Angela Stallard has been working with PlayBoard for over 25 years and is currently responsible for PlayBoard’s Service Delivery and Development. She has responsibility for managing a number of organisational portfolio’s including the Taking Outdoor Play Seriously (TOPS) programme, Spaces to Be peace funded project, Youth@Play and Play your Part two Education Authority funded projects, Bright Start (School Age Childcare support) and Training delivery and development. Angela is also involved in managing community-based play delivery projects within local council areas and chairs a collaborative Local Authorities Play Development Forum.
Angela was involved in the development of Northern Ireland’s first ever Play and Leisure policy, providing guidance and support on its development; chairing an associated cross cutting sub-group on play and undertaking a good practise Study Visit to London on behalf of the Office of the First and deputy First Minister (NI Executive).
For a two-year period, Angela was seconded to the Department of Education in Northern Ireland where she successfully implemented and managed an Early Intervention Transformation funded Programme - ‘Play Matters’ . Focused on one of the eight high level outcomes of the Executive’s Children and Young People’s Strategy ‘children and young people enjoy Play and Leisure’ the project established a solid framework of play understanding and collaboration across a range of stakeholders (Departments, Local Authorities, Community Planning, Health & Social Care Professionals, Schools, Parents, Practitioners). She also through Play Matters developed partnerships with Maghaberry and Hydebank Prisons and supported the delivery of play based programmes for prisoners and their children. Additionally one of Angela’s achievements under Play Matters was the development of a TV advert and Billboard campaign; advocating the importance of play.
Outside of PlayBoard, Angela has been a Trustee of the North Down YMCA for the past five years. She is currently Vice Chairperson of the Association and as a strong advocate for play and school age childcare she is Chairperson of their School Age Childcare Sub Committee, which oversees three childcare settings in partnership with local primary schools.
Angela has over 30 years’ experience of working within the community and voluntary sector and working collaboratively with others. She has two children Thomas and Zoe.
Appointed PlayBoard’s Director of Service Delivery and Development in October 2009, Alan Herron is responsible for overseeing a broad range of services including political advocacy and lobbying; training delivery; research and programme evaluation and the development and delivery of school and community-based play programmes.
At a policy level Alan was centrally involved in the development of Northern Ireland’s first ever Play and Leisure policy, providing technical guidance and support to the Office of the First and deputy First Minister. Alan was involved in the development and roll-out of ‘Bright Start’ – the NI Executives programme for affordable and integrated childcare and led delivery of the Department of Education’s Play Matters programme as part of the Children’ and Young Peoples Strategy.
Over the past 8 years Alan has led PlayBoard’s engagement with local authority councils aimed at delivering the child’s right to play. This work has included advocating for and developing overarching play strategies aimed at enhancing access to quality play opportunities. A key element of this work has been ensuring that children and young peoples views and opinions are embedded within the decision-making process.
Alan has over 20 years’ experience of working within the community and voluntary sector, and prior to joining PlayBoard was Director of Community Services with Age Concern NI. At Age Concern, Alan was responsible for overseeing the delivery of regional advice and advocacy services, regional actively ageing well programmes and led the development of the age sector modernisation programme.
As the CEO of PlayBoard since 2005, Jacqueline O’Loughlin is responsible for running all facets of the organisation. Working predominately in the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland Jacqueline has over the last 2O years held a number of senior management positions.
Prior to joining PlayBoard Jacqueline worked within education in both formal and informal structures. Working in Further and Higher Education she was involved in the development, delivery and establishment of quality controls for childcare and playwork training programmes.
As a play Advocate and children’s rights proponent, Jacqueline is very proud of the organisations achievements under her tenure, for example
- securing the NI Executive’s commitment to a policy framework for play
- providing secretariat and technical assistance to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister during the Play Policy drafting process (2006)
- securing Executive endorsement for the Play and Leisure Policy (2009)
- securing a commitment for Play in the current NI Programme for Government
- securing Play and leisure as an outcome measure within the Co-operation Act (2015) and Children and Young Peoples Strategy (2020)
Jacqueline represents PlayBoard and NI on a number of influential groupings including the 4 Nation’s Children’s Play Policy Forum, the 4 Nation’s Play Safety Forum. Jacqueline currently holds position of chair on the NI branch of the International Play Association
