€2.25

SUMMER ’08

Changing IrelandChanging IrelandISSUE 26 The National Magazine of the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - funding 180 CDPs

This publication and most projects featured inside are part of the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

A FLOOD OF NEW VOLUNTEERS1-in-3 volunteers in Ireland today is non-Irish

THE MIGRANTS’ ISSUE

A FLOOD OF NEW VOLUNTEERS1-in-3 volunteers in Ireland today is non-Irish

INSIDE

We came,. . . we saw,

We came,. . . we saw,

‘Ye lot are all the same’

Page 6

8 ways to promoteintegrationPages 11-15

‘We still wantregeneration’

Pages 24-25

wwee vvoolluunntteeeerreedd!!wwee vvoolluunntteeeerreedd!!

2changing ireland good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die

Published by: ‘Changing Ireland’ is published by the Community DevelopmentNetwork, Moyross, Limited, Limerick, Ireland, with funding from the Departmentof Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.Address: ‘Changing Ireland’, Community Enterprise Centre, Moyross, Limerick. Tel Editor: 061-458011.Tel Administrator: 061-458090.Fax: 061-325300.E-mail: editor@changingireland.ie

admin@changingireland.ieWebsite: www.changingireland.ie

Editor: Allen MeagherEditorial team: Sean McLaughlin, Juan Carlos Azzopardi and Allen MeagherDesign: PrintZone, Limerick.Printed by: Walsh Printing Services, Castleisland, Co. Kerry

THANKS TO . . .‘Changing Ireland’ thanks everyone involved in the production of Issue 26.

DISCLAIMERThe views expressed in this newsletter are those of the author concerned. They do not, by any means, necessarily reflect the views of the Editor, the editorial team, the management committee of the Community DevelopmentNetwork, Moyross, Ltd., or the Department of Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs.

The buck stops here

PRODUCED IN MOYROSS

BY THE COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

IT is a long time since an evaluation has been carried out intothe Community Development Programme. The last one – in1999-2000 – showed incredible returns on the investment,especially given the high volunteer involvement. However, theNexus Research report also showed that CDPs were notgenerally taking on issues regarding new communities.

How things are changing!Eight years ago, interculturalism and anti-racist work did

not feature highly among the eight main priorities named byCDPs. In terms of target group priorities, new communitieswere rated eighth out of nine key target groups.

A problem at the time was the perception by CDPs that theyhad a lack of expertise in the area. Now, many CDPs havebuilt up skills and expertise and are ready and willing to passon their know-how. This edition of ‘Changing Ireland’ focuseson integration and interculturalism to highlight what is beingdone and to provide an impetus to those community groupswho have not engaged with immigrants and refugees to date.

The Community Development Programme is part of amovement in Ireland that empowers, expresses solidaritywith, and belongs to the marginalised in society, includingvulnerable immigrants and refugees. Thankfully, today, themost reputable organisations working towards integrationtake a Community Development approach to their work –

from Partnership Companies to the Migrant Rights CentresIreland.

While local groups may wish they had more resources, wecan’t look elsewhere for someone else to do the work. TheState has welcomed 400,000-plus immigrants into thecountry. The buck stops here with us at community level.There are many initiatives already happening around thecountry and we’ve highlighted what we believe are goodexamples that demonstrate a community developmentapproach.

We all have a duty of care to the community we live in,inluding short-stay residents. Integration work opens yourcommunity up to a wealth of talent and resources. Bear inmind that 1 in 3 volunteers contacting Volunteer CentresIreland today are non-Irish nationals.

Also, a minority of immigrants are illegal, undocumented,vulnerable and at a distance from mainstream society.However, they are within the reach of community groups, asare asylum-seekers.

Our diversity is not a passing thing. It is permanent. Andremember, migrants are active agents in bringing aboutpositive change. More aid goes to Africa from migrants’remittances than from official development aid.

EDITORIAL

Community developmentprinciples• COLLECTIVE ACTION

• PARTICIPATION OF MARGINALISED PEOPLE

• INCLUSIVENESS

• IS EMPOWERING AND ENABLING

• THE PROCESS IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE TASK

• IT IS NON- SEXIST, NON-SECTARIAN AND NON-RACIST

• WE FOCUS ON SOLIDARITY NOT CHARITY

• WE START WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT

• WE EMBRACE EQUALITY

• WE THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY

• PROMOTES SELF-DETERMINATION

COVER PHOTO:Photographer: Ruby Wallis.Caption: Voluntary members of the Bangladesh Association and theGalway Intercultural Forum at Galway’s first annual InterculturalBarbecue held at the Spanish Arch on June 28th. Westside CDP wereinstrumental in providing us with the photograph.Incidentally, Galway is unique in Ireland in having adopted a city-specific anti-racism strategy. It has won recognition in Europe as amodel for other cities to follow.

