Leah O'Reilly
Dublin
Summary
Dedicated humanitarian professional with extensive experience in protection programming, community engagement and psychosocial support for displaced populations. Expertise includes direct service delivery to asylum seekers and refugees, alongside strategic programming with UN Women MCO – Caribbean. Proven skills in results-based management, monitoring and evaluation, and conflict-sensitive programming in both emergency and development contexts.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin
09.2018 - Current
Support the data collection stage for a diverse range of research on gender-based violence, family law, poverty and marginalisation, and child protection. Recent projects include investigating experiences of domestic violence survivors navigating family law courts and care-leavers' long-term outcomes in Ireland
PROGRAMME ASSOCIATE
UN Women MCO - Caribbean
10.2023 - 10.2024
Supported regional programmes across 22 Caribbean countries, primarily focusing on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, and intersecting with Women, Peace and Security, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Resilience, and Women's Economic Empowerment.
Key contributions:
- Coordinated regional workshops, events, and stakeholder communications across multi-country operations requiring cultural sensitivity and adaptive programming
- Supported monitoring and evaluation frameworks and results-based management systems for protection and gender programming
- Led liquidation processes for small grant agreements and partner advances, ensuring compliance and accountability
- Emergency deployment (July 2024): Deployed to Grenada following Hurricane Beryl to support post-disaster relief coordination, including liaison with the Ministry of Social Development on psychosocial support programming and GBV referral pathways
RELIEF SOCIAL CARE WORKER
Peter McVerry Trust
10.2019 - 10.2022
Provided frontline support in emergency housing facilities accommodating up to 400 residents. Role evolved from working with individuals experiencing homelessness (Year 1) to primarily supporting international protection applicants (Years 2-3)
Key Contributions:
- Delivered crisis intervention, incident management, and case management for residents from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
- Coordinated with statutory services (IPAS, HSE) and community organisations to facilitate access to healthcare, documentation, social welfare, and housing pathways
- Conducted informal needs assessments through daily engagement to identify service gaps and community priorities
- Coordinated distribution of donated recreational materials (games, toys, sports equipment) to support children's wellbeing in congregated settings
- Fostered community cohesion through conflict-sensitive communication and intercultural engagement
- Maintained confidential case files in compliance with GDPR and safeguarding protocols
FUN STATION REPRESENTATIVE
Eurocamp & Al Fresco Holidays
05.2019 - 08.2019
Designed and delivered daily sports and recreational programming for multicultural groups of children and young people (ages 4-17) at a mobile holiday park in France
Key Contributions:
- Facilitated 20+ hours weekly of structured sports, outdoor activities and team games for groups of 15-40 participants
- Conducted real-time needs assessments to adapt programming based on participant age, ability, language proficiency, and engagement levels
- Managed activity logistics including equipment inventory, safety protocols and scheduling
- Collected participant feedback informally to continuously improve programme quality and inclusivity
- Ensured child safeguarding standards and promoted inclusive participation across all activities
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience)
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland05-2022
High School Diploma -
Loreto College St. Stephen’s Green
Dublin, Ireland09-2018
Skills
- Community outreach and engagement
- Intercultural communication and mediation
- Safeguarding and protection principles
- Empathetic client interaction
- Activity planning and facilitation
- Needs assessment and participant engagement
- Case documentation and record-keeping
- Coordination with service providers and stakeholders
- Confidential data handling and GDPR compliance
- Microsoft Office proficiency
Certification
Humanitarian Foundations:
- Core Humanitarian Essentials (disasterready.org)
- UNITAR: Understanding Conflict and Conflict Analysis
- UN Course: ‘Human Rights & Responsibilities (Advanced)’
Gender and Protection:
- UN Course: ‘I know Gender: An Introduction to Gender Equality’
- UN Course: ‘Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’
- UN Course: ‘Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Authority’
- Child Safeguarding and Abuse Awareness
- Children First Programme
Field and Community Work:
- Overdose awareness & Naloxone administration
- Vulnerable Adult Programme
- Housing First Programme
- Harm Reduction Programme
LANGUAGES
English
Native or Bilingual
Irish
Professional Working
French
Professional Working
Spanish
Elementary
Timeline
PROGRAMME ASSOCIATE
UN Women MCO - Caribbean
10.2023 - 10.2024
RELIEF SOCIAL CARE WORKER
Peter McVerry Trust
10.2019 - 10.2022
FUN STATION REPRESENTATIVE
Eurocamp & Al Fresco Holidays
05.2019 - 08.2019
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
School of Social Work & Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin
09.2018 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience)
Trinity College Dublin
High School Diploma -
Loreto College St. Stephen’s Green
INTERESTS
Sports & Fitness: Active engagement in hockey, running, gym training and yoga, with a strong interest in sport as a tool for wellbeing and social connection
Social Justice: Passionate about refugee rights, gender equality, and conflict prevention
International Experience: Extensive international travel and cross-cultural experience across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, having lived on four continents and travelled across five
References
- Je’nille, Maraj, Planning & Coordination Specialist, jenille.maraj@unwomen.org, +18683297440, UN Women MCO - Caribbean
- Leigh-Ann, Sweeney, Assistant Prof. in Social Work, sweenlee@tcd.ie, +353879108685, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Volunteer Experience
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Trinity College Dublin
Activity Leader - Street Outreach (2021-22) | Volunteer (2018-22)
- TRINITY CLUB FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: Facilitated weekly inclusive physical and social activities, conducting needs assessments and adapting activities to ensure accessibility for participants with varying abilities and mobility levels
- JUBILEE CLUB: Supported weekly social meet-ups and community outings for elderly service users
- STREET OUTREACH: Supported bi-weekly soup run services for individuals experiencing homelessness. As an Activity Leader, this also involved managing volunteer coordination, supplier liaison, and team debriefs to ensure volunteer wellbeing
Care4Calais (2020), HelpRefugees (2019) & Refugee Community Kitchen (2019+2020)
Relief Work Volunteer - Calais, France | Jan 2019 & 2020
Supported aid efforts for displaced individuals in informal settlements across Northern France and Belgium, including preparation, sorting and distribution of food, clothing, hygiene products and firewood. Engaged with asylum seekers and displaced persons in informal settlement contexts, requiring cultural sensitivity, conflict awareness, and psychosocial awareness in challenging humanitarian conditions
St. Vincent dePaul, Loreto College St. Stephen’s Green
Vice-Chairperson (2017-2018) | Volunteer (2015-2017)
Coordinated weekly soup runs for individuals experiencing homelessness in Dublin. As Vice-Chairperson, I oversaw planning, procurement, donation drives, and outreach routes
Simoonga Village Charity, Livingstone, Zambia
Volunteer | September 2022
Supported rural development initiative focused on sustainable farming and care for displaced children