Access Europe Showcase 2024
Access Europe Showcase 2024
Since launching in 2020, our Access Europe support service has empowered countless Irish civil society organisations to discover and secure EU funding opportunities. We are delighted to celebrate the next phase of this free essential service thanks to our funders, the Department of Foreign Affairs.
What to expect:
- EU Funding Expo: Meet the Irish National Contact Points for key EU funding programmes and learn how your organisation can tap into EU funding pathways.
- Success Stories & Impact: Discover how Irish organisations are using EU funding to make a real difference.
- #OurEUStory Awards 2024: Celebrate the achievements of Irish organisations at this year’s #OurEUStory Award Ceremony, recognising the transformational impact EU-funded projects have on their communities.
Join us at this must-attend event to explore the benefits of EU funding, share experiences with your peers, and discover how Access Europe can support your organisation to start its EU funding journey!
- You can book places for yourself and/or colleagues by clicking the button below.
- Please email matthew@wheel.ie if you have any special requirements.
Meet Your Moderator:
Chris MM Gordon is the CEO of the Irish Social Enterprise Network (Socent.ie), Managing Partner of Collaboration Ireland and an Adjunct Teaching Fellow of Trinity Business School. Chris also volunteers as Chair of Far and Wild social enterprise and is President of the Irish US Alumni Association. Chris is a Member of the National Social Enterprise Policy Implementation Group, and a member of the Dublin City Social Enterprise Committee. Chris works on the BuySocial initiative and is author of the 'Social Enterprise Toolkit'. He has Chaired the European Social Economy Summit in Mannheim and the European Social Economy Awards in Slovenia. The Irish Social Enterprise Network is the national body for Social Enterprises in Ireland. Ireland's largest open and inclusive knowledge network for social enterprises, social entrepreneurs and social innovators.
Meet Our Speakers:
Emma Murtagh joined The Wheel initially in 2017 and has had several roles in the area of funding and projects in that time. In 2024, she took on the role of Director of Development and Member Services. She is in charge of delivering The Wheel’s funding strategy. This includes identifying new areas for growth and opportunities, overseeing funding applications, and working with our partners and stakeholders. She also supports the teams that deliver our many member services – including our Skills, EU, and Shared Island Programmes – to identify opportunities and maximise their value to The Wheel’s members.
Emily Nelson joined The Wheel as EU Programmes Officer in January 2021. Her role involves supporting civil society sector organisations to build their capacity to secure EU funding through the Access Europe programme, researching EU funding opportunities that are relevant to the sector and The Wheel’s members, coordinating and delivering training and events related to EU funding, and assisting organisations in building relationships with potential EU project partners.
Abigail O’Callaghan Platt is Policy Director at VOICE Ireland, an environmental NGO that works on Sustainable Development Goal 12, Responsible Production and Consumption. Through her work she examines use of reusable alternatives to single use disposable items, with a current focus on menstrual items and infant nappies. She is the coordinator of the Erasmus+ cooperation partnership funded project Menstruation: Empowerment and Sustainability, which is a two-year project undertaken by eight European project partners. Through this project a series of training materials and resources are being developed for use by youth leaders on the topic of sustainable menstruation.
Dr Paul O’Keeffe is Head of Education and Research at Airfield Estate, a working farm, research and education facility and visitor attraction that promotes and provides sustainable agriculture and food education. He is an expert in the role that education plays in addressing global issues and has extensive experience of managing education and development programmes in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. His current research focuses on refugee-led development and sustainable agricultural education and practices.
Tony O’Riordan has over 30 years' experience in working in the community sector focusing on social inclusion and initiatives to tackle poverty. In 2016 he was appointed CEO of Sophia Housing, a niche charity that promotes a trauma informed response to addressing homelessness by supporting people to have a home of their own. Sophia is also an Approved Housing Body providing over 410 homes across the country and supports over 1,300 people annually. Tony previously worked as CEO of the Midlands Simon Community and has unique knowledge of and insights into the impact of homelessness in both urban and rural areas. Tony is Vice President of SMES Europa, a European Network promoting best practice responses to homelessness. Tony has a Masters in Management from DCU and is completing a Masters in Science in Major Programme Management from the Said Business School, Oxford University.
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Feedback from previous attendees:
Really great opportunity to learn and network. Got some great tips and connections. - Matt Tuohy, Anne Sullivan Foundation, on the 2023 Access Europe Showcase
Really informative, great for networking. Thank you for all the work! - Emma O’Connor, Healthy Laois