“We mightn’t change the world for everyone — but we can change the world for one person, one voice at a time.” — Geraldine Rooney, BCIL
On Disability Matters, host Kirsten Ampeloquio spoke with Geraldine Rooney, Development Officer at Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL), about the quiet but powerful impact of peer support, local advocacy and what it truly means to live independently within your own community.
For nearly two decades, BCIL’s Peer Support Group has been a consistent and welcoming space for disabled people in Dublin 15 — a place where lived experience is valued, voices are heard and real change often begins with a simple conversation.
A Space Built on Lived Experience
Running for almost 19 years, the peer support group meets on the last Thursday of every month in the local library. But as Geraldine explained, it is far more than a meeting.
“It gives people with disabilities a voice,” she said. “And it encourages people to mix in their community — socially, practically and politically.”
Members come together to share knowledge, solve problems and support one another. Whether it’s navigating long waiting lists, finding quicker solutions to equipment issues, or simply meeting someone who understands, the group thrives on shared experience and local insight.
From Coffee and Chat to Advocacy and Action
What makes the group unique is its flexibility. Some members attend for friendship and connection, others for advocacy, and many for both.
“You’ll have people who just want company — a coffee and a chat,” Geraldine said. “And that’s just as important as lobbying or fixing footpaths.”
At other times, conversations turn into action. Members raise accessibility concerns in their neighbourhoods, take photos of broken paths or poor access, and BCIL works directly with Fingal County Council and local councillors to push for improvements.
“There’s power in numbers,” Geraldine explained. “When councillors hear not one voice but many lived experiences, they listen.”
Peer Advocacy in Practice
Geraldine shared a powerful example of peer advocacy, where two disabled people with different needs came together to resolve an accessibility issue around a parking space.
What started as a conflict became a collaborative solution — one that worked better for everyone.
“That’s peer advocacy,” she said. “People speaking up for themselves, but also listening to each other.”
Hidden Disabilities and Equal Voices
A strong message from the group is that you don’t need to be ‘disabled enough’ to attend.
BCIL welcomes people with visible and invisible disabilities — including epilepsy, autism and acquired disabilities — and actively challenges stigma and assumptions.
“If you feel you have a disability, your opinion matters,” Geraldine said. “Everyone’s voice is equal.”
This openness helps build confidence, autonomy and connection — especially for people who may feel isolated or unsure about speaking up.
Rebuilding Confidence, One Step at a Time
One story Geraldine shared captured the heart of the group’s impact: a young person who experienced a stroke and lost confidence, direction and connection.
Through peer support, social engagement and encouragement, that person rebuilt their confidence, returned to education and is now back at work.
“It’s amazing what it means when someone can say, ‘I’m working again,’” Geraldine said. “That dignity matters.”
Visibility, Pride and Community
BCIL’s involvement in local events — including the St Patrick’s Day Parade — is another way members reclaim visibility and pride.
“You’re walking through the heart of your community,” Geraldine said. “It’s disability — but it’s pride too.”
Public participation helps challenge stereotypes, build understanding and remind communities that disabled people belong everywhere.
Fundraising That Supports Independence
As a small, community-based organisation, Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL) relies on targeted fundraising to sustain and develop essential frontline supports for disabled people living in Dublin 15 and surrounding areas. One of BCIL’s key annual fundraising initiatives is participation in the Mini-Marathon, and the organisation is currently inviting supporters to join the BCIL team for the 2026 event this June.
Funds raised through the Mini-Marathon are ring-fenced for direct service delivery, with a strong focus on accessible and flexible transport supports — a critical enabler of independent living.
“Transport means choice,” Geraldine Rooney explained. “Whether it’s attending a medical appointment, accessing education or employment, or taking part in social and community life — people deserve control over their own decisions and daily routines.”
While statutory transport services have improved, gaps remain in availability, flexibility and reliability. BCIL’s transport support helps to address these gaps by enabling individuals to travel at times that suit their needs, reducing dependence on family members or limited public services. This support plays a vital role in preventing isolation, supporting wellbeing and ensuring continued participation in peer support, advocacy and community engagement.
Investment in transport has a measurable impact. It increases access to services, strengthens social inclusion and supports disabled people to remain active contributors within their communities. As a locally rooted organisation, BCIL ensures that all funds raised are used efficiently and transparently, with no unnecessary overheads, and are reinvested directly into services that deliver tangible outcomes for individuals and families.
Get Involved
Supporters can take part by walking or running the Mini-Marathon with Team BCIL in June 2026, or by helping to spread the word within their networks.
📍 How to join:
• Visit www.bcil.ie for updates and registration information
• Follow BCIL on Facebook for event announcements and team details
• To register your interest, contact the BCIL team via information.officer@bcil.ie
Every step taken and every euro raised directly supports independence, choice and inclusion at a local level.
A Philosophy of Independent Living
BCIL is proudly rooted in the independent living philosophy — founded by disabled people, for disabled people.
“This organisation was set up by people with disabilities,” Geraldine said. “The hierarchy, the carer model — that was never the starting point.”
Instead, BCIL listens to lived experience, carries out access audits, supports advocacy and feeds local voices into national conversations through partners like the Disability Federation of Ireland.
One Message That Matters
As the interview closed, Geraldine shared a simple but powerful message:
“We mightn’t change the world for everyone — but we can change the world for one person. And sometimes, that’s everything.”
This interview aired on Disability Matters on 92.5 Phoenix FM, a programme produced by Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL).
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By Valentyna Hordiichuk