The National Federation organises Sharing Innovative Learning events (SIL) and Conferences to share information amongst members and with the wider community on best practice, innovative developments, important policy issues and other areas of interest. These events provide an opportunity to gather and disseminate learning through a range of information sharing activities.
Please click on any of the links below for more information.
National Federation Conferences and events in recent years.
Accountable Autonomy Conference
Next Steps - Tech Steps
Safeguarding everyone's responsibility
Children First: Children First: How can we put children who have a disability first?​
Sharing Innovative Learning 15: The Role of the Person-in-charge
Sharing Innovative Learning 14: Next Steps 2014 Dissemination Event
Sharing Innovative Learning 13: Assisted Decision Making Bill
Sharing Innovative Learning 12: Why Family Centred Practice
Sharing Innovative Learning 11: When words are not enough
Sharing Innovative Learning 10: The Next Steps Project Dissemination Event
Sharing_Innovative_Learning_9:_The_Decision_is_mine_but_you_can_support_me
Sharing Innovative Learning 8: Doing Things the Rights Way
Sharing_Innovative_Learning_7:_Effective_Participation_in_Decision_Making
Sharing_Innovative_Learning_6:_Using_technology_to_support_ordinary_lives
Sharing_Innovative_Learning_5:_Family_Leadership (continuation of Masterclass series)
Masterclass_4:_Supporting_people_across_the_life_cycle_
Masterclass_3:_Risky_Business__Supporting_People_in_a_Natural_Way
Masterclass_2:_A_Day_in_the_Life_
Masterclass_1:_Inclusive_Living_Options
Safeguarding Everyone's Responsibility
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies in partnership with St. Michael’s House and the Open Training College, hosted a one-day conference entitled 'Safeguarding everyone's responsibility' on Thursday 17th November in the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise. The Presentations are avilable to download on the following links:
Safeguarding: The legal context
Patricia T Rickard-Clark, Chair, National Safeguarding Committee
Progress and challenges in Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, National Safeguarding Office Perspective
Tim Hanly, Acting National Specialist, National Safeguarding Office, HSE
Taking Responsibility: Safer Rights-Based Services
Phelim Quinn, CEO, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)
The Role of the Confidential Recipient
Leigh Gath, HSE Confidential Recipient
Keeping Safe…Our Journey so Far
The Clare Advocacy Platform
Launch of An Pobal Project: Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons at Risk of Abuse online resource
Raymond Watson, Head of online Learning, Opening Training College.
Institutional Reform: The Central Role of Character and Culture
Dr. Eddie Molloy, Director, Advanced Organisation.
Children First: How can we put Children with a disability first?
The National Federation hosted a very well attended one-day event on the policy and legislative developments in relation to children, including the Children’s First, Bill on Tuesday 10th March, 2015 in the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise. Presentations are available to download:
Mandatory Reporting of Child Protection Concerns: Helping You Understand Your Obligations- Ms. Jenny Bulbulia, Barrister at Law
An Garda Síochána & protection of vulnerable persons. - Detective Sergeant Jennifer Molony, An Garda Síochána
Ombudsman for Children's Office - 10 Years putting Children First - Dr. Niall Muldoon, Ombudsman for Children, Office of the Ombudsman for Children
Children First Implementation Plan for Health Service Executive, Ms. Marie Faughey, Children First Lead, HSE
Working together to protect and promote the welfare of children with a disability - Dr Aisling Gillen, National Policy Manager Family Support, Tusla & Ms Colette McLoughlin, Area Manager Tusla Child & Family services, for Dublin South/Dublin South East/Wicklow Area
Why an explicit Action Plan is needed to protect Children with Disabilities - Ms. Colette Daly, Head of Social Work & Family Support, Ability West
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 15: Persons-in-charge workshop
What does it mean to be a Person in Charge? - Ms. Pamela Fagan, Deputy CEO, Health Care Informed​
Preparing for HIQA Registration—An organisational perspective - Ms. Bernie O’Sullivan, Head of Homes &Community & Ms. LizaFitzgerald, CNM3, COPE Foundation
Risk Management – Preparing for Registration & Inspections - Ms. Clare O’ Neill, Safety Development Manager, St. John of GodHospitaller Ministries
Getting your house in order - What needs to be considered from a fire safety perspective? - Mr. Chris Barry, National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Planning, Department of Environment, Community & Local Government
The Person in Charge: An essential role in the provision of evidence based quality services & Response to Questions from Roundtable discussions - Mr. Finbarr Colfer, Head of Programme: Disability Regulatory Directorate, HIQA
Statement on the NDA review on the implementation of the HIQA Disability Regulations by Mr Brian Dowling Department of Heatlh
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 14: Next Steps 2014 Dissemination Event
- Presentation to Seminar “Next Steps to Enabling a Good Life” Mr. Pat Healy, National Director Social Care, Health Service Executive
- The Next Steps Project - Sharing the Learning Alison Harnett, Next Steps Project Coordinator, National Federation of Voluntary Bodies
- My Day My Way - Mary Reynolds, Daughters of Charity. Film presentation on a community hub developed by Daughters of Charity
- Iplanit - A tool to guide self-directed supports Ed Byrne and Kevin Hoey, Sunbeam House Services. Text to accompany the Sunbeam presentation
- Coming Home - Catherine's Story - Catherine Carey & Lavinia Donoher, Muiriosa Foundation. Additional clarification re funding of Catherine's support. Film presentation of Catherine's story
- A life of my own - Bernie Byrne, Mag Byrne, Louise Mahon and Theresa Nolan, KARE. Film presentation exploring family engagement in the movement to individualised supports.
