About Us
Realising that there was a need for a dedicated women’s space in Kerry a group of local women came together and decided to set up a Centre for the women of Kerry. In September 2020 we found a brand new home at Market Place, Maine Street Tralee before finding a more fit for purpose location at Community Development Project (CPD) Building, Rock Business Centre, Upper Rock Street, Tralee in 2022, following a great response from Rock Street we moved to the Shanakill Family Resource Centre, in Shanakill Estate Tralee where our offices, training/meeting room and counselling room is currently located.
At present we are run completely by a team of Volunteers supported by a committee of women with diverse experience and skills.
Our team supports women face to face, over the phone or by email. In the interest of public health at present all one to one meetings at the office are by appointment only, but please do not hesitate to contact us, we will help you link in with us. We also offer outreach and can meet you in a location of your choosing. Building and maintaining strong social networks is now more important than ever given the challenges experienced by everyone over the couple of years.
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What We Do
Our work primarily addresses Gender inequality and The Empowerment of Women.
We aim to Empower women through education and peer support, enabling Kerry women to build resilience and effect meaningful positive change in their lives (their families and communities).
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Women’s Rights
We provide information on various rights such as
Welfare/housing rights
Pension rights
Employment rights (workplace harassment/bullying/redundancy)
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Domestic and gender based violence
Our support line can be contacted if you experience,
Coercive control
Physical Abuse / Domestic Violence
Sexual abuse
Social Isolation
Rural isolation is significant in Kerry and has been exacerbated by Covid 19. We assist in any way that we can or put you in touch with someone that can help.
Homelessness
We offer a safe space for women experiencing homelessness. We can advocate for you and assist you to secure housing.
Signposting
We signpost women to supports from specialised agencies in Kerry (Rape Crisis Centre/Women’s Aid/INTREO/Social Welfare)
Advocacy
We raise the voices of marginalised women. We will speak to agencies on your behalf if you wish us to do so.
Peer Support
Through our activities, workshops and virtual coffee morning we encourage networking, peer support and confidentiality within the group.
Counselling (Let’s Get Talking)
We work closely with a not for profit Counselling service. They charge on the basis of ‘no set fee’. (Pay within your means.)
Education for women
Programmes include:
Tackling the digital divide
Motivation, Personal Development
Steps to Success
Parenting
Writing a Will
Women’s Health and Nutrition
Effective Communication
Recovering from Challenging Relationships
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Fostering Networking
Our activities and events offer opportunities to network, connect and raise women’s self esteem.
Virtual Coffee mornings
Independent Parents group
Senior citizen’s supports
Training and education programmes for all women
Fostering Creativity
We organise regular walks, gardening projects and competitions
We also have a writer’s group and a weekly art group.
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We believe all women can embrace who they are,
can define their future, and can change the world.
Our Mission
Kerry Women’s Centre is an organization dedicated to engage, educate and empower women. Through the provision of information, support, counselling and training on issues affecting women, while encouraging respect, diversity and equality.
Our Vision
The needs expressed by women have formed the backdrop to everything we do and are striving to do in the future.
We want to create a centre for the women of Kerry that is responding actively to the evolving needs of women in the community.
We want it to be a place where women feel they are participants and members rather than service users.
Our Goals
To provide the women of Kerry with education and counselling on issues which affect them, including domestic violence, post abortion counselling, women’s health and women’s rights.
To provide women with access to information on cultural, economic, educational, health, legal, and social services.
To coordinate and/or support projects which promote women’s equality.
To create a space for women to meet in a place of their own to network and share information.
Our Promise
We will do all that we can for the women of our community. We will reach out, and keep an open door to all women. No matter the situation, we are committed to guiding and supporting women in a non-judgemental, positive environment.
Freedom is the right to stand strong and hold your head high no matter the past. We are here keeping our promise to women; we are here for you.
Meet The Team
Rita
Hi there, my name is Rita O’ Sullivan, I am originally from Wexford, but living in Kerry for over 35 years.
I have a background in Psychiatric Nursing and Counselling, and I am particularly interested in how one manages trauma.
I also am very interested in Womens issues, and I am delighted to have an opportunity to volunteer at the centre. My previous volunteering included volunteering with the KDYS as a mentor for students.
