Leadership Library
Leadership Events
Leadership Directory

Leadership Assessment

Assessment Icon

School 1

Leader of Self

Assessment Icon

School 2

Leader of Teams

Assessment Icon

School 3

Leader of Organisation

Assessment Icon

School 4

Leader in the Sector

Login

01 4548727

info@leadersacademy.ie

Close
Login
A A A
Menu Leadership Events Leadership Library Leadership Directory Leadership Assessment
Leadership Schools
Assessment Icon

School 1

Leader of Self

Understand your own qualities and personal leadership skills.

Start Assessment
Assessment Icon

School 2

Leader of Teams

Understand teams and help team members to flourish.

Start Assessment
Assessment Icon

School 3

Leader of Organisation

Understand organisations and create an inspiring culture.

Start Assessment
Assessment Icon

School 4

Leader in the Sector

Understand and influence the Irish nonprofit sector.

Start Assessment

Supporting
Nonprofit Leaders

The Leadership Academy is where leaders from Irish charities, community organisations and social enterprises come together to learn from and inspire each other. Start your journey today be taking a Self-Assessment under one of our four leadership schools, and reflect on your current skills and strengths.

Login

or

Register Account

What are the
Breakfast Clubs?

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.
Attend The Breakfast Club
Attend Our Next Event Watch Our Most Recent Event

What are the
Breakfast Clubs?

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.

Attend Our Next Event Watch Our Most Recent Event
Contact Us
01 4548727
info@leadersacademy.ie
Contact Us
01 4548727
info@leadersacademy.ie

Our Next Event

Leadership and Allyship

In modern language ’ally’ refers to a person supporting a marginalized group and indeed as a sector we probably understand the concept more than most. But what does allyship mean to us in our own leadership journeys?

Making it to the top is great, but who are we bringing with us? And what are we doing to make sure they have the same opportunities we have? That the playing field is equal?

As the world turns on DEI now more than ever we need to understand our roles and responsibilities as allies and to recognize our roles as individuals and leaders.

We will be joined by two speakers who are actively committed to being allies and reflecting on their journey.

This event is free to attend and open to anyone working in the community, voluntary charity or social enterprise space, in any role, at any level. You just have to register to attend.

Book Here

Who comes to the events?

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.

Speakers

Our Past Speakers

We are lucky to have been joined by some amazing speakers at the Breakfast Clubs. If you would like to speak at a future event please use the form below to apply and let us know what you would like to talk about!
Niall Breslin (Bressie)

Academic, author, public speaker

Averil Power

CEO of the Irish Cancer Society

Yemi Adenuga

Fine Gael Councillor/ She Builds People

Diarmaid O'Corrbuí

CEO Carmichael

Aaron McKenna

CEO UCD Professional Academy

Elaina Ryan

CEO Childrens Books Ireland

Femi Bankole

Co-Founder Black and Irish

Lisa-Nicole Dunne

CEO Mantra Strategy

Yvonne Fleming

Senior Manager Crosscare

Sharon O Halloran

Biodynamic Psychotherapist

Jeanne McDonagh

CEO Open Doors Initiative

Johnny Currie

The Trussel Trust

Una Deasy

CEO NOVAS

Bryan Gavin

Foroige

Dermot McLaughlin

Nonprofit Consultant

John Church

CEO of the ISPCC

Dr. Tracey Moson

CEO of the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Services

Ailbhe Smyth

Campaigner and Strategy Specialist

Colette Bennett

Director of Advocacy and Research at The Wheel

Níall Fitzgerald

Head of Ethics and Governance, Chartered Accountants Ireland

Jane-Ann McKenna

CEO of Dóchas

John Smith

CEO of Nano Nagle Place

Claire Mac Evilly

CEO of Airfield Estate

Pauline McKeown

CEO of Coolmine Therapeutic Community

Dr. Orlaigh Quinn

Former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Apply To Be A Speaker

Watch Some Of Our Previous Events

Leadership and Upskilling

View Gallery

Leadership: Paying it Forward

View Gallery

Leadership & Technology

View Gallery

Leadership and Accountability

View Gallery

Leadership and Vulnerability

View Gallery

Leadership and Making Changes

View Gallery

Leadership and Ethics

View Gallery

Leadership and Legacies

View Gallery

Leadership and Making the Difficult Decisions

View Gallery

Leadership and Organisational Culture

View Gallery

Leadership and Succession Planning

View Gallery

Who are we

The Leadership Academy Manager and their Skills Teammates

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 

Why The Breakfast Club

80’s Pop Culture

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!

Back to Top

Sign up to our newsletter

Coming soon, we will share occasional updates on developments in the Leadership Academy, to stay informed.

e: info@leadersacademy.ie
t: 01 4548727
48 Fleet Street
(entrance Parliament Row)
Dublin 2, D02 T883
Quick Links
  • Home
  • News & Views
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Terms & Conditions
Schools
  • Leader of Self
  • Leader in the Sector
  • Leader of Organisation
  • Leader of Teams
Funded By
Powered By
Socials
Funded By
Powered By

Copyright © 2025 Leadership Academy . All rights reserved. Black Hive Digital Web Design Belfast