Funding announced to support migrant integration in local communities
The Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration at the Department of Justice and Equality, David Stanton, today launched the Communities Integration Fund 2018 at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre in Dublin today.
€500,000 is available from the Office for Promotion of Migrant Integration in 2018 to support community organisations to promote migrant integration, raise intercultural awareness and combat racism in their local communities.
Launching the fund Minister Stanton stated:
“Successful integration of migrants is, in part, about successful interactions. It’s about communities that offer a generous welcome. It’s about the willingness and, sometimes, bravery, to accept that welcome. It’s people with different cultures and backgrounds coming together.
The Communities Integration Fund brings people together, particularly people who perhaps wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to interact or to get to know one another. I firmly believe that to build truly integrated communities, we need to interact with one another, to build new connections, develop mutual understanding and enjoy shared experiences. Interaction is a vital part of the integration process
Community is at the heart of Irish life. It is in the daily interactions, in workplaces, schools, social gatherings, and places of worship, that migrants will determine their sense of belonging here. Diversity is a reality. To realise its benefits, integration is an imperative. I call on communities throughout the country to play their part in making Ireland a place where migrants find the welcoming environment where they can live fruitfully and happily.”
This is the second year of the Communities Integration Fund. In 2017, every county in Ireland received support from the Fund for locally run projects to support integration. These included:
- In Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15, Fáilte Isteach brought local volunteers and migrants together for conversation classes and community workshops.
- In Athlone, the first Indoor Diversity Games in January 2018 brought young athletes from diverse backgrounds together through a project run by Offaly Sports Partnership.
- In Dublin 1, O’Connell Secondary School put on a summer school for local migrant students.
- In Donegal Town, The Donegal Family Resource Centre ran a ‘Cross Community Family Day’ in June 2017 to bring new arrivals and locals together.
- In Dublin, a network organisation for migrant women, AkiDwA, ran a series of workshops to promote civic engagement among migrant women from the locality.
- In Drogheda, local community group Drogheda Homeless Aid linked residents of the Mosney Accommodation Centre with the Julianstown community at a Julianstown Integration Event and Sports Day in October 2017.
- In Sligo, the Sligo Global Kitchen used Communities Integration Funding to support a Community Outreach Programme to link current and former residents of the Sligo Accommodation Centre with the local community through the art of food.
- In Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, the local Community Games association ran several events in September 2017 to welcome Syrian families recently arrived in the town.
- In Millstreet, Co. Cork, a ten week information and awareness programme for migrants run by community group Love and Care for People, linked local migrants with community supports and amenities to encourage their participation.
- In Ennis, Co. Clare, the Ennis Street Festival supported its 2017 theme of ‘Cultural Identity’ with outreach to local migrant communities and the participation of artists and performers of many nationalities.
- In Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, the local GAA club ran an Integration Day at the club in October 2017 at which club members gave demonstrations and training to local migrants with the aim of boosting their participation in local sports.
- In Galway, community organisation Pernet brought local Irish and migrant families together for parenting workshops, language classes and intercultural cooking demonstrations.
At today’s event, the Minister also launched a report on the Communities Integration Fund 2017 and the new look website of the Office for Promotion of Migrant Integration at www.integration.ie .
Also speaking at the launch were representatives of the following projects that received funding in 2017: Ballaghaderreen Community Games; Fáilte Isteach, Tyrrelstown; and Sligo Global Kitchen.