Our vision is that every child and young person, Le Chéile Mentoring works with, will be supported and empowered to realise their hopes and dreams.
What We Do
Le Chéile Mentoring is a national, volunteer mentoring, restorative justice and family support service, which supports children,
young people and their families, where the child or young person is involved in or at risk of offending. We provide tailored supports,
in partnership with other organisations, working along-side children, young people and their families, to enable them to reach their
potential now and into the future.
Established in 2005, we work in partnership with the Probation Service, An Garda Siochana, Oberstown Children Detention Campus and other agencies to reduce the level of crime in the community.
We recruit, train and support over 200 volunteer mentors across 12 counties to provide a supportive relationship for young people and parents referred to us.
As well as our mentoring service, we also run a dedicated Restorative Justice Project in Limerick and Clare and we run a number of family support programmes across the country.
Meet the Team
Laura Walsh
CEO
Laura Walsh is our Chief Executive Officer of Le Chéile Mentoring,. She has over 20 years’ experience working with children, young people and families across the voluntary, public and community sectors, including senior leadership roles with Youth Advocate Programmes (YAP) Ireland and in local government in London. Laura is passionate about collaboration and empowerment and is committed to ensuring the voices of young people and families are at the heart of Le Chéile’s mentoring, restorative justice and family support work.
Marie Vanasova
Team Leader - Dublin
Marie joined Le Chéile Mentoring in 2008. She hold qualifications in social work, management and social care and social justice and she has background working within various social care, addiction and charity sector for over 18 years. She is passioned about working with young people and parents engaged with Youth Justice and working and supporting volunteers. Marie holds the belief that everyone can make positive changes in their lives and they can be empowered by giving opportunities, support and encouragement.
Ingrid Cooney
Mentor Coordinator - Dublin Parents
Ingrid has been with Le Cheile since 2005 when she helped set up the first pilot project in Dublin north. Her qualifications are in Youth and Community Work and Addiction studies. She worked for many years with youth mentees but now her work primarily focuses on supporting parent mentees. Having volunteered herself for many charities over the years she strongly believes in the ethos of volunteerism and the unique contribution our volunteer mentors make in supporting families to make positive changes in their lives.
Aideen Curran
Accounts Administrator
Aideen has been the Accounts and Finance Administrator with Le Cheile since 2019. She has worked in many varied administrative roles from the Tourist business, Education to banking. She is ATI Technician and IPASS certified. She has a passion for the outdoors, hillwalking and nature and believes it’s the best tonic for your mental wellbing.
Laureen Christie
Mentor Coordinator - Dublin
Laureen’s background is an BA in Social Care and and MSc in Criminology. She has experience working with young people in residential settings and families through YDP projects. She is a football coach and loves horse riding. She believes ‘ you can never fail until you stop trying’.
Sara Mc Donnell
National Volunteer Coordinator
Sara joined Le Chéile in 2024. She has worked for over 10 years in the not-for-profit sector, both in Ireland and abroad. She holds a Master’s Degree in Development and Globalisation. Her previous role was in volunteer support, and she believes firmly in the unique value that volunteers bring to an organisation. She is passionate about social justice, social inclusion, and human rights.
Mary Daly
Eastern Regional Manager
Mary joined Le Cheile in 2020. Her vast experience covers the lifespan of childhood and adolescence, from early years to adult life. She is passionate about the power of resilience in supporting people in adversity and holds strong with the belief that relationships and connection are central to human identity and personal happiness. Every day presents an opportunity.
Heather Sinnott
Team Leader - South East
Heather, a blow in from Scotland, has been part of Le Cheile Mentoring since 2006. Starting in the Careers Service, Heather is strongly influenced by valuing social justice and equality of opportunity. This ethos fits perfectly with the volunteer led model of Le Cheile volunteers supporting young people and families overcome barriers to opportunity and positive futured for our mentees.
Simon Keating
Restorative Justice Coordinator
Simon joined Le Cheile in March 2023 as Restorative Justice Project Officer and has worked in the non-profit sector for 10 years. He enjoys working in Restorative Justice as it has great potential to assist young people involved in the criminal justice system.
Cormac Ryan
Mentor Coordinator - YDP Dublin
Cormac joined the Le Chéile staff team in January 2019, having previously worked with the organisation as a volunteer mentor. Cormac believes passionately in the empowerment of individuals and communities and has over a decade’s experience working and volunteering in the community and development sector. He is also a firm believer in the ethos of volunteerism and acting in solidarity with others.
Ailbe Coleman
Project Coordinator - Cork North/East
Ailbe has over 14 years of experience supporting young people and their families within the Youth Justice System. His qualifications include a Social Science Degree in Youth & Community Work, a Masters in Voluntary & Community Sector Management and Certificates in Addiction Studies and Community Development. Ailbe’s previous experience of serving in the Irish Defence Forces both at home and abroad with the UN, has helped him in developing the ability to quickly prioritise the needs identified by young people/parents being worked with to ensure that their engagement in the mentoring process is as beneficial as possible for them. Ailbe believes that this approach to his work ties in seamlessly with Le Chéile’s vision statement, which is ‘to offer every young person at risk, the right supports at the right time, to make the most of their lives’.
