and  also sits on several local committees including - Roscommon County Childcare Committee and  a member of it’s diversity working group.  The Interagency group for Travellers, Social Inclusion Measure, and Roscommon Active Diversion Programme for Young People (RAD). Bernie has been a board member of Breaking Through for a number of years and is an active member of the Roscommon Local Support Network.  

Sara Kickham- Board Member

 Sara is the Youth Development Coordinator with Wexford Local Development, formerly Co. Wexford Partnership. She has developed YAS, Young Adult Support a mentoring programme which is available to all secondary schools throughout Co. Wexford. She has also developed MAGIC (Mentoring, Awareness, Guidance, Information, and Consultation) a primary school Mentor programme. Her speciality is development of training programmes and the support of volunteers working with young people.  

Olga Spellman-P.R.O.

 Olga is a Youth Advocate working in two Youthreach Projects and a Senior Traveller Training Centre in the Leirtim/Roscommon area. She also facilitates groups in a Family Centre. Olga has a diploma in counselling which enables her to combine experience and knowledge while working with young people and adults who are in a transitional period of their lives.  

Staff
 

 Marie is Network Director of Breaking Through. Her role is to coordinate the development of Local Support Networks in areas throughout Ireland. Her work involves targeting areas, identifying the needs and initiating the development of interagency collaboration in both the statutory and voluntary sector.  She is also responsible for coordinating seminars and conferences together with the board of management and overseeing the ongoing development of the organisation.