3changing ireland can you be an active citizen slouched in a couch? no!

HH II GG HH LL II GG HH TT SSNews briefsPage 4

Volunteer profilePage 5

Rise in volunteeringPage 6

Health News: Toxic toothpastePages 7-9

Integration in IrelandPage 10

8 ways with aDevelopment approachPages 11-15

World refugee day awards -celebration and controversyPages 18-19

‘Migration Nation’Pages 16-17

Programme news and opinionPages 20-23

Regenerationin Dublin . . and HoracePages 24-25

Tips for involvingimmigrantsPage 26

Clondalkin’s newintercultural centrePage 28

4 up to 12% of population are non-irish – minister conor lenihanchanging ireland

SENATOR David Norris has paid tribute tocommunity groups in the West and Midlands forthe work they are doing to include members ofthe lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendercommunities.

“This work is not based on academic claptrap,it is informed by the genuine experiences of realpeople in local communities,” he said.

Senator Norris was speaking at the launch inMay of a Code of Practice to ensure that CDPsand Family Resource Centres (FRCs) are friendlyto members of the LGBT communities. The launchalso included the distribution of posters in English,Irish and Polish.

The materials were published on the back of

work by over 20 groups - by local CDPs, FRCs,West Training and Development and the Gay,Lesbian and Equality Network (GLEN).

The work was prompted in part by the suicideof a gay man in a rural community.

Meta Ui Mhaille, co-ordinator of Plearaca TeoCDP in Rosmuc, one of the groups involved,outlined why the work was important: “Ourgroups were aware of the difficulties facing LGBTpeople, particularly young people in ruralcommunities, but no CDP or FRC had all theanswers on its own.”

Jim O’Brien, chairperson of West Training, theregional support agency involved in the work,said that “very often documents and codes like

this are prepared and published in anorganisational vacuum: they are meant foreverybody and ultimately impact on nobody. ThisCode of Practice is developed for concretesituations and has a ready home in the networkof FRCs and CDPs.”

Since the launch, other groups around thecountry have sought copies of the guide andposters.

For more information, contact: West Training, Mayoralty House, Merchant's Road, Galway. T: 091-567827. E: info@westtraining.ie

The Code is available for download in the ‘Resources’ section of: www.westtraining.ie

Community groupswelcome gay people- Code of Practice launched in West and Midlands

Project news briefs

THIS year’s Doolough FamineWalk, organised by LouisburgCDP and AfrI, focused on thetheme of conflict and war overscarce resources including water.

The walk took place in May, the20th occasion of the event, andeach year it aims to remindpeople that famine and hunger isthe norm for millions of people.

Project-launch in Roscommon

On May 13th, Clodagh McDonnell, recently-appointed Principal Officer withthe Department of Community Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, officially launchedthe Roscommon Womens’s Network CDP and opened the project’s new officesin The Old Mill, Castlerea. The Network had its genesis back in 1997 with theWomen’s Coalition and it joined the Programme in 2005. It is currentlyexpanding its outreach services. (For more news from the Network, see page15). Clodagh McDonnell’s new role involves overseeing the CommunityDevelopment Programme.

20th famine walk

TUAM Resource Centre CDPlaunched a book on July 18thcataloging the experiences andlifestyles of non-Irish residents ofthe Galway town. Volunteerscarried out the research, calling

door-to-door for information.‘Tuam: A Town of Many Nations’was launched by Conor Lenihan,Minister for Integration.The research findings werecollated by Ann Irwin.

Tuam book launched

"WHEREVER men and women arecondemned to live in extreme poverty,human rights are violated. To cometogether to ensure that these rights berespected is our solemn duty."

This was the key phrase pushed bythe late Joseph Wresinski, founder ofthe International Movement ATDFourth World, and across Irelandtoday people are being urged to signup to the statement in advance ofceremonies on October 17th to markthe UN’s International Day For The

Eradication Of Extreme Poverty.Plans are currently being put in

place at local and national level tomark the UN day.

