August '25: Social Justice Newsletter
Welcome to the Social Justice Team Newsletter
Welcome to the Social Justice Team Newsletter. We are delighted to bring you this month's edition. We hope you find it useful and helpful. The newsletter is now available on the SVP website.
In this issue
Introduction
Welcome, we’ve hit a little milestone of six months since our first newsletter, thank you for being here, we hope it's given you something useful over the past six months. This is a month of goodbyes, thank yous and welcomes.
We’ll start by saying goodbye to Issy as she will be heading on maternity leave in the coming weeks. Issy will be very missed by all in the team, but we wish her the very best for the exciting chapter ahead.
While we say our goodbyes, we also get to say hello to Allison O’Malley Graham, who is covering Issys role.
A hello message from Allison, “Hello! I started as SVP last week, having previously worked for a children’s charity based out of England. Prior to that, I spent three years working with a mental health hotline operating across the UK. I hold a Master’s in Comparative Politics from the University of Oxford, focusing on education and energy policy in Ireland & Northern Ireland, and a BA in Politics from the University of Cambridge. I myself am from Mayo, and so I’m excited to be back in Ireland and joining SVP to focus on energy poverty, income & social protection policy, and our social justice brief in the North Region.”
A note of thanks to Rose McGowen
We are sure over the next few weeks there’ll be lots said about Rose’s work as National President. We wanted to take the opportunity to thank Rose for her unrelenting support to Social Justice. From the big days of pre-budget launches to the day-to-day workings, campaigns, submissions and meetings with Ministers and departments. Rose’s voice would bring the conversation to the realities for people now through her visitation work, ensuring those who are far away from SVPs visitation work get to hear the experiences of those we support. We thank Rose for her support to the Social Justice Team, and we wish her the very best. Don't be a stranger Rose, keep in touch.
Speaking Up
Louise spoke with East Coast Radio about the cost of back to school. Listen here. Louise spoke on Limerick Live on uniform costs, listen back here.
Louise was a panellist on the Brendan O’Connor Show on RTE on Sunday 10th August, you can listen back here.
Niamh wrote and op-ed on the cost of education that was published in the Irish Examiner – read here 'Voluntary' contributions, digital devices and other costs make education anything but free.
Louise did an op-ed on homelessness in the Mail on Sunday – you can read below.
Submissions
We made a submission to the Department of Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht on Consultation to Support the Community and Voluntary Sector. It was an online survey, but you can see our responses to the survey here.
Anti - Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland:
We are continuing to prepare our response to the Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland in time for the deadline next month. While we have been pleased to reach the milestone of seeing a draft Strategy, we are disappointed in its contents and do not believe it will bring about the changes needed in the lives of the people we assist. In next month’s newsletter we will share our final response, but for now please see a joint letter we signed to the Executive organised by the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network (NIAPN): Open Letter to the Executive: The draft Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose - NIAPN - Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network
Policy in Focus
MA in Social Justice and Public Policy:
We are pleased to share some information from our colleagues in Social Justice Ireland about the MA in Social Justice and Public Policy at Southeast Technological University.
This programme is co-delivered with Social Justice Ireland, who we are keen that it reach those presently working in the community and voluntary sector to support the sector’s overall capacity to engage with public policy. It is open to anyone interested in social justice but is ideally suited to people who are presently working in the community and voluntary sector. This programme is delivered part-time over two years and specifically designed to provide the opportunity to students to apply the tools and skills being learned to their work in real time. While the official deadline is has passed, in practice applications will be considered through to early September. More information can be found here.
Behind The Scenes
We participated in a panel with two Trinity College Dublin students who are carrying out research into food insecurity for third level students.
We were able to discuss SVPs Education Bursary work and insight into our requests for assistance from students.
What’s on the horizon
On August 25th, we will be meeting with the new Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Colm Kincaid, who is responsible for Consumer & Investor Protection.
- On September 9th, the Social Justice Team and Rose McGowan will be meeting the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Minister James Lawless on September 9th.
- The Child Poverty and Wellbeing Summit is being hosted by the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin on the 11th of September and will include Mike Ryan from WHO as a guest speaker.
- Together for Public Alliance meeting to discuss mobilisation event prior to Budget 2026.
- End Child Poverty Week 2025 from 8-12th September- Event packed week organised by the Children’s Rights Alliance covering areas of child poverty including early years, education, food poverty and child welfare and alternative care. Go to End Child Poverty Week 2025 - Children's Rights Alliance for more information. Louise will be speaking on the panel on Friday 12th September on income inadequacy.
Newsletter Feedback
If you’d like to provide feedback please email socialjustice.newsletter@svp.ie
For those in NI, please get in touch with the team if you have any items you wish to make them aware of socialjustice@svpni@co.uk
