Summer Lecture Series

CHRIS O’LEARY – COMMUNITY MAPPING

CHRIS O’LEARY IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF CORK VOLUNTEER CENTRE. HE HAS OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER ACTIVIST AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ACROSS CORK, ADDRESSING ISSUES OF ANTI-POVERTY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. CHRIS SERVES ON VARIOUS BOARDS INCLUDING CORK ETB, NATIONAL SCULPTURE FACTORY, FARRANREE COMMUNITY & EMPLOYMENT SCHEME AND SEVERAL SCHOOL BOARDS. CHRIS IS AN ELECTED AND SERVING MEMBER OF CORK CITY COUNCIL SINCE 2002 AND WAS ELECTED LORD MAYOR OF CORK IN JUNE 2015.FURTHER, HE HAS EXPERTISE AS A JOB COACH AND LECTURER WITH UCC, HOLDING A PROFESSIONAL DEGREE IN YOUTH & COMMUNITY WORK AND PSYCHOTHERAPY TROUGH UCC.

CHRIS WILL PRESENT ON COMMUNITY MAPPING. COMMUNITY MAPPING IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO TELL A STORY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.  COMMUNITY MAPPING CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY “HOT SPOTS” WHICH CAN BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IN TARGETING INTERVENTIONS. FURTHERMORE, COMMUNITY MAPPING CAN BE UTILISED TO GAIN RESOURCES FOR VOLUNTEER INVOLVING ORGANISATIONS AS THE DATA ASSISTS WITH APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING.