Shelagh O’Connor has been Director of New Horizon Youth Centre since 2000.

Shelagh’s working career for 25 years has spanned community and Third Sector organisations from the smaller London Irish Women’s Centre to ‘Centreprise’ a large Community based project in the inner city Borough of Hackney.

Shelagh is keen to ensure that New Horizon Youth Centre’s work with young vulnerable people breaks down barriers and creates real opportunities for advancement. Shelagh contributes to research at government and local levels on the development of services for young people, participating in Local and London wide groups to enhance the voluntary or as now called the Third Sector.

Currently Shelagh is vice chair of the Camden Community Empowerment Network and represents the Voluntary Sector at the Local Strategic Partnership meetings in Camden.

Shelagh is also a member of the Independent Advisory Group to the Borough Commissioner of Police on serious incidents and has contributed to the development of Camden’s community and homelessness strategies.