John Dolan

Background

About John Dolan

In January 2022 I became an Assistant Lecturer in Applied Social Studies in Social Care at MTU after having worked in a part-time lecturer capacity since September 2020. I retained my role with Novas as part of the Homeless Action Team in County Clare on a part-time basis during that period. Straddling the worlds of academia and practice facilitated the feeding of theory in to practice and vice versa. I have been afforded great opportunity within MTU, a learning institution where I began my Social Care journey in 1995. I have lectured in Social Policy, Applied Public Policy and Contemporary Social Care Practice amongst other modules and my focus always is on the application of knowledge in a student focused way. I also have a role in supporting students on work placements in both the preparation stage through a professional skills for placement module and during their placement in the capacity of Practice Educator. I support final year students as a dissertation supervisor and will take on the role of Year 4 Coordinator in September 2025. I am currently Programme Director (Profession specific) for Social care Work at MTU. Prior to relocation to my home county of Clare in the summer of 2018, I worked in homeless services for 12 years with both the Cork Simon Community and the Galway Simon Community. My experience began as a student placement and culminated in services management. I have worked in day services, residential services and emergency services. I graduated with a Higher Degree in Social Care from CIT in 2005. I hold a Masters Degree in Social Policy and Social Development from the University of Manchester (2006). Within the area of Social Care I have also worked as an Aftercare Worker and as a Project Worker with people with intellectual disabilities as well as a Youth Justice Worker. I was an accredited CPI MAPA Trainer while working with the Galway Simon Community. My areas of specific interest are- Relationship Based Social Care Practice - Storytelling and Social Care - Mental/Physical Health and Addiction- Trauma/Trauma Informed Care- Non Violent Intervention (NVCI, MAPA, NVC)- Staff training: Professional Supervision, Vicarious Trauma and Self Care. Professional Boundaries in Social Care- Housing and Homelessness. Housing First/Led approaches- Harm Reduction/Low Threshold.