In a time marked by deep division, growing inequality, and increasing burnout and funding challenges, Community Foundation Ireland invites you to gather to pause, connect, and reflect as we explore the theme of The Space Between at a 2-day convening event on 5th & 6th November at Bloomfield Hotel, Mullingar. Each session will consider the space between crisis and courage, burnout and renewal, language and understanding and what it means to lead with care and conviction. Through engaging presenters, conversation, fireside dialogues, shared meals, and quiet moments, we will strengthen the networks that sustain our movements and reimagine what’s possible together. Detailed agenda below.

AGENDA DAY 1

9.30/10.15am: Arrival, Registration & Tea & Coffee

10.30am: Opening Remarks, Community Foundation Ireland CEO, Denise Charlton

10.45-11.30am: Session 1: Our plenary and keynote from Sonya Lennon

Exploring where we are now as we find the critical space between current global challenges and future hope. With a strong focus on equity and values-based leadership, Sonya will explore how we dig deep to rediscover hope. Expect an open honest reflection on Sonya’s experiences personal and via the organisations she works with to drive change and equity, social mobility, driving policy change and impacting long term change by inspiring future leaders through LIFT.

11.30-12.25pm: Session 2: A Panel discussion on “The Space between Crisis and Courage"

Facilitated by Sonya Lennon, with panel to share perspectives on how they navigate urgent challenges, innovate in the community, whilst remaining brave and hopeful. We invite different perspectives on the current challenges in the community space with insights from Austin Campbell, Liberties Project Manager, Neil Bruton, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, and Gaisce Youth Ambassador, Ebunoluwa Jamgbadi. This frank discussion will name key issues, and share initiatives and activities that are driving change in spite of the environment we face today. Panellists will talk about their organisations, personal strategies, and courageous actions to drive change at community and societal level.

12.25-1.15pm: Session 3: Space to Thrive

In an always on, hybrid and post covid world, burnout is increasingly challenging for many individuals and organisations. This facilitated roundtable session by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Claire McDonald will guide us through a Tree of Life exercise exploring burnout, boundaries and wellbeing. This is a narrative therapy technique to help build resilience, and identify strengths, and ultimately create the right environment to envision a hopeful future.

 1.15-2.10pm: SPACE TO CONNECT - LUNCH

2.10-2.58pm: Session 4: Creating Space for Self. A Nature-Based Leadership Quest:

A creative outdoor session coordinated by Roisin Coughlan that combines light physical activity with reflective leadership prompts. Teams will explore nature through a series of small challenges designed to spark insights around balance, strength, influence, and perspective, reconnecting with themselves, with each other, and with nature.

3.00-4.10pm: Session 5: Breakout Sessions – Space between Risk & Trust

1. Misinformation, an interactive breakout session with Jackie Gorman, CEO, Midlands Science. We live in an age of misinformation and disinformation, the spread of which is hugely accelerated by technology. How do we discern what is real and what isn’t  is a key question for everyone. Dark patterns in social media are engineered into design to keep us online and clicking but we are not powerless in this. We can learn how to spot misinformation and not take the click bait and burst our filter bubble. This session will include a presentation on the history of misinformation and the implications it has for society and some tips to outsmart the algorithms. It will also include some exercises where  we will discuss some topics together and learn from each other’s experience of navigating the misinformation maelstrom.

2. Reflective Practice with Dr. Claire McDonald (small group work) - This facilitated reflective session will offer a confidential, supportive space for participants to pause, connect and share. Each person will briefly introduce themselves and reflect on what feels most challenging and most meaningful in their work, as well as their hopes moving forward. Through gentle facilitation, shared themes and common experiences will be drawn out, fostering connection and reducing the sense of isolation that can come with leadership and frontline work. The focus is not on problem-solving but on listening, empathy and shared reflection leaving participants with a renewed sense of solidarity and insight.

3. Co-Creation and Community centricity. The goal of this session is to showcase how community organisations can move more to community centricity, in how they design services, co-design strategy, engage stakeholders, donors and funders, in a way that demonstrates solidarity and lived experience as an equal. The session will include Catherine Brogan, and participants from Sanctuary Runners, the organisation that champions Solidarity not Charity in all it does.  Both organisations will provide overviews of how this works in their organisation, and lead a discussion on why this matters, where it gets complicated, watch points for audiences etc.  This will lead to group discussion on how this is adopted across the attending organisations and aim to brainstorm shared learning and perspectives worth taking forward. 

4.10-4.20pm: Coffee and Comfort break

4.20-5.20pm: Session 6: Breakout Sessions 2 – Space between Words and Action  

1. Funding the Vision - Join Mantra Strategy as we workshop how to reframe your core purpose, and organisation narrative, positioning it for emotional connection to inspire and secure funding.  Learn how to diversify your portfolio of funding and become more sustainable.  This workshop element will explore what portfolio elements suit which causes best helping attendees shape their thinking and plans for 2026.

2. Social Enterprise Models.  Building Sustainability and Financial Resilience via Social Enterprise Model.

Join Clodagh O’Reilly as she demonstrates and engages the audience in the potential of social enterprises.  This will consider and share perspectives on how the model can work for them and their organisation, share with peers and leave with practical take aways on best practices of the model whether they are getting started or running in tandem with other funding elements. Considerations, watchpoints, resources, successes and more. Who Should Attend:  This session will suit leaders who have a social enterprise element to their funding or would like to explore this in a concrete way.

3. Demystifying AI - Join Rachael Davies, AI Consultant at Korrinn, and associate at Mantra as she outlines myths and types of AI, tools and products available. This workshop will cover practical uses of AI for small to medium organisations, charities and social enterprises that can advance missions, funding and productivity. This will address some of the hype and fear, basic literacy of AI and the language around it, and consider some practical uses, tools and watchpoints for users including compliance considerations, and training or bias awareness and limitations. Who should attend: Anyone who may be using or considering using AI for productivity, service provision, marketing or hiring and other use in the community.

5.15-5.30pm: Closing Remarks 

7.30-9.30pm: Space Between for Each Other. Dinner