- Home from Home - Ivan Deacon & Kevin Barnes, WALK.
- Our Own Life - Mary and William Seymour, photos from Mary and William
- Are we there yet? Mary O'Donovan, CoAction West Cork.
- Listen Learn Lead - Moving on from Congregated Settings into Community Living - LesleyAnn Kavanagh and Liam Tobin, Brothers of Charity Services South East
- Ideas and Actions sheet from Next Steps Conference
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 13: Assisted Decision Making Bill
The National Federation hosted a Sharing Innovative Learning Event on the Assisted Decision Making Bill on 29th January 2014.
Presentations are now available to download.
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 12: Family centred practice event - Roy McConkey
The National Coordinating Group for Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People and the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies hosted a one-day workshop on family centred practice on Tuesday 12th March 2013, in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel.
The Keynote Speaker was Prof Roy McConkey. The event focused on family centred practice in early intervention and school age children’s services.
Presentations are now available to download:
Keynote Address: Why family-centred practice - Professor Roy McConkey, University of Ulster.
Partnership with families through the family centred plan
Ms. Frances Fitzell, Services Manager, Enable Ireland.
Shared team assessment and intervention
Ms. Ruth Connolly, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Muiriosa Foundation.
Supporting families to be included in their community
Ms. Angela Regan, Deputy Director of Services, Western Care.
A parent’s experience and reflections
Ms. Theresa Tonna, Parent.
Services/Support & Mainstreaming
P. J. Cleere, The Disability Federation of Ireland
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 11: When words are not enough
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies hosted the tenth Sharing Innovative Learning Event entitled “When words are not enough" on Wednesday 3rd October, 2012 in the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise. Keynote speaker was Phoebe Caldwell, UK.
This Sharing Innovative Learning event gave the opportunity to hear from Ms. Phoebe Caldwell who is an expert practitioner in Intensive Interaction working mainly with children and adults on the Autistic Spectrum and has over 30 years experience as a practitioner with people whose severe learning disabilities are linked with behavioural distress. Phoebe presented using video and training materials on methods of supporting people through intensive communication. There were also presentations from National Federation members who support people with Autism.
Presentations from this event are now available to download.
Doing more of the right thing with less - Building Family Capacity. Angela Regan, Western Care.
What role can grandparents play - Paula Prendervile, Brothers of Charity Southern Services
Transitioning to Adults Supports - Edel Griffin, Gheel Autism Services
Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar 10: The Next Steps Project Dissemination Event
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies hosted an event on 31 January 2013 in Portloaise to share the learning that emerged over the course of the previous year in the Next Steps Project. The aim of the event was to highlight the learning from case studies undertaken by 21 member organisations as they worked towards the provision of individualised supports for individuals supported by their organisations. Presentations from the day are available to download below:
- The Next Steps Project (background, structure and themes of the project) - Alison Harnett, Next Steps Project Coordinator.
- Managing risk to promote independent living - my journey - Keynote presentation, Martin Dooher, Self Advocate and Next Steps Steering Committee member.
- Changing within congregated settings to embrace the vision of individualised supports - John Murphy, General Manager; Martina McCormack and Paul Power, Managers - St. Patrick's Kilkenny.
- The Community Inclusion Project - Liam Quinn, Day Services Manager - SOS Kilkenny.
- Phase 1 of the In Control Project - Louise Mahon, Project Leader & Christy Lynch, Chief Executive (KARE), Lisa McNabb, Self Advocate and Roisin McNabb, parent.
