Since 2016, Q Shelter has awarded a bursary in the name of Deirdre Coghlan, a founding and life member of Q Shelter. Deirdre was known to many Queenslanders as a champion of social housing and as an outstanding community development worker.
Deirdre contributed significantly to the founding of Bric Housing, through a collaboration involving four community housing providers. In her later years, Deirdre was also a proud tenant of Bric Housing and famously achieved an amazing level of community development with other social housing tenants in Redcliffe. She loved her role and the difference it made.
The bursaries, totalling $6,500 per annum, fund professional development activities for Q Shelter members who work or volunteer in the affordable housing and homelessness sector.
In 2024, the winners of the Deirdre Coghlan Bursary Award were announced at the 2024 Q Shelter Annual General Meeting.
Congratuations to this year’s recipients:
- Riverbed Action Group Outreach & Support Service (RAGOSS) as part of North West Queensland Indigenous Catholic Social Services, Mount Isa. RAGOSS will use their bursary for Mental Health First Aid Training for their staff.
- 3rd Space Brisbane for Trauma-informed First Nations-led training for volunteers and staff.
- BABI Youth and Family Service for Domestic and Family Violence training for team, and the development of a version of the training that is “young person” friendly.
Deirdre Coghlan
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