If you would like to help markOctober 17th, contact: ATD FourthWorld, 31 Mountjoy Square, Dublin1. T: 01-8558191. E:atdfourthworld@eircom.net

www.oct17.org/enwww.atdfourthworld.ie/www.atd-fourthworld.org

Plan now for Oct 17th

A GROUP of volunteers fromcommunity groups in Limerick,including CDPs, visited Dublin inApril to see how theircounterparts in the capital areleading the way in tackling drugsthrough their Community PolicingForum.

The Limerick group attended aforum meeting in Store Street

Garda Station and werepleasantly surprised to see around20 Gardai attending, a sign theytook that the forum works and istaken seriously. A similar forumwill be set up in Limerick shortly,under the guise of the Mid WestRegional Drugs Task Force (whichincidentally has launched a newwebsite: www.mwrdtf.ie)

Drugs taskforce visit

EARS seminar for Sept 11thTHE Equality and Anti-Racism Sub-Committee (EARS) runs an annualseminar for communityorganisations to discuss issues,share information and examine bestpractice.

The fourth annual seminarorganised by the Equality and Anti-Racism Sub-Committee (EARS) isscheduled for September 11th.

The theme is: ‘Integrating equalityand anti-racism work into thepractice of community developmentorganisations.’ There will be 4workshops (running parallel) on

disability, ageism, racism and sexualorientation.

EARS can be contacted throughMathews Thayil, a CommunityDevelopment Worker with Tallaght-based CDP, the Special Project onLong Term Unemployment (SPLTU).

T: 01-4623222. E: mathews.equalaccesscdp@gmail.comEARS does not have an office of its

own. It has been in existence since1998 and is supported by CDPs,FRCs and community developmentsupport agencies.

5changing ireland key challenge is integrating immigrants to become citizens – minister lenihan

Paddy Loughnane is a voluntarymanagement committee member ofThurles Action for CommunityDevelopment CDP, based in Co. Tipperary.

What are you reading at the moment?The Tipperary Star and I’m on thecomputer at the moment too, that’sreading. I’m reading a book called‘Memories of Scoil Alba 1949-1999’. It’sabout where I went to school.

What’s the last film you saw?I don’t really watch movies. I don’t evenwatch telly. The last movie I watched was‘The Warriors’ about gang-wars in NewYork in the 1970s.

Person you most admire?My wife, Mairead. She helped me changefrom what I was to what I am. Outside thefamily home, I’d admire the late PopeJohn Paul II. I went to see him in 1979and was amazed to see how thousands ofpeople turned out to see one man in thehope they could make a change in theirlives. When he was shot he went into thejail to forgive that person. I’m not areligious man but he’s a fella I had toadmire.

The top 4 issues in Ireland today?Number one is the environment, globalwarming and so on. Number two is therecession and it’s hitting a lot of people inthis neck of the woods. People areoutspending their incomes and giving theirchildren the habit of having everythingthey want. I wonder will the children copewhen they grow up. Number three ishidden standards, like the Church record,Bertie’s record. If an ordinary man didwhat Bertie done he’d be doing time.There’s no equality.

We need more …… …volunteers to try and build thecommunities and the towns because to behonest the politicians only talk about it.They just put the red tape in front of us.And opportunities: People who havelifelong experience working voluntary withpeople on the street should be given anequal chance at jobs as people withdegrees.

We need less ……… red tape in organisations. A lot ofvolunteers have great ideas, they send the

ideas up the line, but they can’t go furtherbecause of red tape and bureaucracy.Volunteers do put a lot in but they getdrained by the politics of CommunityDevelopment.

How long are you working with the CDP?A year and a half. Before this, I was withother groups.

How and why did you get involved?I felt people like us were needed to bringback the community spirit to Thurles.We’ve built a lovely community backaround us again. We got LoughtagallaPark back up and running for example.Ten years ago, the older people weretrying to close it down after vandalismand anti-social behaviour. We formed anew committee and I brought in sixteenagers to make their points and theyformed into a sub-committee and theyworked with the older people. Everyonelistened. Instead of breaking trees, theyoung people are now planting them.

What difference has being involvedmade to you?I’m on a few boards of management atthe moment, but I’d rather not be, I’mmore a man of the street. I give people onthe streets time. I’d sit down with thewinos and ask them what can we do

together.

Have things changed for (your community, eg women, older people) today?The community has become a littlestronger now and we look out for eachother more. The older people arerespected now and we don’t leave themput up with hassle. And we give theyoung people an equal voice.

What motivates you as a volunteer?My own background. I’ve seen both sidesof the law.

How do you get new volunteers?Well, they’re trying to start a Tidy Townscommittee here and they advertised ameeting in a hotel. I said, ‘Why are yecalling meetings in a hotel?’ We have togo into the housing estates and meetpeople there and they’re doing that now.They’re meeting with residents on thestreets and that’s the best place to go. Youneed to show your face.

• For more information about ThurlesAction for Community Development,contact them at: TACD Ltd, Kickham St,Thurles, Co. Tipperary. T: 0504-90666. E: tacd@eircom.net

Volunteer Profile:Paddy Loughnane

Volunteering

6changing ireland

ONE in three of the 2500 people whohave registered so far this year withVolunteer Centres Ireland (VCI) are non-Irish.

Nigerians are the leading ethnic groupafter Irish volunteers.

VCI, the national body for volunteering inIreland, has seen a 35% increase in thenumber of non-Irish nationals on their bookssince last year. Overall, one quarter ofvolunteers registered with VCI are non-Irishnationals, 850 of those being new recruitswho signed on between January and mid-June of this year.

The figures are “surprising”, says VCI boss,Yvonne McKenna: firstly because so manynon-Irish residents are volunteering and,secondly, because most of them are fromNigeria. The latest Census figures shows therewere 16,300 Nigerians living here in 2006,the fourth largest ethnic group after British(112,548), Polish (63,276) and Lithuanian(24,628) people.

STEREOTYPES “You would think the English or Polish

would be the top ethnic groups forvolunteering, but it is, to their credit, theNigerians. This turns stereotypes aboutNigerians on their heads," says Yvonne.

She said the 1-in-3 finding was worthnoting because some Irish people holdnegative attitudes towards foreigners livinghere.

"We to maintain this momentum andactively attract new recruits,” she said.

NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGNThree volunteers – from France, Nigeria

and Malawi and based in Carlow, Sligo andSouth Dublin – have agreed to spearheadVCI's campaign. The nationwide recruitmentdrive is being managed through VCI’s 17regional centres and is being promotedonline through VCI national and localwebsites and facebook and bebo pages.

"Volunteering allows non-Irish nationals toadapt to the Irish culture, work with locals inthe community and use their skills to becomea part of something which will benefiteveryone," said Yvonne.

VOLUNTEERING IS UP“Volunteering has changed in Ireland and

people are getting into it in different ways. Ifyou’re not born and raised here, you mightnot know about Vincent De Paul for instance.

Our Centres make it easier for people tovolunteer and when you volunteer with us it isfor definite tasks or events.”

Interestingly, foreigners who are notworking do more volunteering than Irishpeople who are unemployed.

Yvonne noted that volunteering, contrary tomedia reports in recent years, is actually onthe up. The Census 2006 showed that 1 in 6adults in Ireland volunteer regularly. Mostvolunteers registering with VCI want to workwith children, the elderly, in an office or doingskilled work.

For more information, or to get involved,log onto: www.volunteer.ie

To make contact directly: VolunteerCentres Ireland, DMG Business Centre, 9/13Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. T: 01-799-4519.F: 01-799-4501. E: info@volunteer.ie

11 iinn 33 nneeww vvoolluunntteeeerrss aarree nnoonn--IIrriisshh- Volunteer Centres Ireland sees a rise in volunteering generally

Ethnic minority volunteers

Why peoplevolunteerTHE top 5 reasons why people volunteeraccording to VCI are:1. To do something in the community.2. To give something back.3. They have some free time.4. To gain skills or experience.5. To make new friends.

today more than 420,000 non-irish born people live in Ireland

One volunteer’s storyOJO Kayode registered with CarlowVolunteer Centre in July 2007 and has beeninvolved in numerous once-off volunteeringprojects over the last year.

Why did you decide to volunteer?As a Christian, I have a belief that I should

help others and do what I can to give back tothe community. I read about the VolunteerCentre on the internet, and as I had been avolunteer in my own country, Nigeria, Idecided to volunteer here also.

What kind of volunteering did you do inNigeria, and is it different to what you aredoing here?