- The community-based supported living project Step-In - Benny Cunningham, Area Manager Brothers of Charity Services Roscommon, Niamh McMonagle, Locum StepIn Coordinator, Rachel Kelly, StepIn Project Member.
- Living a Life - CoAction's Next Steps Project Mary Seymour, Self Advocate and Next Steps Steering Committee member & Mary O'Donovan, Financial Controller, CoAction.
- If I can do it, you can do it too! Emily Meagher, Self Advocate
- Reconfiguration of current service delivery to support people to move from a congregated setting - John Collins, Self Advocate; Alan Blythe, Team Leader; Mary O'Donohoe, Team Member & LesleyAnn Kavanagh, Services Manager. Brothers of Charity Services South East
- Development of new model of individualised day supports in line with New Directions policy Pat Reen, Director of Services, Laura Creaner & Ashling O'Brien, Project Coordinators, Prosper Fingal.
- Family Leadership & Engagement - Stepping Out and Moving In(Part I) Ciara O'Keeffe, CNM2 - Daughters of Charity. Part II - Marie Lally, Parent and David Lally, Self Advocate.
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies hosted a Sharing Innovative Learning Event entitled "The decision is mine but you can support me" on Thursday 7th June, 2012 in the Heritage Hotel Portlaoise. The aim of the event was to give the opportunity to explore the continuum of supporting decision making from effective listening to the person to developing a range of strategies to support decision making, to formal decision making including circles of support. Presentations from this event are now available to download:
- Your Right to Choose—How Can I Help? - Kathryn Stiles, KARE
- Listen to me - I know best - Nuala Coughlan & Mary Kealy, Brothers of Charity Clare. Nuala and Mary did not work from a powerpoint.
- Making a decision about how I eat and drink - Oliver Carey, Grainne Tinney and Isabelle O’Donoghue, Prosper Fingal
- My Life, My Choice - Rebecca Martyn, Josephine Moss & Anna Nolan, Brothers of Charity Roscommon
- Circles of Support - Martina Rynne, Brothers of Charity Clare
- Building Capacity to make Decisions about Health Care Needs - Ann Mahon, Mary Davis & Aisling Dolly, Brothers of Charity Galway
- My Decision, Your Anxiety: A Case Study - Eamon Teague, Walk
- Supported decision making and independent advocacy - Clare O’Neill, National Advocacy Service - Western Region
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies hosted a Sharing Innovative Learning Event entitled “Doing Things the Rights Way”, on Wednesday 21st March, 2012 in the Heritage Hotel Portlaoise. The aim of the event was to share information between organisations on setting up Rights Review Committees. Presentations from this event are now available to download:
- Access to Justice - Dr Eilionoir Flynn, Centre for Disability, Law & Policy (CDLP)
- What has article 12 got to do with it? - Maria Walls, National Federation of Voluntary Bodies
- The Role & Function of Human Rights Committees - Maura O’Loughlin, Sunbeam
- Policy in Action, Enabling People to Exercise Rights - Christina Doody, St. John of God Services
- Our Experience: Possible Learning for Groups Setting up a HRC - John Leinster, Brothers of Charity Galway & Dr Eilionoir Flynn, Centre for Disability, Law & Policy
- Rights Review Committee at Work! - The Story So Far - Connie O’Regan, Western Care
- Ability West—Experience to date & Emerging Challenges - Colette Daly & John O’Dea, Ability West
- Human Rights Enhancement Committee - Eamon Teague & Peter Byrne, Walk with You
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies held a Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar on Wednesday 5th October entitled Effective Participation in the Decision Making Process. The main aim of the event is to promote effective ways of promoting and enabling participation in decision making by people supported by National Federation members. The day will be led by Rob Greig, UK National Development Team for Inclusion. Presenations from this event are now available to download:
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies held a Sharing Innovative Learning Seminar on 11th May 2011 entitled: “From the Dinosaur era to Digital Age” - Using Technology to Support Ordinary Lives. The aim of this event was to stimulate thinking about mainstream technology that can enhance ordinary lives and also to discover the specialist advances of technology that are going to change the way we live in years ahead.Presenations from this event are now available to download:
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies held the fifth in their Masterclass Series entitled "Family Leadership & Partnership - Supporting & Empowering People" on Wednesday 19th January, 2011.Presentations from Masterclass 5 are now available to download:
- Family Leadership Development: Partners in Social Change - Bruce Uditsky, CEO of the Alberta Association for Community Living (AACL) and a parent and E. Anne Hughson, Director/Associate Professor, Community Rehabilitation & Disability Studies, University of Calgary
- Family Leadership – A Family’s Reflections on Working in Partnership with a Service Provider - Peggy Ryan (parent) and Sean Conneely, Brothers of Charity Galway
- New Skin for the Old Ceremony: Recreating Partnership with Families - Prof Pat Dolan, UNESCO Chair and Director, Child & Family Research Centre, NUI Galway
- Family Empowerment—Where to Start? - Colette Daly and Carol Anne Beegan, Ability West and Brega Kelly (Parent)
- LEAP - Families Working in Partnership - Rachel Cassen from LEAP (Leading, Education, Advocating & Planning)
- Family Leadership; what, why and how’ - Martina Rynne, Brothers of Charity Clare
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies held the third in their MasterClass series entitled "Taking the next steps - Supporting People with Intellectual Disability across the Life Cycle" on Wednesday 17th November 2010 in Dublin. Presentations from Masterclass 3 are now available for download:
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies held the fourth in their MasterClass series entitled "Risky Business? Supporting People in a Natural Way" on 29 September, 2010. Presentations from Masterclass 4 are now available for download:
The National Federation of Voluntary bodies held the second in their Masterclass series entitled Exciting Developments in Day Supports for persons with Intellectual Disability, in the Tullamore Court Hotel on Wednesday 16th June 2010 from 10.00am - 4.00pm.
