Two Leading Human Rights Advocates Join Community Foundation Ireland Board

Noeline Blackwell and Paul Rogers Appointed

Two leading human rights advocates are joining the Community Foundation Ireland Board to guide its work with 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners across the country.

Rights lawyer and campaigner, Noeline Blackwell along with Northside Partnership Chief Executive, Paul Rogers, will bring their expertise and insights to inform future work by the philanthropic hub.

Since 2000 the Community Foundation has been partnering with communities and groups on a mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities. More than €160 million in grants have been provided in support of that goal.

Welcoming the appointments, Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of the Foundation said:

“Access to expert advice through our board is key to guiding our work with communities.

Their contribution informs philanthropic partnerships promoting climate and nature, strengthening communities as well as strategic actions lifting barriers to equality.

Roddy Rowan, Chair of the Foundation congratulating the new appointees said:

Noeline and Paul are welcome additions to our board. Noeline with her strong human rights perspective will help bring clarity in these times of complexity. While Paul will not only bring his knowledge on local and community development but also his insights on good governance and strategic planning. I look forward to working with them.”

Following her appointment Noeline Blackwell said:

Irish philanthropy can and does deliver positive societal change.

I have been privileged to see that impact first hand from advancing people’s access to justice at FLAC, the Free Legal Advice Centre to delivering frontline services and seeking to influence policy change at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and now in protecting young people online at the Children’s Rights Alliance.”

New appointee Paul Rogers concluded:

“Working with communities responding to complex and multilayered social challenges I have seen how philanthropy can support innovative solutions and help build resilience. It enables voluntary, community and charitable groups to respond to every-day need but also to identify and then implement solutions.

Irish philanthropy often allows work which otherwise would not happen. So, it is an honour to join the board of Community Foundation Ireland to assist in guiding the mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities

ENDS

Note to Editors

Paul Rogers

Paul Rogers is the CEO of Northside Partnership. He has extensive experience of working within the community and voluntary sector in the areas of local and community development, charities governance, strategic planning, organisational development, communications, project management and IT. In leading Northside Partnership, Paul has overseen the implementation of an Advantaged Thinking practice framework that seeks to counter the narrative of disadvantage and works with people in building upon their capabilities.

A native of Coolock, he previously spent 14 years working with the Dublin North West Area Partnership in a number of senior roles including that of Local and Community Development Programme Manager. Prior to that Paul worked in the clothing industry before returning to college as a mature student.  Paul has also worked as an instructional designer in the IT sector before moving into the community and voluntary sector in 2001.  

An advocate of partnership and interagency collaboration, Paul is fully aware of the challenges faced by community and voluntary organisations in carrying out their social purpose having served on the governance structures of a number of organisations working to address a range of issues including health inequalities, long term unemployment, impact of criminal networks, suicide prevention and voter education. Paul currently serves on the board of SpeedPak Social Enterprises as Chairperson and Northside Homecare Services and is a member of the Dublin City Local and Community Development Committee (LCDC) and the Dublin North Children and Young Peoples’ Services Committee (CYPSC).  

Noeline Blackwell

Noeline Blackwell is a human rights lawyer and campaigner. She works on children’s online safety rights with the Children’s Rights Alliance as well as on independent research and consultancy. She is a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and of the Press Council. She is an Adjunct Full Professor at the School of Law, University College Dublin. She chairs the Independent Patient Safety Council and the Child Law Project and is a director of the Open Doors Initiative. 

She has worked on victims’ rights, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, immigration rights, children’s and family rights and access to justice and has also worked as a solicitor in general practice.