I volunteered on The Equality for women’s measure course as a facilitator and it was this role that gave me a passionate understanding of the specific challenges that women experience.
I believe that the Kerry Women's Centre is a vital resource for women in North Kerry and beyond and am encouraged daily when I see the difference it can make to women's lives when they perhaps had no where else to turn to.
Marian
I have been a Community Education Tutor with Kerry Education and Training Board for seventeen
years. The courses are focused on supporting the participants to engage socially through developing
their creativity.
I have also been running Creative Writing workshops for the Kerry Writers Museum reaching
different ages and social groups.
As chairperson and PR officer of Kerry Women’s Interactive Network, I have organized conferences
and Wellness workshops that addressed mental and physical wellbeing.
I have been published in several magazines and poetry collections. I have also published a book of
poetry called Skyland.
Lisa
Hi, I'm Lisa. I have been involved with the Kerry Women's Centre since the beginning and volunteer as a funding administrator and information support. I have been involved with Women's Rights work for a number of years and was an active campaigner for Kerry For Choice during the Repeal the 8th referendum.
Bec
Hi there, my name is Bec Fahy, I am a community development worker and human rights activist from South Wales, who moved to Kerry 21 years ago, with my Derry born husband and two children.
I have a background in mental health and youth and community work and hold a Masters in Social Policy from UCC.
I have been a lifelong campaigner on equality and social justice issues, including women’s rights and am a member of the Board of Management of the Kerry Women’s Centre as I am committed to ensuring that all women should be able to have access to a safe space, in which to meet up, learn new skills, identify the issues that are important to them and be a part of developing their own solutions and advocating for the changes they need to see, to ensure that real equality for women becomes a reality.
Caroline
How's it goin? I am Caroline Killeen. I was born in Finglas, Dublin. I have two adult daughters one of whom was born in Galway and the other here in Kerry. I moved to Kerry from Galway in 1992 after my first child was born.
I am presently working in Tralee as a Family Support worker, two days per week. I also coordinate the After School Program based in a Direct Provision Centre in Cork three days a week. My background is in Youth and Community Development and Family support. I have a Bachelors degree in Social Care from MTU.
I have been volunteering since I was a teenager; my most recent engagement as a volunteer was being elected as treasurer for the Kerry Women's Centre in Tralee.
I am passionate about supporting all women in our Community. I look forward to meeting many new women through the Kerry Women’s Centre events throughout the year.
Lesley
My name is Lesley Collins and I very much enjoy been a volunteer at the Kerry Women's Centre.
My main roles are attending the office to take phone calls and welcome women who drop in with problems of all kinds, or just for a coffee and a chat.
I also facilitate a walking group every Wednesday, a writing group on Wednesday afternoons and an online writing group on Thursdays. I also do other online groups from time to time.
My background is in psychiatric nursing. I also worked for ten years as an outreach worker for a refuge in Wales. I was on a committee in the lord chancellor’s department in London, which was making guidelines for child contact in domestic abuse situations. I had many other jobs mainly supporting people, including working in the old Tralee Women’s Resource Centre.
Dee
Dee Keogh is a skilled storyteller and social advocate who strives to empower people authentically in their everyday lives. She is a motivational speaker and creative writer drawing upon her Dublin roots and worldwide ancient wisdoms.
Her TED X talk “Wisdom in the Cul De Sac” is now the theme of her first memoir which she just completed. She also wrote and performed a one-woman play called “Why I haven’t met Oprah yet” and is working on her second Show “Beneath the waves”, which will be performed this summer 2022.
She works passionately for women’s issues all over Ireland and is a champion for social justice. She is working with a group of Independent parents to share their stories, have their voices aired, to lobby for real change in the lives of women.
Jean
Hi , I'm Jean
Interested In Joining Us?
The Kerry Women's Centre is a non profit organisation and as such receives no core funding. We rely heavily on our membership base to cover the running costs of the centre.
Membership for the Centre is currently:
€10 for per year for waged members or €5 per year for unwaged members.
Further info on membership can be found here. If you just want to jump ahead and become a member for a maximum of only €10 a year you can go ahead and click below to submit your membership directly.
If you do not wish to become a member of the centre but would still like to help via a one off or regular donation you can give directly via the button below. We thank you for your interest in supporting and empowering our women, your donation will be of immense support to us.