The Open Road - KARE
You can download the presentation here.
Elementary My Dear Watson - SOS Kilkenny
You can download the presentation here.
Building from the Start - Prosper Fingal
You can download the presentation here.
Supporting the Enigma that is Autism - Gheel Autism Services
You can download the presentation here.
Building Links to Mainstream Education - St John of God Carmona Services
You can download the presentation here.
Transformation Responding to Changing Contexts & Cultures - BOC Limerick
You can download the presentation here.
The Inclusive Living Options for People with Intellectual Disability Master Class was held on Wednesday, 24th March, 2010. This was the first in a series of Master Classes which will be organised by the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies on topics of interest to the membership. The Master Class series is part of a wider vision for the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies to develop a Centre for Innovation and Learning.
The primary purpose of the Centre would be:
- An intelligence gathering resource which can source contemporary information / evidence in relation to international / national best practice.
- An effective disseminator of this information to our membership.
- An assistance to members to replicate and extend implementation of innovative service options in their own area.
- To become by reason of its objectives and values an accepted and accredited forum for the promotion of innovative support options for people who use services.
The topic of Inclusive Living Options arose from the work of the Research Sub Committee’s research agenda in 2009 on Living Options. Whilst pursuing this as a priority topic in 2009, the Sub Committee unearthed examples of good practice which exist in the member organisations in developing Inclusive Living Options for people in their community. We also unearthed some research projects which had this as their central theme. The wider context for today’s seminar looks to the current climate in which services are supporting people.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2008 Article 19 recognises the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others,
"……(a) Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement;(b) Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;(c) Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs."
In addition the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies overall vision for people with intellectual disability is being supported to live a life on one’s own terms. Above all, people have a deep rooted desire to belong, to be in a relationship, to live within the intimacy and security of their family and friends, to be included in the greater life around them with all its attendant possibilities for hope and fulfillment and to do so, to the greatest extent possible, on their own terms.
This seminar attempts to address how we can realise the aspirations of the UN Convention and the vision as espoused by the National Federation and examine what new and different practices exist among member organisations and how we can learn from each other.
The seminar included presentations on:
Contract Families
A Galway based project set up by the Brothers of Charity Services, Galway in partnership with Ability West through funding from Pobal (Department of Justice and Law Reform) Enhancing Disability Services Scheme. This two year pilot project has been evaluated for its effectiveness in providing inclusive community based short break alternatives for children and adults with intellectual disability in Galway. You can download the abstract here. You can download the presentation here.
Room to Let
A presentation was also given by Dr. Bernie Fay from Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary (Muiríosa Foundation) on an initiative called Room to Let. You can download the abstract here. You can download the presentation here.
Where we Live
The findings of an Inclusive Research Project entitled Where we Live was presented by Members of the Inclusive Research Network, a network of researchers with intellectual disability who come together to do research about issues relevant to people with intellectual disability. This survey was conducted by people to find out where people lived and what they like and do not like about this. You can download the abstract here. You can download the presentation here.
A Place Called Home
Dr. Brian McClean from Brothers of Charity Roscommon and Chair of the Research Sub Committee in 2009 presented on the outcomes from a Pobal sponsored project, transitions to socially inclusive living and the pursuit of this topic as the research priority of the Research Sub Committee. His presentation was entitled: "A Place Called Home: What Kind of Home is Best and How Services Can Get You There". You can download the abstract here. You can download the presentation here.