New Wales and NI Advisers for Social Policy Charity
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has appointed Michael Trickey as its new Wales adviser and Quintin Oliver as its first Northern Ireland adviser.
Mr Trickey and Mr Oliver will advise the JRF on policy and practice developments in Wales and Northern Ireland, ensuring it can accurately reflect on public policy issues within the countries and represent the organisation there. They will also be responsible for enhancing the JRF’s networks across the countries and finding outstanding examples of demonstrable good practice that could be replicated elsewhere.
JRF Chief Executive Julia Unwin said: "In Quintin Oliver and Michael Trickey we have two excellent new members of our team. It is fantastic that people with such expertise and awareness of government, social policy and voluntary sector issues have joined us.
"We are determined to influence change throughout the UK and know the impact of what we do in both countries – this will undoubtedly be enhanced by Quintin and Michael adapting and expanding our work to reflect the specific issues there."
A senior civil servant now retiring from the Welsh Assembly Government, Michael Trickey is taking up the role following on from Vivienne Sugar, who held the position since 2005.
JRF Chief Executive Julia Unwin added: "I am extremely grateful to Vivienne Sugar for her valuable contribution to our work in Wales – she leaves us better placed and better informed on Welsh issues. I'd like to thank her personally for her time and commitment."
Michael Trickey's most recent work has been on public service reform, policy and implementation for the Welsh Assembly Government. He has also worked for the Arts Council of Wales and South East Wales Art Association and been active in a number of voluntary bodies and as a school governor.
Michael Trickey said: "I am really pleased to have the opportunity to take up my new role. I now have the chance to harness my experience of 30 years as a senior public manager in and outside government in Wales to issues which are important to me personally. The role of JRF Wales adviser, building on the excellent work of Viv Sugar, will be both challenging and exciting. I look forward to it immensely."
Belfast born Quintin Oliver has a social change background, including being a welfare rights adviser to Strathclyde Regional Council, Director of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, and founder of Stratagem. He will now ensure JRF is informed and involved with policy and practice developments in Northern Ireland, particularly advising JRF about opportunities to increase the understanding of the root causes of social problems, to identify ways of overcoming them, and to show how social needs can be met in practice.
Quintin Oliver explained: "I am very much looking forward to taking up my new role. My whole life has been devoted to social change initiatives, and I know how committed JRF are to overcoming disadvantage and finding new solutions to major social challenges. I am absolutely committed to advancing these values in my new post."
Both will take up their new posts in June 2010.
