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4. Sinead O'Neill

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Biography

Sinéad O’Neill is a lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies, lecturing at undergraduate and post graduate level. She is Year 1 Coordinator and Recruitment/Selection Coordinator on the Bachelor of Social Science in Youth and Community Work. Her research interests relate to social justice, youth work and community work, participatory approaches to working with communities, adult and community education, and access to education. Sinéad has extensive practice based experience in the fields of adult education and youth and community work. A professionally qualified JNC accredited youth worker, Sinéad has worked with a diverse range of groups and communities experiencing marginalisation, within and outside of Ireland. She has broad experience of working in the area of widening access to higher education for adult learners in both Munster Technological University and University College Cork. She has led the development of a number of access initiatives in Cork, including the ACE (Centre for Continuing Adult Education) pathway into the Bachelor of Social Science in UCC developed in 2017, the first access route of its kind in the University. Sinéad is the Academic Director for the ACE Diploma in Youth and Community Work.

She is currently a member of the BSocSc (Youth and Community Work) and Post Graduate Diploma in Youth Work programme teams which involves engagement in all academic related activities including teaching, supervision, programme administration, recruitment, research and civic and community engagement.

Sinéad is a member of the ISS21 Research for Civil Society and Social Action (REACT) cluster.

Sinéad is a member of the following committees and professional organisations: Cork Learning Neighbourhoods Steering Group, Cork Education Engagement Group, Youth Work Educators Forum, Youghal Adult Education Network, Community Work Ireland and AONTAS. 

Sinéad is a trained 'Singing for the Brain' facilitator. Singing for the Brain is a HSE supported arts and health based initiative in the Cork and Kerry region.

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Research Interests

Research interests relate to social justice, youth work and community work, participatory approaches to working with communities, adult and community education, and access to education.‍

Publications

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Conference Publications

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	Learning Connections 2019: Spaces, People, Practice. University College Cork Healy, B., Walsh, J. and O’Neill, S. (2019) Promoting healthier communities through adult education: Learning Connections in action Learning Connections 2019: Spaces, People, Practice. University College Cork University College Cork, , 05-DEC-19 - 06-DEC-19 [DOI] [Details]

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Published Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2019)	ACE Self Evaluation Report Quality Review 2019. Staunton, C., O’Tuama, S., El Amoud, L., O’Sullivan, C., O’Neill, S., Murray, G., & McGlynn, D. (2019) ACE Self Evaluation Report Quality Review 2019. University College Cork, Cork. [Details]

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Articles

	Year	Publication
	(2018)	RPL Access, Success and Inclusivity within the University: The West Cork Dairy Farmer’s RPL Project. Staunton, C., Gascoigne, B., Ó Tuama, S., O’Neill, S. and Buckley, E. (2018) RPL Access, Success and Inclusivity within the University: The West Cork Dairy Farmer’s RPL Project. University College Cork: Articles [Details]

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Unpublished Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2013)	Mature Student Entry Report 2013. O’Neill, S. and McLoughlin, L. (2013) Mature Student Entry Report 2013. Unpublished Reports [Details]

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Professional Activities

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Professional Associations

	Association	Function	From / To
	Community Work Ireland	Member	01-JAN-04 /
	AONTAS	Member	01-JAN-18 /

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Conference Contributions

	Year	Publication
	(2015)	15th Biennial Conference of the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland, 'Innovations to Support the Student Experience', Sinead O'Neill (2015) Trial and Error, Trial and Error, Trial and Error! Responding to the Needs of Mature Students: Getting the Balance Right with Orientation and Induction Programmes in Higher Education. [Oral Presentation], 15th Biennial Conference of the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland, 'Innovations to Support the Student Experience', University College Cork , 18-JUN-15 - 19-JUN-15. [Details]
	(2011)	13th Conference of the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland ‘Supporting Students in Transition’, Sinéad O'Neill (2011) Facilitating the Transition into Third Level Education for Mature Students through the Provision of Appropriate Supports. [Oral Presentation], 13th Conference of the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland ‘Supporting Students in Transition’, National College of Ireland , 15-JUN-11 - 16-JUN-11. [Details]

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Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	Youth Work Educators Forum	Member	2021 /
	Staff Student Liaison Committee, School of Applied Social Studies	Member	2020 /
	Cork Community Education Engagement Group	Member	2019 /
	Cork Learning Neighbourhoods Steering Group	Member	2017 /

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Teaching Activities

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Teaching Interests

Teaching interests include the theory and practice of youth work and community work, participatory approaches to community development, sociology, adult education and critical education theory.