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

The Integration Centre Welcomes New Chief Executive Killian Forde
Killian Forde, previously a Dublin City Councilor; Director of Travact; and aid worker with the United Nations; has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of The Integration Centre.

In his short time in this leadership role he has achieved a great deal, winning new contracts with County Councils for the creation of integration plans and the IOM to develop a Mapping of the Mauritius community resident in Ireland, with a particular focus on their information channels.

Forde firmly believes integration is the single biggest issue facing modern Ireland and aims to create the space for change and action in this area.

He said “I believe Ireland is well positioned to be the leading example of how to do integration in the world”.

“There are great opportunities with this new government which we at The Integration Centre hope to capitalize on, and our newly developed policy positions will be published in September”.

“These positions, which everyone may not agree with, will stimulate the debate necessary around integration in Ireland”.

The Integration Centre will continue to develop upon its past experience and success whilst developing closer linkages with regional organisations, and providing clear training tools for organisations working in the field of diversity”.

“Our aim is to become the experts in integration in Ireland, working alongside statutory and non-statutory organisations to facilitate an integration system unequaled elsewhere”.





Integration Planning in Waterford City
The Integration Centre hosted a preliminary planning session in Waterford City this week as part of the process to develop a five year integration strategy for the city.

Waterford City Council enlisted The Integration Centre last month to draft and develop this integration plan.

This first session was for community groups and non-statutory service providers and it began looking at ways they could include minorities in their activities while examining the challenges and issues they face, and actions that can address any difficulties at hand.

A participatory planning methodology called PLA was used, which the organizer of the event, Regional Officer for the South-east Seamus O’Leary said “generated a lot of ideas and encouraged a very interesting and lively debate”.

Eight similar sessions will be organized by The Integration Centre throughout July with members of minority communities, and we will be engaging in one-to-one discussions, during June and July, with statutory and non-statutory service providers across the city.

Mr O’Leary said “this plan in Waterford feeds into the work carried out by The Integration Centre on integration plans nationwide, and we will continue to use this expertise to encourage county councils around the country to plan for the future of integration in their regions”.

International Refugee Day
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which made International Refugee Day, 20th June last, an even more momentous occasion.

The Integration Centre marked the day through a celebration of the wonderful talent that comes to Ireland through the protection system with a photo-shoot at Grand Canal.

Ireland is lucky to have one of the best educated immigrant populations in Europe. However The Integration Centre’s latest study, the Annual Monitoring Report on Integration 2010, indicates that people with refugee status face significant integration-related challenges, particularly in relation to employment.
Our experience in working with clients face-to-face has shown us that the length of time spent waiting for permission to work when going through the asylum system becomes a de-motivating factor in itself, and leads to the de-skilling of often highly skilled individuals.

Despite this, often against all odds, refugees contribute to Irish society in numerous ways, bringing new ways of thinking, and a variety of talents to Ireland.

Ahmed Avtarhanov, from Chechnya, and Mohammed Shuaib Korumtalee, from Mauritius, both aged 11 attend Clonburris National School in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Ahmed has been living in Ireland since he was seven, whereas Mohammed only came into the country last year, both live here due to the protection system.

These young students took it upon themselves to spread an important message “A bright future is in our hands”, through their project on the millennium development goals for which they produced a book and wrote a song. They were chosen out of the 700 schools that participated as winners of the World Irish Aid Award.

They are also to be awarded another award on Monday 20th June by Trocaire, the Better World award 2011, which formed part of Trocaire's Lenten campaign.

The students’ success in these projects shows that they have not only settled in well in the Irish school system but also a commendable desire to help others.

Mr Forde said “it is all too easy for the media and general discourse to rely on ingrained negative stereotypes; however refugees make many important and tangible contributions to Irish society, a fact that I hope will gain greater recognition in the future.

Ireland from an Immigrant Perspective
Ukachukwu Okorie, or as some people call him Uku, is a local Nigerian author, poet, activist, scholar and publisher.

Growing up in Nigeria Uku moved around a lot because both of his parents worked for the government. Nigeria is an extremely diverse country filled with over 200 languages with people from numerous cultures and backgrounds. This he believes has helped him to adapt to new situations and environments throughout his life, including his integration in Ireland.

Uku is a leading figure in the Irish literary scene. He is the founder of the Africaworld newspaper, launched last May, this paper, as Uku put it, “tells our story from our perspective”. Uku also has a book with traditional African children’s tales due to be published, he has written a collection of over 150 poems, and continues to write manuscripts adding to his already impressive collection of published works.
Uku misses his home country, and looks back on the places and people that shaped him into who he is today with great fondness and appreciation.

He said “Africa has a lot to offer the world, and not just in natural resources, which so many countries are positioning for these days”. Uku feels connected to his homeland by reading books, writing for his old college paper, and frequently calling friends.

Discussing the biggest issues facing immigrants in Ireland he said “language is the biggest barrier immigrants struggle with when coming into a new country; language is power”.

The second problem he believes to be accessibility; having access to the tools and services provided by any government or society which are often not known about or understood by those who are new or foreign to a country.

Uku finished saying, “Ireland is my home, where you lay your head is very important, you have to respect and appreciate the places where you call home”. He went on to say that he loves the people here; that they are funny and easy to talk to which may stem from the hard times that the Irish people have seen and their ability to learn from them.



Information & Advocacy Clinics

Dublin
Tuesdays 10.00am - 12.30pm
Dublin City Centre CIS
Macro Community Resource Centre
1 Green Street
(off North King St)
Dublin 7

Wednesdays 10.00am - 12.30pm
Blanchardstown Citizen's Information Centre
Westend House
Westend Office Park
Dublin 15

Thursdays 10.00am - 12.30pm
Citizens Information Centre
7 Wynnefield Road
Rathmines
Dublin 6

Fridays 10.00am - 12.30pm
Tallaght Citizens' Information Centre
512 Main Street
Tallaght
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