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, Mr David Stanton TD, today launched the Communities Integration Fund 2018 at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre in Dublin today (Wednesday 21 March 2018).

€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

For a full list of projects funded, see below.

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
Sligo Global Kitchen

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

The Communities Integration Fund was first launched by Minister Stanton in February 2017 on the same day as the government’s Migrant Integration Strategy – A Blueprint for the Future - was launched by the then Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Francis Fitzgerald T.D.

The Fund, which is administered by the Office for Promotion of Migrant Integration in the Department of Justice and Equality, was foreseen in Action 51 of the Migrant Integration Strategy which states:

"A Communities Integration Fund will be developed [by the Department of Justice and Equality] to support actions by local communities throughout Ireland to promote the integration of migrants and refugees."

Out of a total of over 300 applications in 2017, 131 different projects across 26 counties nationwide were awarded funding through the Communities Integration Fund. The Report on the 2017 Communities Integration Fund is published on the OPMI website at www.integration.ie.

The Communities Integration Fund is administered by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration at the Department of Justice and Equality. Funding of up to €5,000 is available to community organisations for eligible activities to promote migrant integration in their local community. Allocation is via an open competitive process. Information on how to apply is available from the OPMI website at www.integration.ie.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Thursday 3 May 2018.

Funding announced to support migrant integration in local communities

Notes to the Editor:

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