The Breakfast Clubs are our Leadership Event Series. They create spaces for people in the sector, at all levels of their own Leadership journeys, to come together, hear some new ideas from other leaders in the sector and connect. They start with a fireside chat with two people with experience on a particular topic. We have a mix of leaders from within the sector and other experts in certain areas. Themes are be overarching and applicable to anyone on a leadership journey. After, we host facilitated roundtables with the audience to help people reflect on what they’ve heard and get to know others in their community.
Persistence, perseverance, resilience, tenacity, determination, grit… Lots of different words that all refer to the same thing – keeping going when the odds are probably stacked against you.
Leadership is never the easy way out and lots of people don’t set out to be leaders but their determination to address an issue leads them on a path they would not have expected.
The speakers for this event have both taken those unexpected paths and brought projects to life through their own sheer persistence. We will be joined by Tracy Keogh and Damien Quinn for what is sure to be a fascinating discussion.
We encourage people at all stages of their leadership journey to come along. This event is free to attend, but registration is essential.
The Leadership Academy Breakfast Clubs are available to anyone in the community, voluntary, nonprofit, or social enterprise space at any level, from volunteer to CEO. The events are free and delivered both online and in-person to allow for accessibility. We’ve had just under 600 people attend our events in 2023.
Our attendee profiles show an ongoing mix of people at varying stages of their leadership journey from emerging leaders and young people considering a future career in the sector, to senior leaders with years of experience. We also have everyone from volunteers in the sector, to consultants working with the sector as well as staff in the sector. We invite anyone at any stage of their own leadership journey with an interest in the sector to attend.
Academic, author, public speaker
CEO of the Irish Cancer Society
Fine Gael Councillor/ She Builds People
CEO Carmichael
CEO UCD Professional Academy
CEO Childrens Books Ireland
Co-Founder Black and Irish
CEO Mantra Strategy
Senior Manager Crosscare
Biodynamic Psychotherapist
CEO Open Doors Initiative
The Trussel Trust
CEO NOVAS
Foroige
Nonprofit Consultant
CEO of the ISPCC
CEO of the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Services
Campaigner and Strategy Specialist
Director of Advocacy and Research at The Wheel
Head of Ethics and Governance, Chartered Accountants Ireland
CEO of Dóchas
CEO of Nano Nagle Place
CEO of Airfield Estate
CEO of Coolmine Therapeutic Community
Former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Contrary to popular belief the Breakfast Clubs were not called after Breakfast, even though it plays a valuable part in our day. It was actually called after the fabulous 1985 John Hughes movie.
In the movie five complete strangers find themselves becoming friends after spending a lengthy detention together. We had an idea that we wanted to make spaces for people from all across the sector with nothing obvious in common, to get together and connect. ‘Like that movie the Breakfast Club’, Sharon said to Mairead, and that is how The Breakfast Club stuck!