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Who We Are

INEW is a membership organisation, built on collaboration with our members, who form the core of the network. Our coordinator leads the network’s activities, while the Steering Committee provides strategic oversight and ensures effective governance.

Members

Our membership includes a diverse group of civil society actors and education stakeholders in Ireland, from development and humanitarian aid organisations focused on education to school and university teacher unions, education providers, and more. United by a shared vision of a world where everyone realises their right to education, our members are committed to advocating for inclusive, equitable, and safe quality education for all.

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Coordination

Ponke Danker

Ponke is the coordinator of INEW. She is responsible for leading the activities of the network and implementing INEW’s Strategic Plan. Ponke is the contact for requests and our overall work.

A qualified human rights lawyer, with many years of experience in international and social justice, advocacy and project management, and the non-for-profit sector, she is passionate about inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Steering Committee

INEW Chairperson, Concern Worldwide

Amy Folan

Amy is Senior Education Adviser at Concern Worldwide.
INEW Secretary, Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI)

Moira Leydon

Moira Leydon is Assistant General Secretary with the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI). In addition to her work on curriculum, education policy and teacher professionalism, Moira represents the ASTI on the ICTU’s Global Solidarity Committee, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD and the Research Network of the Education International, the global education union confederation. Moira has represented the ASTI on the IFGE since its establishment.
Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO)

Sandra Corrigan

Sandra is the Global Solidarity Officer for the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) and an Official in their Conditions of Employment and Leadership section. Prior to this Sandra worked as a class teacher, Teaching Principal and Administrative Principal and as a Teaching Associate with the Teaching Council, she holds a Master’s in Education and the Law from NUI Galway.

Currently representing INTO on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ Global Solidarity Committee, on the management committee for Global Village and Global Citizenship Schools, she is also a Trade Union representatives on the steering committee for Coalition 2030 and is passionate about improving education for all.

Plan International Ireland

Juliane Schmucker

Juliane joined Plan Ireland in 2023 as Head of Programmes. Prior to that, she worked in the programmes department of Plan International Germany for over eight years, supporting the delivery of a global portfolio in humanitarian and development assistance as well as social cohesion. Her overseas experience includes living and working in the NGO sector in the Asia-Pacific region for many years.
Misean Cara

Tom Carroll

Tom currently serves as the Project Officer for Education at Misean Cara, where he collaborates closely with the organisation's members to facilitate and support various educational projects globally. Tom spent over 15 years living in Kenya, where his work primarily focused on education. During his time in Kenya, he served as a teacher at Baraka Agricultural College, a respected institution managed by the Franciscan Brothers.
Retired Teachers Association of Ireland (RTAI)

John O'Brien

Current General Secretary of the Retired Teachers Association of Ireland, representing over 10,000 retired primary teachers in the Republic of Ireland, John worked previously as the INTO Global Solidarity officer for over 10 years, representing the union on the ICTU Global Solidarity Committee. He was one of the founding members of the INTO Global Citizenship School, a longtime member of the INEW Steering Committee and former Chair of the Global Village Management Committee, promoting Global Citizenship Education in primary schools.

Donors & Partners

The Irish Network for Education Worldwide is hosted by Plan International Ireland and funded by Irish Aid.

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