Ómra Support Agency

We provide services to organisations in the community / voluntary / disability / charity sector and those who operate in that field. We work with everyone from volunteers to staff, management and Boards.

We are available online or in person in any part of Ireland, north or south, and anywhere globally online.

We work with groups and on a one-to-one basis. It can be to a largely standard format or bespoke, depending on needs.

When you contact us, we will offer you a free phone or online consultation, after which we will prepare a proposal for you and/or your Board to consider.

Our approach to governance is one of empowerment. Whether it’s policy review and development, compliance with a code such as the Charities Regulator Governance Code or an organisational risk assessment, our aim is that you will be able to complete templates and/or recognise the gaps in the future for yourself and your organisation.

We can review policies and provide recommendations on further development of them, we can also provide many commonly-needed templates.

We can support and guide managers, key staff and Boards through codes such as the Charities Governance Code or the Tusla Compliance Framework, providing them with as much or as little support as is required.

We can support and guide you to carry out a comprehensive risk assessment of your practices and areas of work, which will dovetail with your Health and Safety risk assessment.

As a result of our work with you, your organisation will be:

Safe and well-led;
Show a high level of compliance in the event of an inspection;
The manager and the Board will feel more secure in their roles and more empowered in relation to what they need to know;
The organisation will develop an ability to learn from mistakes and use them to guide future practice;
The organisation will operate in a more ethical manner, following policies and procedures for the right reasons.

If you want to avoid unnecessary risk, reduce the likelihood of legal cases and live without the guilt that can result from being an unsafe organisation, then let us help you.

We provide external support, reflective practice and mentoring, and training and group facilitation for new and existing managers and boards / committees. Our work can be one-to-one or with small groups. We also work with families and individuals at a grassroots level, providing family support and mentoring as needed.

Our own professional development has brought us from Community Development training at BA and Masters level to Family Support, Training and Development, and Mediation qualifications. Our education, training and experience provides us with an in-depth understanding of the subjects we deliver training on and the multitude of contexts within the community and voluntary sector.

We support participants to develop the skills to make the right, ethical decisions, to maintain boundaries and confidentiality. We offer experiential learning – using our own templates, case studies and group work techniques. We acknowledge prior learning and experience, build on it using a community development style and provide opportunities for empowerment with space and time for reflection.

As a result of our work, you / your group / your organisation will have:

Increased confidence;
Increased likelihood of Board and staff remaining on for their term / longer-term;
Needs identified more quickly and supports in place before significant issues arise (early intervention);
Stronger communication and closer relationships with service users / families / communities.

Without appropriate training, support and mentoring, good people leave, there is a loss of the investment in recruitment and there is potential for Health and Safety risks and / or high level of absences due to stress and sickness leave. Without good quality support and training, organisations become unsafe and they lose the trust of beneficiaries and the wider community.

Let us help you avoid all of these pitfalls.

We believe that a well-facilitated, planning process leads to clarity, direction, transparency and rejuvenation with a positive, resulting impact on the community. It also helps in the attraction of funding. Let us help you with your plan, annual or strategic, which will enable you to take a few steps back and participate fully in the process.

Annual review and planning typically involves:

A review of the previous year’s work among Board and staff, in small groups;
Identification of achievements, progress made and challenges / gaps;
Discussion and agreement on actions to be continued, changed or added to for the following year;
Completion of planning template (if required).

Through working with us, you will have the opportunity to:

Bring your board and staff together, building connections and joint understanding;
Feed into a collective process in relation to the direction of the organisation;
Be involved in a participatory planning process;
Engage in a process that will be creative, inspiring and motivating;
Ringfence time through away days or agreed time out within the organisation;
Acknowledge and celebrate what has been done;
Get the most out of your resources through organising them and reducing duplication.

Organisations that do not engage in strategic or annual review and planning are more likely to have:

A plan and / or work, which is not reflective of the current needs and opportunities;
Work, which is more likely to become stale and less inspiring;
Difficulties for Boards, funders and new staff in understanding what is happening and, where appropriate, having oversight;
A missed opportunity for Boards and staff to build connections and trust.

Call us today to help you create an inclusive and well-facilitated planning process.

In every organisation there are differences of opinion, ideas, values and principles, not to mention personalities. Most of the time this supports diversity in our organisations but can also lead to conflict, either personal – between individuals, or between groups. Ómra can provide facilitation or support to guide your organisation’s management of the situation and find a resolution.

Both Ómra consultants are trained and accredited as mediators, certified with the Mediators Institute of Ireland. Catherine McIntyre is also trained in Restorative Practice.

Mediation is welcoming and safe, fast and less expensive, the participants speak and make the decisions (instead of legal people), thereby retaining control instead of giving it away. Participants normally talk to one another so relationships can be maintained. It allows for a win-win and compliance with agreements reached is generally high.

Restorative Practice uses simple questions to promote honest communication and encourage listening. Relationships improve and where there is conflict it is resolved more quickly.

If not effectively managed, conflict can damage an organisation or lead to litigation. It can also be a source of huge stress for individuals, leading to poorer work performance and quality of life.

By working with us, you can engage in a process that can:

Be transformative;
Provide you with opportunities for learning and growth;
Be one where people move on with better understanding of their part / impact and of the other’s.

What to expect in mediation:

The structure of the mediation process will vary depending on the type of dispute. Generally, an agreement to mediate will be signed at the outset and the Mediator will then meet with the parties together and / or separately, over the course of one day or in sessions over a number of days or weeks. Solicitors or other advisors may attend mediation sessions, if required. If agreement is reached this will be recorded and signed at the mediation and further steps, which may be required to make the agreement legally enforceable, may follow.

Call us today for an initial discussion to see if we can help you.

OUR SERVICES

Governance

Training, Mentoring & Group Development

Strategic Planning

Conflict resolution

We would love to hear from you – contact us for a free consultation

EMAIL

PHONE