Work with Simon Communities of Ireland

Job Title: Event Rapporteur

About Simon: 

The Simon Communities across Ireland are a network of independent communities across the country that provide homeless, housing and treatment services to people facing the trauma and stress of homelessness. With a proud history of over 50 years responding to local needs, the Simon Communities of Ireland works to end long-term homelessness in Ireland and ensure that homelessness where it does occur is rare, short-term, and non-recurring.

The Simon Communities of Ireland (SCI) national office is a leading campaigner nationally in putting forward solutions for tackling homelessness. Our work engages with advocacy, policy and communications that is grounded in the experiences of the local services. We campaign for more effective policies and legislation locally, nationally and at a European level. SCI campaign for practical and sustainable solutions that tackle homelessness head on. Our advocacy and solutions are based on evidence, best practice, and the experiences of the people who use our services.

Background:

Simon Week 2026 will highlight the growing crisis of single adult homelessness in Ireland. Single adults represent the largest cohort currently accessing homelessness services, yet they are comparatively underserved in policy frameworks.

As part of the national Simon Week campaign, the Simon Communities of Ireland will host a national conference in Dublin on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, that will focus on how we can end single adult homelessness across Ireland and Europe.

The conference will bring together national and international experts, policymakers, frontline staff, academics, and people with lived experience of homelessness to examine how Ireland and Europe can accelerate progress towards ending homelessness by 2030 under the Lisbon Declaration.

Role Responsibilites:

The Conference Rapporteur will:

• Attend the Simon Week 2026 national conference in Dublin in person on Thursday 24 September 2026 to take detailed notes of keynote speeches, panel discussions, audience engagement, and workshop sessions.
• Engage with stakeholders at the conference, including people with lived experience of homelessness, policymakers, academics, and service providers.
• Conduct brief desk-based research before and after the conference on single adult homelessness in Ireland and internationally, including policy responses and interventions.
• Draft a clear and concise conference report (approximately 10-15 pages) synthesising conference themes and discussions, including:
  • A brief literature and policy review
  • Key messages emerging from the event
  • Direct reflections from lived experience contributions
  • Concrete, evidence-based policy recommendations
• Work closely with the in-house SCI staff to ensure the final output is relevant, accurate, and impactful.
• Provide a first draft of the conference report to the SCI Policy Analyst in the first week of November, and complete revisions during November. The final draft of the report should be provided to the SCI Policy Analyst by November 30th.

Key Skills and Qualifications:

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Experience in policy research, social research, journalism, or related field.
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to translate complex discussions into accessible reports.
• Experience working with or writing about homelessness, housing, older people, or related social issues.
• Sensitivity to lived experience and trauma-informed engagement.
• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience producing policy documents (e.g. submissions, policy briefs) is a strong advantage.

Time Commitment and Compensation:

We estimate the project will require approximately 80–100 hours of work across a two-to-three-week period, including:

• Preparation and review of background materials and literature: 8–10 hours
• Conference attendance in Dublin (in person): 1 full day (7–8 hours)
• Note synthesis, desk-based research, and report drafting: 60–70 hours
• Revisions, feedback, and finalisation: 8–12 hours

Compensation:

€4,400 (including VAT, where applicable).

Reasonable travel and subsistence expenses associated with attending the conference will be reimbursed separately.

Submission Details: