As part of Dublin City Council’s Inclusion and Integration week in May, it hosted a photography exhibition featuring the diversity of its own staff. This is probably a first for local authorities and the idea could easily be taken by others, or by community organisations, or by any entity in fact.

The exhibition entitled ‘Humans of Dublin’ was held in the Civic Offices and it provided a fascinating glimpse into the life experiences of 12 council staff members by telling their stories of inclusion and integration.

It was created by Hungarian Peter Varga who moved to Dublin aged 19. He is an author, photographer and creator of the social media phenomenon, Humans of Dublin.

Among those featured is Yoga (Yogi) Lakshmi Chandrasekhar – see our main photo – who is a research officer with Dublin Region Homeless Executive. She says she learned hard work faraway from Dublin.

“I grew up in Tamil Nadu, India, raised by parents that were important in shaping the person I am today, but my grandfather was the one that took it a few steps further. He was a proud public servant and I used to spend a lot of time with him as a child. He taught me the values of hard work and integrity before I could even write my own name. By the time I was ten, I was his professional partner, helping him with pension paperwork for villagers. While other kids played, I was writing official letters – and people even paid me for my work. Talking about positive child labour.”
She said that something inside her “clicked’ when a friend mentioned moving to Ireland, and working for the Council changed her life in very positive ways.

“When I got the job at Dublin City Council, it became more than just work. It became my sanctuary. My first boss in Dublin City Council, Jamie, didn’t see me as ‘just an intern’. He treated me as someone with potential, even before I saw it in myself. He pushed me to take up space I had once been afraid to claim.”

Also featured is James Bradley (pictured above) who works in housing, community services and regeneration.

James grew up facing severe learning issues:

“I was born with congenital hydrocephalus, a condition that made learning incredibly difficult. Growing up in Ireland in the late 70s, I was labelled a ‘slow learner’, bullied, sidelined, and told I’d never amount to anything. School was a daily struggle. I was mocked and physically and verbally abused. By 15, I had barely started secondary school and felt completely defeated. The Rehabilitation Board deemed me “unsuitable” for further education.”

However, Preston College in England offered support for people with the challenges he faced, and he went from strength to strength there, becoming a very educated man.

“Each success was a victory over those who had written me off. The journey wasn’t smooth, but I never stopped pushing forward,” he said.
He has now had a 25 year career with the local authority.

“I found my place in Dublin City Council. I rose from a clerical officer to a staff officer role, working in Claims and Housing, where analytical thinking became my strength. I have good friends and a job I love. My greatest asset is persistence. I focus on what I can do and not what I can’t. A learning disability doesn’t limit your potential. Lack of self-belief does.”

Speaking about the exhibition, Peter Varga said, “Behind every large organisation, there are people like you and me, with lives just as complex, challenging, and layered. We often forget this when we’re navigating policies, processes, or public services.

“Empathy has the power to shift how we see institutions (and) this project is my way of saying: look closer. There’s always a human story behind the work,” he said.

While the exhibition was open to staff only, ‘Changing Ireland’ got a look in and you can see and read four more accounts from staff who told their stories on Humans of Dublin’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

To see Peter’s work across the capital visit: http://www.humansofdublin.ie/