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
- Update on Integration Planning in Waterford City
- Nominate for The Diverse Ireland Awards 2011
- ‘Promote the Development of Integration Strategies for Organisations’
- Jipe Kelly to attend the 6th Meeting of the European Integration Forum
- Make Ireland a Home
- The benefits of Local Integration Plans for County Development Boards
- Ireland from an Immigrant Perspective
Update on Integration Planning in Waterford City
Phase two of the Integration Strategy Development Plan for Waterford City is now complete. The Integration Centre held four review meetings during the month of September which were attended by thirty people. In addition, two final planning meetings also took place. The first meeting took place in Waterford City Centre while the second was held in Mount Sion. The two final planning meetings gathered more attention, being attended by forty-nine people. The Integration Centre is currently working on drafting an integration document.
The Integration Centre is working with Waterford City Council to develop a long-term integration strategy for the city, with the support of the Social Inclusion Measures subcommittee of Waterford City Development Board and the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration.
For more information please contact: Seamus O’Leary at seamus.oleary@integrationcentre.ie or 087-2818986.
Nominate for The Diverse Ireland Awards 2011
The Integration Centre invites you to nominate the person or entity you think has made a significant contribution to Integration. Anyone may make a nomination and you may nominate for as many categories as you wish.
To make your nomination
click here..
The categories open for nomination are Politician, Local Authority, School, Journalist, Individual, Support Service, Sporting Organisation, The Arts/Cultural Organisation, Multinational, & SME Business.
An Advisory Board of experts has been appointed to assist The Integration Centre staff in selecting Prize winners. The Advisory Board is comprised of experts in media, politics and business.
The Advisory board is comprised of:
Dil Wickramingshe, Broadcaster
Nora Owen, Former Minister for Justice
Jim Power, Economist
Killian Forde, CEO The Integration Centre
The deadline for nominations is close of business, Friday 2nd December.
For more information visit www.integrationcentre.ie
‘Promote the Development of Integration Strategies for Organisations’
The Integration Centre Invites you to an Information Seminar to ‘Promote the Development of Integration Strategies for Organisations’ to Mark the One Donegal Cultural Diversity Month November 2011.
Seminar will take place in The Station House Hotel, Letterkenny, County Donegal,
Monday, 7th November 2011. Morning session: 11am – 1pm. Afternoon session: 5pm – 7pm. (Attendees may choose whichever slots suits them)
The aims of the sessions are:
- To provide information on the processes, approaches and best practice around developing, implementing and monitoring integration strategies.
- To help participants acquire the necessary awareness to understand and engage with challenges associated with living and working in a multi-ethnic society.
- To encourage organisations to adopt policies, good practices and action plans to promote interculturalism and community integration.
- To share the experiences of integration strategies that work.
- To challenge the barriers that immigrants and ethnic minorities are faced with, such as the possibility of exclusion, racism and sectarianism, and to strengthen inter-culturalism and community integration.
Please confirm your attendance to Tinu at tinu.achioya@integrationcentre.ie or 0870996789 by Monday 31st October 2011.
Jipe Kelly to attend the 6th Meeting of the European Integration Forum
On November 8th Jipe Kelly, Participatory Project Officer with The Integration Centre will travel to Brussels, as one of two Irish representatives to the European Integration Forum.
This will be his first time Mr. Kelly attends the forum, which takes place 9th and 10th November. The theme of the forum is “The involvement of countries of origin in the integration process”. There will be over 100 participants, representing all 27 European Union nations, in attendance. The forum combines keynote speakers with skill developing workshops.
Killian Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre said, “We are proud of Jipe’s appointment as an Irish representative to this international forum, and delighted that he has been given the opportunity to gain invaluable skills from some of the most influential integration specialists in the world.”
“The European Integration Forum has long been regarded as a premier event and this year’s theme reiterates how important participation from all parties involved in immigration is to creating a smoother transition for immigrants.”
Make Ireland a Home
Staff from The Integration Centre assembled outside Leinster House last week to launch the ‘Make Ireland a Home’ campaign. Through a mocked up living room setting the campaign was designed to highlight the importance of positive integration strategies in the upcoming budget.
Killian Forde, CEO of The Integration Centre, said “Harsh times are ahead and government spending cuts are set to be the harshest in recent history. The Integration Centre calls on Government to not only look at what needs to be cut but to wisely invest for recovery.”
“We are living in a time of austerity, therefore now more than ever we need to spend our money wisely with an eye firmly on the future at all times.”
“The staff and board of The Integration Centre have spent the last number of months debating and brainstorming the key aspects of immigrant integration which need to be addressed in order for Ireland to function in an equal, effective and successful way. This has resulted in the creation of almost eighty strategies which if implemented would make Ireland a better place. These strategies are listed in the recently launched Roadmap to Integration 2011.”
“We believe there are central issues which need to be addressed in this budget through the allocation of funding for:
• The creation of a mentorship programme for qualified professionals through SOLAS which would help in gaining English proficiency and enable people to find jobs matching their skill-set.
• The establishment of an Expert Migrant Consultative Group to government which would migrant proof legislation and policies.
• The development of a State recognised Directory of Accredited Interpreters to assist GPs and other HSE staff.
• In-service training for teachers and on racism and managing diversity.
• The funding and mandating of an organisation to co-ordinate the monitoring and reporting of racism to replace the axed NCCRI.
• The creation of a State approved certified orientation course designed to assist integration.
Mr Forde finished saying “if these changes are implemented now a strong foundation for future generations will be put in place, if not Ireland may very well witness the same type of turmoil that has gripped many other countries in Europe in recent history.”
To read the Roadmap to Integration 2011
click here…
The benefits of Local Integration Plans for County Development Boards
The Integration Centre works alongside local authorities across the country in the creation of integration plans and strategies. There are a number of reasons that county development boards should develop integration plans, some of them are discussed below.
Firstly, the city or county development board, as the lead development authority in a local area, has the responsibility to offer leadership on an issue of such importance. This is also reflected in national and EU policy around integration which emphasizes integration as a local process.
Secondly, The Integration Centre has observed that very few local service providers have their own organisational integration policies. However, most are very amenable to being led on integration policy from a local authority like the city or county development board. By developing a coherent long-term local integration strategy the development board can have a real influence on the shape and focus on micro level integration initiatives in its own area.
Thirdly a key element of The Integration Centre’s approach to local integration planning is to ensure that the planning process is not merely about consultation but is also used as an opportunity to motivate local groups and local members of minority communities to get involved in shaping and later implementing integration strategies.
Lastly, a local authority that develops an integration plan can use this as leverage to gain funding from national and EU sources. This funding is allocated more easily to projects when criteria have already been developed through an integration plan.
Seamus O’ Leary, Southeast Regional Officer, is currently working on a number of strategies. He said “the implementation of the Wicklow anti-racism and diversity strategy through the local authorities distribution of small grant funding is a very positive and successful example of the benefits of local integration strategies”.
Ireland from an Immigrant Perspective
Growing up in a small Bulgarian village, Rada Moneva had dreams of becoming a photographer. To pursue these dreams she decided to come and study in Ireland where she has just completed her degree in Communications at DCU.
“The standard of Irish universities and the desire to perfect my English drove me to study here” she said.
“As an EU citizen you are entitled to study anywhere in the EU and to pay the same as a national of the country. Bulgaria only joined the EU in 2007 and you have to have been living in an EU country for three years prior to your course so I had to pay fees. But it was worth it to come here”.
Though there are many universities in Bulgaria, Rada felt the standard in Ireland was much higher and the courses available offered her a better opportunity to focus on her photography.
She continued “I think Irish Universities are brilliant; I came here for an education and had an amazing three years at DCU. I learned a lot. They have great support services for foreign students, and The International Office is very helpful”.
Rada believes that being a student helped her settle into Ireland, as the social nature of campus life led her to make friends in no time. “I didn’t know anyone when I first came here but it didn’t take long to make friends”.
Everything did not always go smoothly for Rada, however. In her second year of study she moved out of campus accommodation into private dwellings, a move which should have proved cheaper for her. But like many other students she was ripped off by a bad landlord.
“Our landlord overcharged us and refused to return the security deposit. A few of my friends had similar problems, it seems as though some landlords target students. Because I’m foreign I think he expected me not to know my rights but DCU have a lot of support services for this kind of thing”.
Despite this trouble Rada says that she loved every minute of her life in Ireland, the only drawback was missing her family and friends.
Rada is now living in England studying for her Masters but harbours a strong wish to return to Ireland in the future. “I would love to come back to Ireland to live. I made so many great friends here that I know I will have for my whole life. Even if the economy is not so good it is a great place to live”.