Louise O’Neill’s journey is one that shows what’s possible when communities are supported, not just served. In 1995, as a single mam depending on social welfare, Louise was linked in by a home-school liaison officer to a Northside Partnership programme. That small act – and a vital childcare bursary – became a turning point not just in her life, but in her whole family’s future.

Louise gained experience through that programme, moved into work, and today, nearly 30 years on, she’s still giving back, working in family support and community development. Speaking at the recent launch of Enhancing Capabilities: Northside Partnership’s Strategy Statement 2025–2030, Louise put it plainly:

“I was able to move from being dependent on social welfare to gaining employment and contributing back to my community and to wider society. The back-to-work allowance acted like a stepping stone – it reduced bit by bit over three years, until I didn’t need it at all. That support gave me the space to find my feet.”

The Strategy was launched by Minister for Social Protection and for Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, who said:

“‘Enhancing Capabilities’ perfectly capture what Northside Partnership’s work is all about. It reflects your commitment to the local area, to the local people, and that all too important assurance to the most marginalised that Northside Partnership is here to support them.”

Northside Partnership was founded 34 years ago to bring local solutions to local challenges – working hand-in-hand with communities, not doing things to them. That ethos remains at the heart of our work, and as CEO Paul Rogers explained, partnership needs to be just that – a partnership of equals.

“Now more than ever, we need real collaboration across the community, voluntary and statutory sectors,” Paul said. “We need to co-create solutions to the issues impacting the communities we serve. That only happens when we’re working together as equals – trusting each other enough to speak honestly, not just about what’s working, but what isn’t.”

That view was echoed by our Chairperson, Mary Hickie, who warned about the impact of the shift from direct funding to competitive tendering:

“This shift changes the nature of our relationship with the state – it makes it transactional, all about targets and numbers. But we’re here to make a lasting difference. That takes trust, time and a focus on people, not just performance metrics.”

Despite this, Northside Partnership’s strategy for the next five years is ambitious and grounded in real community needs. It focuses on three key goals:

1. Creating opportunities across all areas of life – from education to health to employment – so that every person can nurture their own potential.
2. Scaling positive change – reaching more people, influencing policy, and strengthening the impact of our work.
3. Investing in our people and systems – supporting our staff, building financial resilience, and continuing to deliver high-quality, impactful programmes.

Attendees of the launch enjoyed music by the Priorswood Men’s Shed Trad Band and 11-year old Kayla Joyce read a moving poem by her grandmother, Ann. During the launch, Northside Partnership was also presented with the Q Mark award for the fifth year in a row by Marie Doyle-Henry, Director of Q Mark.

Louise’s story shows the ripple effect of this kind of investment. Her husband, with help from our Local Employment Service, went self-employed and returned to education, gaining a Level 7 qualification. Her younger siblings, supported by our education team, went to college – becoming role models for Louise’s own children. Even her father, at the age of 69, got a taste of third-level through the ComMUniversity programme with Maynooth University.

As Louise pointed out, some barriers still remain:

“Childcare is still one of the biggest challenges, especially for women parenting alone. If we want people to access education or work, that needs to change.”

Northside Partnership believes the way forward is clear: true collaboration, rooted in equality and trust, with long-term investment in communities. We know that when we work together – not just for targets, but for real lives – the results can be transformational.

Let’s not go back to box-ticking. Let’s move forward, together.

Read the full report here.