Our Events

From Policy to Practice (Session 2)

Policy Event

19/08/2026

From Policy to Practice (Session 2)

Shaping the VCSE Anchor Role in Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

The Northern Ireland Health Collective (NIHC) invites VCSE organisations and networks working across health, social care and community wellbeing to join the second in our series of workshops on the development of the VCSE Anchor Role within Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.

Join the conversation with Mike Farrar, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, and his team on how the VCSE sector can support the delivery of neighbourhood health and wellbeing.

Who is it for?

CEO, Senior Leaders, Trustees, Interim Executive

Date: 23/07/2026

Time: 11.30am - 1.00pm

Venue: Stormont Hotel, Belfast

WHY ATTEND?

✔ Hear what the sector is saying

✔ Share your views on the VCSE Anchor role

✔ Engage directly with Department of Health leaders

✔ Help shape future policy and implementation

WHY ATTEND?

✔ Hear what the sector is saying

✔ Share your views on the VCSE Anchor role

✔ Engage directly with Department of Health leaders

✔ Help shape future policy and implementation

Invitees

Mike Farrar

Permanent Secretary, Department of Health

Experienced Chief Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Healthcare Consulting, Crisis Management, Public Affairs, and Social Enterprise. Strong business development professional. Running my own business nationally and internationally for over 10 years supporting Boards, Leaders, and Systems; along with large and small corporates providing services to the NHS. (Recently went back into the NHS to offer free full time support to Kings College Hospital as Acting Deputy CEO during the COVID-19 crisis and recovery planning phase).Additionally working now in higher education and sports sectors (through role of Chair at Keele University and Chair of ukactive)

What Members Say About CO3

We’re delighted to get behind the financial resilience programme who, which will support a range of charity leaders from the small right through to the large, will really help give them the skills to be strong and be there for their communities for as long as they’re needed.

As a chief executive it is a very lonely job at times, particularly in small charities and Northern Ireland has got many small charities. So when you feel that loneliness or isolation, the one thing that CO3 brought was the ability to go and chat to somebody, whether it be a mentor or whether it be just another chief exec to bounce off.

Kate Fleck
Member of the Board, OCN NI

CO3 offer a wide range of courses for middle, middle managers, senior managers and chief executives within the third sector. Some of the programmes include the Leading Edge programme, there’s other leadership programmes available and then they also offer some micro learning sessions around how to present things like finances to your board of directors, reviewing your governance structure within the organisation and they would bring in some expert facilitators to deliver those sessions as well.

Martin Flynn
CEO, OCN NI

We’re delighted to get behind the financial resilience programme who, which will support a range of charity leaders from the small right through to the large, will really help give them the skills to be strong and be there for their communities for as long as they’re needed.

As a chief executive it is a very lonely job at times, particularly in small charities and Northern Ireland has got many small charities. So when you feel that loneliness or isolation, the one thing that Co Three brought was the ability to go and chat to somebody, whether it be a mentor or whether it be just another chief exec to bounce off.

Kate Fleck
Member of the Board, OCN NI

“CO3 is always a great network for support, for encouragement, for advice, answers to tricky questions when you're really, really stuck. Overall, it's been a fantastic network of colleagues who are always there for guidance and encouragement whenever things are really tough.”

Karen Collins
Chief Executive, Aware NI

“It is so valuable having other people who are in a similar position that you can network with, you can share problems with, you can ask advice. And so my whole career, CO3 has been really, really important to me in providing those things.”

Roger Courtney
Founder & Director, Roger Courtney Consulting

“I think for me the CO3 is a safe space just to have a chat, to make connections and also to learn from other people who are in a similar position in their career as you are.”

Lisa Keys
Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade