The Integration Centre is a non-governmental organisation which is committed to the integration and inclusion of people from immigrant backgrounds in Ireland.

The Integration Centre - Connecting Communities Advancing Integration is committed to the integration and inclusion of people from immigrant backgrounds in Ireland. The Centre specializes in planning, monitoring and advocacy at city, local, national and international levels and provides regionalized information, advice and training services. Evidence-based research influences positive change in legislation, policy and practice. We have more than 250 affiliated organisations as part of our network.

If you would like to find out more about us or if you would like to support our work contact: Helena Clarke, Communications and Media Executive, The Integration Centre,1st & 2nd Floors, 18 Dame Street, Dublin 2, Ireland;
Tel: +353 16453070; Fax: +353 1677 0061;
helena.clarke@integrationcentre.ie; www.integrationcentre.ie

Contents

1. Notices & Events       

2. Nominate Now for the Diverse Ireland Awards
3. Good News for an Integration Centre Client
4. Call for Government to Unite Fmailies this Christmas

Notices & Events

Diverse Ireland Awards 2011
Where?                         Mercantile, Dame St, Dublin 2
When?                          14th December, 3-5pm

MC:                               Izabella Chudzicka, Entrepreneur, & TV Presenter
Awards Presenters:     Mary McEvoy – Actress & Novelist,  Ray Shah - DJ;
                                     Emma Waldron,  Miss Ireland 2010; and others...

Entertainment:             Acclaimed guitarist Niwel Tsimbu, and Flamenco dancing.
RSVP:                            helena.clarke@integrationcentre.ie by December 13th.





The Integration Centre’s Annual Quiz:
Be crowned the brains of the community sector and enjoy the fabulous comedy stylings of Dublin’s own Fabu D….

Come and enjoy an evening of comedy and great prizes while giving your support to The Integration Centre, a charity working for the inclusion of all immigrants in Ireland.

Where? Downstairs in Sweeney Mongrel’s bar, 32 Dame Street, Dublin 2
When? Tuesday, December 6th at 7.30pm
How much? €40 for a table

To buy tickets click here...

Prizes include…

For more information contact: aoife.breheny@integrationcentre.ie / 01 6453070



EU survey of ICT use by immigrant communities
Let your voice be heard in Europe by filling in an online survey at http://www.15minutescloser.com about your use of ICTs and you might win 15 minutes of free phone calls.
The survey will only take you 15 minutes to fill in, and one in ten will receive 15 minutes of free phone calls as a reward.
The information will help plan European Union policies for immigrant communities. All information you provide is confidential and your participation is anonymous. Please pass this invitation on to others!



Immigration Portal Launched
European Commission recently launched the Immigration Portal. It is a fantastic instrument as it provides general information and access to more detailed information on immigration rules in Europe.
MPG had the pleasure to work with the European Commission on the design and development of the Portal over a period of three years. We organised stakeholders consultations, designed the information format, gathered all information and presented national immigration law in a comparable way. We worked closely together with our network of immigration law practitioners. European immigration policies have become much more transparent.
See http://ec.europa.eu/immigration/
And http://www.migpolgroup.org/news_detail.php?id=184



Interculturalism and Anti-Racism Programme
The Integration Centre is currently developing an ‘Interculturalism and Anti-Racism Programme’ for Transition Year students to be piloted in the New Year.
The three week programme will consist of three workshops exploring immigration within the Irish context as it relates to issues of asylum and protection, diversity and interculturalism. The first week will consist of a presentation exploring themes of protection and the challenges facing immigrants in Ireland through the medium of group activities and debate.  In the second week an immigrant speaker will share with the students his/her experiences of life in Ireland, building on the material and need for cultural exchange between the host country and immigrant covered in week one.  The third week will take the form of an anti-racism workshop run by the organisation Show Racism the Red Card, which allows for issues of discrimination and racism to be examined in the context of sport and education.



Developing and Monitoring an Integration strategy in Donegal
The Integration Centre, as part of the “One Donegal Cultural Diversity Month”, hosted a seminar to promote the development of an Integration Strategy in Donegal.

Donegal CDB Peace and the Reconciliation Partnership hosted their second “One Donegal Cultural Diversity Month” in November 2011, which is aimed at embracing and celebrating diversity in the County.

The seminar took place in the Station House Hotel, Letterkenny, 7th November.

Tinu Achioya, The Integration Centre Participatory Project Officer (Northeast Region), presented the seminar.

Ms Achioya said “the aim of this event was to explore how an integration strategy can be developed and monitored in Donegal. This strategy would challenge racism and sectarianism, and promote positive relations and mutual respect between local communities.”

Last Chance: Nominate Now for the Diverse Ireland Awards

Time is running out to make your nomination for the Diverse Ireland Awards 2011. Close of business, Friday, 2nd December, is the final time nominations will be accepted.