Alan Quinn
Southern Regional Manager
Alan joined Le Cheile in 2011 as Mentoring Co-ordinator for Clare and Limerick. He has a Masters Degree in Family Support Studies from NUI Galway and a background in management. He took up the post of Southern Regional Manager in December 2021
Lyndsey McCabe
Mentor Coordinator - Meath
Lyndsey joined Le Chéile Mentoring in 2010 and is the Northeast Coordinator. She has a background working within various social care, family support and charity sectors for over 17 years. Lyndsey has huge passion for supporting young people and families within the Youth Justice Sector.
Allison Gordon
Mentor Coordinator - Cork
Allison joined Le cheile in 2018. She has worked in the not for profit sector for over 10 years. Before joining Le cheile, Allison worked primarily in Mental Health and Homeless Services
Jenny Croke
Project Officer - YDP Southeast
Jenny has been with Le Cheile since 2017 as Youth Diversion Project Officer. Working with young people and parents to support them and seeing them being empowered is a very rewarding aspect of her role.
Maartje Van Stokkem
Dublin North Youth Coordinator
Maartje, originally from The Netherlands but living in Dublin for over 20 years, joint Le Cheile in May 2024. Before joining Le Cheile Maartje worked in the youth and community sector for 20 years, specialising in mentoring services for young people in the North inner city. She witnessed firsthand what a positive difference, a caring, committed volunteer can make for a mentee and that this can have a lasting lifelong impact on the young person in particular but also on a volunteer by reflecting on your own beliefs, goals, and aspirations.
Lorna Walsh
Mentor Coordinator - Limerick and Clare
Lorna Walsh has been the Le Chéile Mentoring Coordinator for the Limerick and Clare regions since 2021. Previously, she served as Le Chéile’s Restorative Justice Project Officer for four years. Lorna holds a Master’s degree in Youth Work and Community Development, as well as postgraduate diplomas in Restorative Practice, Mediation, Human Rights, and Equality. She has also earned additional qualifications in Motivational Interviewing (MIT Ireland) and Effective People Management. Lorna has extensive experience working with marginalised young people, specialising in behavioural, emotional, social, and learning difficulties in both the UK and Ireland. She has also worked in the public and community sectors, including roles at the Ombudsman for Children’s Office in Dublin and with Solihull Youth Service in the UK. Lorna believes in the power of mentoring, the possibility of being the person you needed at that age or stage in life.
Claudio Marmo
Accounts & Corporate Services Manager
Claudio joined Le Cheile in 2014 as Accounts and Corporate Services Manager and he has worked in the non-profit sector for 18 years; the first 8 years as expatriate working in post-emergency and development projects around the world before moving to Ireland and joining Le Cheile.
Helen McCarthy
Mentor Coordinator - Midlands
Helen McCarthy has worked in the Non-Profit sector for 17 years, with experience in the disability and criminal justice sector. Helen joined Le Cheile in 2008, and established le Cheile’s Midlands/Kildare Region. Helen has training and experience across a wide range of Youth and Family Support interventions.
Mark Turner
Project Officer YDP Dublin
Mark joined Le Chéile Mentoring in 2022 as a YDP Project Officer in Dublin and has over 20 years experience working in the non- profit sector. He is a human rights-based advocate subscribing to policy design to deliver quality care and support services.
Carol Doyle
Administrator
Specialising in operational support, Carol joined Le Chéile Mentoring in December 2022, bringing with her a wealth of diverse executive experience. She offers a broad skillset and extensive knowledge in administrative assistance across various inter-departmental functions. Carol takes great pride in being a reliable source of support for her colleagues, the wider team, and the clients they serve.
Conor Byrne
Mentor Coordinator - Oberstown
Conor joined Le Chéile in 2024 as the Oberstown Mentor Coordinator. Conor has a personal, educational, and professional background in working with addiction, trauma, and the family dynamic. Following his Master’s Degree in Criminology and Criminal justice and working both one-to-one and in group settings with those affected by the justice system, Conor is a strong advocate on empowering change through education, wellbeing, and re-connection both with society, and with the self.
Le Chéile Mentoring’s Values
The rights and potential of every child and young person to make positive changes in their lives
• The power of volunteer mentoring
• A restorative approach
• Partnership with children, young people, families and other organisations
• Listen, respect and empower
• Trauma informed approach
• Evidence informed programmes
• Impact of socio-economic deprivation and believe in social justice and equality
• Diversity and social inclusion
Le Chéile’s vision statement is that every child and young person, we work with, will be supported and empowered to realise their hopes and dreams. Our team of experienced, passionate and dedicated staff across the country each bring their knowledge and enthusiasm to varying roles in the pursuit of that vision.
We provide all our employees with fair employment conditions, development opportunities, and robust supervision and support systems. We offer competitve salaries, generous leave packages, Employee Assistance Programme and training and development opportunities. We hire from across a variety of locations and disciplines.
Mentor Coordinator North Dublin
Le Chéile Mentoring is a national, volunteer mentoring and family support service. We work with young people and their families, where the young person is involved or at risk of offending. Le Chéile is recruiting a full-time Mentor Coordinator to fulfil a fixed term...