public affairs agenda
Ciara Ferguson MLA
Political Platform
Community development worker Ciara Ferguson is one of two new Sinn Féin MLAs co-opted for Foyle, following the replacement of Martina Anderson and Karen Mullan.
Outline your background/career to date I grew up in Strabane, the fourth of six children in the family and I went to the Convent Grammar studying English, history and politics at A-Level. In 1994, I graduated from Ulster University at Magee with a first class BSc in housing and a week later I got married to Eamon. The following year, I had my first son Eamon, my daughter Erin came along in 1996 and our youngest son Patrick in 1998. All my adult life was spent studying, volunteering and working in Derry. In the early 1990s whilst studying at Magee, I worked as a trainee housing assistant for the Housing Executive. After graduating, I secured a part-time research post at the Housing Research Centre at Magee before
78
public affairs agenda
securing a Vice Chancellor research scholarship in 1996. From 2000, I began work in community development at the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership, a community support agency/charity in the outer north area of Derry. From 2007, I became Manager of the charity and in 2011, I also began working as a part-time survey interviewer for NISRA. I went on to continue my studies and graduated from North West Regional College in 2005 with a Diploma in Management and graduating from the Business School at Jordanstown in 2016. Over the years, within the city, I have served on the board of several fantastic local charities, including as Chairperson of the Outer North Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership from 2010 and sat on citywide strategic partnerships.
