Austin is Executive Director of the Robert Emmet Community Development Project (CDP) since 2019. There he holds responsibility for the management of community initiatives and programmes focussed on supporting the Dublin 8 community to reach its full potential. Prior to joining Robert Emmet CDP, he held a role as a resettlement officer in homeless services. During this time, he co-founded and served as a director of My Streets Ireland, an organisation that works towards creating educational and employment opportunities for the homeless community through walking tour guides throughout Dublin.
Austin holds a BA in Anthropology and History from Maynooth University and a Higher Diploma in Public Relations and Strategic Communication from DCU. He has won a number of awards for his atypical delivery of social enterprise programmes and dedication to charitable work. In 2019, his involvement with My Streets Ireland was recognised with the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Award in the Innovation for Change category.
With an abundance of knowledge of innovation for the not-for-profit sector, Austin frequently speaks widely on improvement in the charitable and social economy sectors and has spoken in a TEDx talk focused on ‘Accessible Education for Sustainable Communities’.