NXF – The Board - 2023
JOINING THE NXF
by Hayley Fox Roberts Board Member
Joining the board of the NXF has, for me, nicely completed a circle. Coming out in the late ‘90s, I moved to Dublin to work for GCN, a great experience where I found my community and learned design skills that I’m using still. To now be in a position to help frame the work of GCN and engage in the overall work of the NXF is a pleasure and I’m glad to be part of a ‘Meet the Board’ process in these pages.
My background is in community development; for years (too many to mention) I’ve worked with underserved communities and it’s been my pleasure to work with LGBTQ+ communities in different parts of the country, focusing on rural and isolated aspects of community life. Back in 2010, I was the Northwest Development Worker for LGBT Diversity, the first stand-alone LGBTQ+ development project in Ireland, funded by Atlantic Philanthropies. For three years we brought LGBTQ+ people together to create meaningful supports at a local level, and that model worked well – though when the project ended, there was little further support for rural communities. I’m now working with Cumann na Daoine in Youghal, leading the Seeding the County LGBTQ+ development project. A Regional Strategy for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in County Cork was launched at a community Seminar in Clonakilty last year and we are looking for ways to fund the delivery of its objectives.