What is Saolta?
Empowerment for a better world through Adult and Community Education (ACE).
Saolta’s strategic goal aims to increase the accessibility, quality and effectiveness of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) within the Adult and Community Education sector in Ireland.
We are a Global Citizenship Education strategic partnership programme for the Adult and Community Education (ACE) sector in Ireland between Irish Aid and a consortium of organisations. Saolta explores a variety of global issues with stakeholders in the ACE sector and encourages informed action across Irish society. Issues such as poverty, inequality and climate change feature strongly as areas of exploration.
Development Perspectives is the lead partner in the consortium, which also includes AONTAS, Concern Worldwide, Irish Rural Link, the Adult and Community Education Dept of Maynooth University and Cork Education and Training Board (CETB).
Meet the team
Paul Crewe
Programme Manager
Paul has been involved with Development Perspectives since 2013 and currently works as the EU and Special Projects Officer. Paul holds BA (Honours) in Community Sports Leadership. Paul is working with Saolta as Programme Manager and is also heavily involved in coordinating projects in the area of Migration and Integration. Paul also coordinates EU-funded projects which explore global citizenship education. He has over 5 years experience facilitating within the Adult and Community sector. Paul is particularly interested in the topic of income inequality and how it links to many other issues. He has a passion for sport (every sport), travel and retro gaming.
Annamaria Balazs
Finance Manager
Annamaria Balazs joined the team in 2019 as a Financial Officer. She is a qualified accountant from Hungary and currently converting her qualification into Irish ACCA. Annamaria is looking after the company’s financial operations, finance reports, budgets and accounting records. Annamaria also holds a BA (Hons) degree in PR, Marketing and Media management and BA (Hons) IT, Librarian and Broker Information.
Annamaria has lived in Ireland since 2006 and moved to the Drogheda area in 2013, she loves the beaches nearby and the beautiful countryside scenery. She is big into meditation and pranic healing, loves reading history books and traveling around the world.
Martin Dillon
Trainer
Martin graduated from Technological University Dublin—Blanchardstown with a BSc in Community Development and Youth Work and is currently completing an MSc in Sustainable Development at TU Dublin-Bolton Street. He is a passionate advocate for Education for Sustainable Development. He contributed to TU Dublin’s research project on Flexible Learning Pathways and the launch of the book “Leaves from the Cotton Tree” with the Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership. A committed lifelong learner and mature student. He enjoys cooking and sports, especially rowing and spending time in nature, and has coached soccer in the local community in Ireland, the US and Australia.
Sandra Meade
Support and Admin Officer
Sandra is the Support and Admin Officer at Development Perspectives and Saolta, bringing over 31 years of experience in childcare and community involvement. She has also volunteered with Civil Defence and participated in Foroige both as a member and a leader. Currently completing a QQI Level 6 course in Training, Delivery and Evaluation, she is passionate about lifelong learning and community engagement. Her work is guided by values of inclusion, connection, and personal growth. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, spending time in nature, volunteering for and supporting her local hurling team and taking part in creative workshops and community projects.
Maggie Campbell
Programme Officer
Maggie Campbell is a Saolta Programme Officer with a background in journalism, political communication, and education. She earned her MSc in Educational Leadership from Queen’s University Belfast in 2022. Maggie previously worked as a mentor at a technical college in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, where she supported students of all ages in re-engaging with education. Originally from the United States, she is passionate about access and inclusion in all educational spaces, and about helping students overcome the barriers that prevent them from achieving their goals. Outside of work, Maggie enjoys cross-stitching, reading, baking, and being a cat mom to her two black cats.
Public Engagement Manager
Deborah Conlon manages Saolta’s Public Engagement. Deborah has a BA in Design from DIT and a post-graduate certificate from DKIT in Digital Marketing and Digital Media Management. She’s passionate about encouraging conversation on social justice issues and learning from others. Outside of her work in Saolta, she also works with Development Perspectives and is chairperson of the Dundalk BIDs. She loves being creative, hot chocolate, reading and board games.
Deborah Conlon
