Joe Coughlan

Experience

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  Sligo Social Services

  Oct 1989 - Feb 1993

  Manager of The Home Youth Liaison Office

  -This successful 2 year Pilot of the Home School Liaison Programme which 25 years later is now a full time provision in all secondary schools and has blossomed into over 500 jobs nationally as an additional resource to young people experiencing Educational Disadvantage in the Formal school system.-Similarly, the project itself exists as a stand alone project 25 years later in the Sligo area, where it employs 10 Full time Officers, who provide family Support; para professional Counselling; After school Homework groups and a referral service to young teenagers experiencing difficulties in home or school.-Between 1989 and 1993 i had over 870 referrals in three counties, working full time in 5 secondary schools in Sligo, facilitating an average of 15 Rainbows Groups( 12 sessions and 6 children in each) per annum;3 home work/ study groups for those who were excluded from school; with 1,100 home visits and 800 visits to young people in their school settings to support and maintain their participation in formal education. Show less

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  Transforum Alley - Kerry Diocesan Youth Services

  Feb 1993 - Jan 1995

  Transforum Alley Co-Ordinator

  Designed a curriculum, implemented an Educational and Therapeutic full time, Centre based programme, based in the Arts and The Theatre of The Opressed for young people who had been identified as Criminal Offenders by the multi-disciplinary Team and Inter Agency Group who governed this "Diversionary" Project.-As an Arts based programme, i registered the programme as a Theatre Group and we performed Forum Theatre in many venues on topics such as Homelessness; Public Order ; Early School Leaving;Joy riding in stolen cars; Experience of Social Work from the service users perspective; Drink and Drug user related Social problems...We performed in Greece; Austria; France and Italy and acted with Macnas as Support for U2 in Pairc Ui Caoimh in front of 30,000 people as part of their Zooropa World Tour.- Most importantly, by 1994 The Transforum Alley Programme was recognised as being the Most Successful Diversion from Crime Programme in Europe with an 89% Non Recidivism rate after 12 months.- Consequently, this Horizon funded 2 year pilot programme was Mainstreamed on a Statutory basis, by the Dept.of Education, after a successful Action Research Report was produced and the project is still operational 20 years later as afull time educational provision for Early School Leavers. Show less

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  Kerry Diocesan Youth Services ( K.D.Y.S.)

  Feb 1995 - Sept 1997

  Youthreach Co-Ordinator-Social Educator.

  Negotiated with Co.Kerry Vocational Education Committee; The Dept of Education and The Curriculum Devlopment Unit Sundrive rd.Dublin to fund an Out Of School Educational curriculum to provided at the KDYS and to be allowed to recruit specialised Non Teaching staff e.g. Youth Workers; Out Door Persuit Trainers; Art Therapists and Drama Therapists to carry out Therapeutic work with course attendees;-Designed a curriculum based on the presenting needs and educational defecits of the 25 young 16-18 year old Early school leavers, who attend this full time 39 hrs per week, each school year.-Recruited, Interviewed, Inducted,Supervised and Managed Staff.-Administered payment of Trainees and Staff and oversaw the spending of the annual budget.-Facilitated Mens' Groups; Sports programme and Outdoor educaton modules. Show less

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  Co.Sligo V.E.C.

  Sept 1997 - Mar 1998

  Social Researcher

  Carried out Three different Research Contracts simultaneously -"Youth Work in The North West (1998)" recommendations for service development and the evolving Role of Co.Sligo Vec;-"Identified Needs of At Risk Young People"-Sligo Leader Partnership Company ltd.;and-"Designing Programmes for working with At Risk Young People in the North west".i was also contracted by the North Western Health Board for 3 months at this time to further the return of a 12 year old early school leaver, to the formal education system. Show less

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  Mercy Child Care Services Co.Kerry

  Mar 1998 - Sept 1998

  Director of Airne Villa Child Assessment Unit

  Designed the Service;Wrote the Job descriptions;Project managed the Building of the Centre;Wrote the Policies;Damage Proofed the facility;Networked with all existing service providers;Successfully liased with the local Residents committee.

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  Western Health Board

  Sept 1998 - Sept 2006

  Residential Care Service Manager of Aras Geal ( Regional Service).

  Managed the Residential Care Service for Young people in a statutory Care aged 12-18yrs;Managed a Staff Team of 18. Responsible for recruitment; Interviews; Induction; Supervision;In Service Development; Appraisals and Staff Retention. I was Gate keeper; Complaints officer; managed a substantial budget; Agreed Staff Rosters; Care Plans and oversaw all things related to Governance, including adherence to National Guidelines, Child Care Regulations and reporting to Monitors and Inspectorate.

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  Health Service Executive-HSE Youth Homeless Aftercare Services Manager

  Sept 2006 - Sept 2008

  Youth Homeless Aftercare Services Manager

  Aftercare Planning and Support for 180 young people who had been former service-users of the Fana Burca youth Homeless facility as deemed Homeless according to the 1991 Child Care Act- Sec 5 Youth Homeless Section. and/or Sec 4a Unaccompanied Minors of Asylum Seeking Backgrounds.

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  Tusla, National Child and Family Agency

  Sept 2008 - now

  Social Care Manager in the Social Work Dept's Intake Team for Galway City

  Manage a Caseload of Teenagers in Crisis or with Child Welfare Issues; Process Referrals & Assess Young peoples Risk & Needs as part of the Social Work Duty and Intake Team.Designing and Facilitating programmes e.g- Managing Challenging Behaviour for parents of Teenagers who act out aggressively;- Managing Exam related Fears and Anxieties for Teenagers who have dropped out of the school system;-Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Social Care Staff Instructor( of 15 years) for Cornell University New York.-Teaching Social Care Staff and Foster Carers de-escalation skills and Conflict resolution; keeping children safe, through Co-regulation and teaching them more positive ways of Coping using Life Space Interviewing;-TCIF Trainer for Foster parents in Galway and Roscommon;-TCIS Trainers for schools and Educators working with young people in Further Education and Juvenile Justice programmes;-TRUST Curriculum Designer and Course Facilitator ( for Foster Parents);-TRUST Curriculum Designer and Course Facilitator ( for Educators in the Further Education Sector); -HSE/ TUSLA, Critical Incident Stress Debriefer ( C.I.S.D.).-ATHRU Behavioural Programme for Adolescents who exhibit sexually Inappropriate Behaviour ( Facilitator). Show less

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  TUSLA National Child and Family Agency

  Mar 2022 - now

  Violence Harassment and Aggression Staff Facilitator for TUSLA & Childrens Residential Staff