Dear Members,
Join us in giving a warm welcome to three new Development Officers joining Scouting Ireland.
Dermot Moore and Marc Noonan are our new Development Support Officers. Both will be working to develop membership and support Groups. Pat Balfe takes up the position as Training Development Officer, bringing new skillsets to members. All three will work in the Volunteer and Group Support Department.
We wish each of them best wishes in their new roles.
Ned Brennan
Chairperson/Company Director
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Dermot Moore - Development Support Officer
Dermot began his scouting journey in cubs and scouts in 1st Wexford New Ross Sea Scouts in the early 80's. Then when his family moved to Avoca in '89 where there was no scout group. Years later when he had children of his own and there was a huge waiting list in nearby Arklow scout group, a group of likeminded parents in a similar situation got together and formed their own scout group in Avoca. They opened the group in 2012 and Dermot started as the Cub Section Leader and has continued in the role ever since. He spent a couple of years on the Cill Mhantain scout county team as ACPC for cubs, running county camps, cub challenges and other events and improving communications between the cub packs in the county. Dermot then took on the role of County Commissioner and continued strengthening ties between groups in the county encouraging a positive approach to scouting in the county with the help of a supportive county team. Then, when Covid restrictions caused difficulties for a few groups resulting in them facing closure, he focused his energies on helping them rebuild and return scouting to their local communities. He was in this role for the past 6 years. Dermot joined the national training team in Jan 2020 and then trained as a safeguarding trainer in 2022.
Mark Noonan - Development Support Officer
Mark joined Cub Scouts with the 1st Limerick in 1991 and from that point onwards he has been involved in Scouting for most of his life.
After studying Business & Risk Management at University Mark has had an eclectic career including Retail Management, Data Analytics, Outdoor Activity Provider and Event Management! Mark hopes to bring this array of experience along with his knowledge as a Scouter & most recently as a Group Leader into his new role in helping to grow Scouting in the Southern Province.
Pat Balfe - Training Development Officer
Pat joins Scouting Ireland as the Training and Education Development Officer having retired from The Defence Forces in 2022 after 35 years’ Service. This service included deployment on 10(ten) Peace Support missions to the Middle East and The Balkans. He spent the majority of his military career within the Training and Education Field managing, designing, delivering technical and career curriculums at all levels. He has also designed and delivered technical, leadership and cultural awareness training to International Audiences both in Ireland and at NATO Centres of Excellence. He was awarded a BA in Training and Education from NUI Galway in 2018 and continues his professional development through third level studies and facilitating training both at home and abroad.
Pat also has significant experience within the Youth Sector both professionally and as a Volunteer. His most recent role was as Manager of The Hive Youth Hub in Kildare Town where he oversaw the operation of a Facility that delivered holistic services for Young People and their Families.
As a volunteer, Pat has worked with In Sync Youth and Family Services since 2007. In that time, he along with other Community members established a Youth Club and a Youth Café in his hometown where he continues to volunteer today. He has also spent 15 years as a member of the In Sync Board of Directors and is a strong advocate for the provision of services to the young people of Kildare.
Between 2019 and 2022 he was awarded Youth Studies, Community Development and Leadership, and Community Work in a Changing Ireland Certificates at Maynooth University as part of his continuous professional development within the Youth and Community Sector.
