Leadership Assessment
School 1
Leader of Self
School 2
Leader of Teams
School 3
Leader of Organisation
School 4
Leader in the Sector
Leadership Assessment
School 1
Leader of Self
School 2
Leader of Teams
School 3
Leader of Organisation
School 4
Leader in the Sector
School 1
Understand your own qualities and personal leadership skills.
School 2
Understand teams and help team members to flourish.
School 3
Understand organisations and create an inspiring culture.
School 4
Understand and influence the Irish nonprofit sector.
The Breakfast Clubs are our Leadership Event Series. They create spaces for people in the sector, at all levels of their own Leadership journeys, to come together, hear some new ideas from other leaders in the sector and connect. They start with a fireside chat with two people with experience on a particular topic. We have a mix of leaders from within the sector and other experts in certain areas. Themes are be overarching and applicable to anyone on a leadership journey. After, we host facilitated roundtables with the audience to help people reflect on what they’ve heard and get to know others in their community.
Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups between various social strata in society. It can refer to economic mobility like changes in income or wealth, or social class status. In Leadership terms this can often mean how easy, or not, it is for someone to move upwards in their career towards a leadership position.
At this mornings event we will be joined by two leaders in their field to discuss their thoughts on how social mobility shows up in work and why it is important for us to recognise that social mobility exists in order to ensure we are finding and supporting the right leadership candidates into our leadership pipeline.
The Leadership Academy Breakfast Clubs are available to anyone in the community, voluntary, nonprofit, or social enterprise space at any level, from volunteer to CEO. The events are free and delivered both online and in-person to allow for accessibility. We’ve had just under 600 people attend our events in 2023.
Our attendee profiles show an ongoing mix of people at varying stages of their leadership journey from emerging leaders and young people considering a future career in the sector, to senior leaders with years of experience. We also have everyone from volunteers in the sector, to consultants working with the sector as well as staff in the sector. We invite anyone at any stage of their own leadership journey with an interest in the sector to attend.
Campaigner and Strategy Specialist
Director of National Voters Registration Day
Founder of Spéire Nua
Chairperson of the National Women's Council of Ireland
Operations Director at Mr Price Branded Bargains
Head of Graduate Business School TUD
Co-ordinator of Community Lifelong Learning Hub, Dublin Northwest Partnership
Advocacy and Campaigns Manager
Former CEO of The Psychological Society of Ireland
Academic, author, public speaker
CEO of the Irish Cancer Society
Fine Gael Councillor/ She Builds People
CEO Carmichael
CEO UCD Professional Academy
CEO Childrens Books Ireland
Co-Founder Black and Irish
CEO Mantra Strategy
Senior Manager Crosscare
Biodynamic Psychotherapist
CEO Open Doors Initiative
The Trussel Trust
CEO NOVAS
Foroige
Nonprofit Consultant
CEO of the ISPCC
CEO of the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Services
Director of Advocacy and Research at The Wheel
Head of Ethics and Governance, Chartered Accountants Ireland
CEO of Dóchas
CEO of Nano Nagle Place
CEO of Airfield Estate
CEO of Coolmine Therapeutic Community
Former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
The Breakfast Clubs are organised by Sharon Hughes, the Leadership Academy Manager for The Wheel and supported by Ciara Power, Sector Skills Officer for The Wheel. The Leadership Academy lives within the Skills Team of The Wheel and Sharon and Ciara are supported by the Training and Events Team, Matthew Norman, Training and Events Officer and Sinead Vaughan Training Manager. We are usually joined by Mairead O’Connor, Senior Sector Skills Policy Manager and Bre Connolly Senior Sector Skills Manager. And very often lots of our Wheel colleagues. There are lots of us basically.
“For me personally, the benefits to the Breakfast Clubs have been many but key are the value of think-time, the cross sectional networking and having a product to offer staff looking to consider upskilling – in this regard promoting the breakfast club internally in Trócaire, in particular to my own team, is very relevant to the area of continuous leadership learning and development.”
Karen Casey
Head of Community Engagement & Outreach
Trócaire
Breakfast Club Attendee
The Breakfast Clubs created a networking space that feels open to all leaders, future and established, so that we can meet and make connections. Sharon encourages the early career professionals in the room to be the leads for discussion and she connects people with such ease. I have found TLA events extremely interesting and engaging, having enjoyed the the space to network freely. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of attending a Leadership Academy breakfast to attend and get involved.
Amy Ennis
Fundraising Professional
Breakfast Club Attendee
For me, the Leadership Academy Breakfast Clubs create an opportunity to rejuvenate. Sharon brings diverse and inspirational speakers into unusual and unexpected spaces, and the balance between speakers and informal networking space makes for great thinking time, interesting conversations and a chance to meet new contacts. Sharon brings bags of enthusiasm, engaging hosting, integrity, a clear passion for what she does and cool outfits! I always leave feeling re-energised!
Bryony May
Charity Manager
Breakfast Club Attendee
The Leadership Academy Breakfast Clubs are truly exceptional. They offer a unique space to connect with others in the sector, providing the opportunity to discuss topics that often don’t get enough attention. It’s refreshing to hear perspectives from people at all levels, supporting meaningful and engaging conversations. The variety of locations and formats keeps each event new and engaging, proving that a great gathering isn’t just about the psychical space but the opportunity to explore and share ideas with like-minded individuals.
Aoife Duff
Nonprofit HR Professional
Breakfast Club Attendee
I found it to be such a remarkable space to link in with so many different organisations. And with everyone having been impacted by Covid The Breakfast Club was a saving grace and a place to have that reconnection with people again! The structure of each session is extremely well organised and facilitated by Sharon and her team. There are always incredible guest speakers discussing interesting and relevant topics that inform leadership, personal and professional development. Each session includes breakout rooms/ discussion table to talk through the topics discussed with the panel speakers. I have attended a number of sessions in person, the venues chosen for each session are inspirational spaces. In my current role external supervision isn’t required, so for me the Breakfast Club is the space I give to myself away from the day to day tasks to check in with myself and equally to recharge and be inspired.
I find it to be such an empowering and inspirational space!!
Thank you to Sharon and the Leadership Academy team!
Christine Meehan
Tenant Engagement Coordinator
Contrary to popular belief the Breakfast Clubs were not called after Breakfast, even though it plays a valuable part in our day. It was actually called after the fabulous 1985 John Hughes movie.
In the movie five complete strangers find themselves becoming friends after spending a lengthy detention together. We had an idea that we wanted to make spaces for people from all across the sector with nothing obvious in common, to get together and connect. ‘Like that movie the Breakfast Club’, Sharon said to Mairead, and that is how The Breakfast Club stuck!