Thank you to everyone that has made a nomination thus far we are very happy with the response. To make your nomination click here…

The awards ceremony will take place in the Mercantile, Dame St, Dublin 2, 14th December, 3-5pm. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served on arrival, and entertainment will be provided by the talented guitarist and singer Niwel Tsimbu, and flamenco dancing.

We are very fortunate to be able to announce a list of very high profile and talented award presenters. They will include the much loved actress and novelist Mary McEvoy, DJ Ray Shah, Miss Ireland 2010 Emma Waldron, Senator Jillian Van Turnout, Head of Office UNHCR Ireland Sophie Magennis, and others.

All are welcome to attend. To RSVP or for more information contact helena.clarke@integrationcentre.ie or visit http://www.integrationcentre.ie/Diverse-Ireland-Awards.aspx

Supporters logos



Good News for an Integration Centre Client
Christmas has come early for a refugee living in Ireland. The man, who will remain anonymous, will be called John in this article.

With assistance from The Integration Centre John received a considerable amount of money owed to him by Social Welfare and the Health Service Executive. The money represented the reimbursement of denied HSE payments occurring between March 2010 and January 2011.

The client’s saga began in March 2010 when he received refugee status, moved out of direct provision housing and applied for the weekly HSE social welfare payment. Unfortunately the client was repeatedly denied these weekly payments, and after being evicted from his apartment he was forced to rely on the charity of friends to survive.

The HSE cited various factors as basis for the denial of payments including; “non-disclosure of means”, “failure of habitual residence”, and because of a failed marriage to an EU national “his immigration status did not warrant payment”. After pressure was placed on his friend, who also exists on social welfare payments, John was again homeless and forced to move to Dublin.

In January 2011 he contacted The Integration Centre for assistance wherein he was directed to the Asylum-seekers and new communities unit on Gardiner Street, eventually the client was issued temporary accommodation and payments.

With John’s basic needs taken care of, The Integration Centre moved to investigating what caused the initial payment denials. Through the use of freedom of information it was found that all of the reasons cited by the HSE for denial payment were baseless and irrelevant. The Integration Centre lodged an appeal on the decision which was finally granted in November 2011, the result was a reimbursement of nine months of back payments.



Sign our Christmas Petition

A reduction in application waiting times in the family reunification process has been called for by The Integration Centre. The current processing time is 18 months.

Killian Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre, said “In this time young children are separated from parents, and husbands from wives. This situation attacks the very basis upon which Irish society is built.” 
 
"Between 2001 and 2011 4,107 applications for Family Reunification were made on behalf of 8,876 family members in Ireland. In a time span of ten years it averages out to around 400 applications made per year. To these 400 families this application means everything."

"We are asking the government this Christmas to put family first and to ensure that application times for family reunification take no more than 6 months."

The campaign is called 'Give the Gift of Family this Christmas'. A petition has been set up through The Integration Centre website, wherein people can sign theire name to a letter which will be sent to the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore. 

To visit the campaign online and sign our petition click here..

Information & Advocacy Clinics

Dublin
Tuesdays 10.00am - 12.30pm                                      Wednesdays 10.00am - 12.30pm                   
Dublin City Centre CIS                                               Blanchardstown Citizen's Information Centre
Macro Community Resource Centre                             Westend House
1 Green Street                                                           Westend Office Park
(off North King St)                                                      Dublin 15
Dublin 7


Thursdays 10.00am - 12.30pm                                     Fridays 10.00am - 12.30pm
Citizens Information Centre                                         Tallaght Citizens' Information Centre
7 Wynnefield Road                                                      512 Main Street
Rathmines                                                                  Tallaght
Dublin 6                                                                     Dublin 24


Galway
Tuesdays & Thursdays
10.30am - 12.30pm
Citizens Information Centre
Augustine House
St. Augustine Street
Galway


 
Funders
We continue to be grateful for the support and assistance of the Citizens Information Board (CIB),
Atlantic Philanthropies (Ireland) Ltd, the One Foundation and the Community Foundation for Ireland.

If you no longer wish to receive this e-bulletin, contact:
Helena Clarke, Communications & Media Executive
1st & 2nd Floors, 18 Dame Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 016453070, Fax: 016770061
Direct Line: 016453082
Email: helena.clarke@integrationcentre
Web:  www.integrationcentre.ie
 
The Integration Centre is a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital, registered in Dublin, Ireland. Registered Company No: 473318, Charitable Status No: CHY 18944, Registered Office: 1st & 2nd Floors, 18 Dame Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Directors: Pat Montague, Yaw Dankwa, Liz Joyce, Jerry Moriarty, Logan Raju, Paul Rowe, Prashant Shukla