In Nigeria, I was a boy scout which isdifferent to being a scout here – in theevening we would patrol as a group, act aswardens at the main gate, and protect thecommunity. Here it is very different! I have

volunteered with Comhlámh (an Irish globaljustice group) distributing magazines forthem. I have done some fundraising, put upposters to advertise events for CarlowVolunteer Centre, helped with the Irish HeartFoundation’s information stand duringHealthy Heart Week, and helped paint aplayground at Open Door CDP.

As a once-off volunteer, how much timedoes your volunteering take up?

It doesn’t take up too much time – just anhour here, two hours there – or whenever Iam free.

What do you like about volunteering?You get to meet people. You improve your

confidence. It has a cultural benefit as youlearn so much by doing different things – it isenlightening! I would recommend it.Ojo Kayode

7changing ireland labour force participation rate for immigrant adults is approx. 90%

Toxic toothpaste suppliedto asylum-seekers- community worker says it is “symptom” of bigger problems

THE owner of the Eyre Powell Hotel inNewbridge, Co. Kildare, has refused toidentify the source of toothpaste distributed toresidents and containing toxic ingredient, DEG.Joe Germaine would only say it “came from asupplier in Dublin.”

The 60 adult and 30 child residents, allasylum-seekers, are long-stay and they foundafter using ‘Cool Mate’ that their gums bled andthey suffered toothache. ‘Cool Mate’ contains a9.8% concentration of the toxin, DEG, which ifingested in sufficient doses can cause death orserious injury. It attacks the liver and kidneys.The Australian authorities have banned thetoothpaste, as has the USA, Saudi Arabia,Spain and Austria, among others.

Conditions in the Eyre Powell Hotel – as thedirect provision centre is called - were so dismalgenerally that a public meeting was calledrecently to see what could be done. At that time,the residents were unaware the toothpaste theywere using was dangerous.

RAISE THE ALARMEfforts by the Newbridge Asylum-Seekers

Support Group (NASSG) to raise the alarmhave met with little obvious co-operation, todate. Mick Power, chairperson of The BridgeCDP, wrote on behalf of the NASSG to theMinister of Health, Mary Harney, on June 9th.The group asked for Minister Harney’sDepartment to:- chemically analyse the product;- carry out a health screening of residents,

and;- see if the product is being used by other direct

provision centres.They also asked the Minister to “ensure that

no residents are dispersed to other centres untilsuch time as the above has been completed.”

Asylum-seekers who complained too loudly inthe past have been moved to other centres, faraway from where they had made friends. Itkeeps them mute on many issues, which iswhere The Bridge CDP (in Newbridge) and theKildare Partnership come in: they can speak upand be a voice for the vulnerable and voiceless.Both CDP and Partnership have activelysupported the asylum-seekers group for someyears. Anne Daly, the Partnership’s Community

Participation Programme manager, has workedvery closely since 2004 with the NASSG andwith residents of the Eyre Powell. She liaises withthe CDP co-ordinator Mary Hennessy.

ENOUGH WORRIES ALREADYThe Irish members of the NASSG were the

first to discover the toothpaste was a bannedproduct in many countries and they thoughthard before voicing their concerns to residentsin Eyre Powell. “The average asylum-seeker hasenough worries to contend with and might notreact well to being told that the Government-funded accommodation centre was,inadvertently, supplying them with toxictoothpaste,” said Anne Daly, a communityworker with the Kildare Partnership.

“Also, it would do asylum-seekers no good ifthe media and public got the impression that themain issue in asylum-seekers’s lives was the typeof toothpaste they use,” she said.

However, the local members of the NASSGviewed the problem as primarily being aboutpublic health. Without delay, they made theirconcerns public and after six weeks of beingsupplied with ‘Cool Mate’, an alternative cheaptoothpaste was provided by the Eyre Powell.

Meanwhile, the Reception and IntegrationAgency (RIA) responded by accusing thecomplainants of “scaremongering” and a war

of words broke out, with Mick Power writingback to the RIA in late June to say:

CLASSIC COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT

“People living in the Asylum Process, and inparticular in Direct Provision, are denied a lot ofrights within that system and should not bedenied information about a product which maybe adversely affecting their health.”

This is a classic case of CommunityDevelopment in action, where collective actionachieves results and where participation bythose directly effected is key.

As a result, at local level, the toothpaste waspromptly replaced (with Tesco own-brand) andgeneral conditions in the Eyre Powell arereported to have improved somewhat.

“However, there is still a fear that other directprovision centres may be using ‘Cool Mate’. Thegeneral public may also be at risk because itseems it is legal to sell the product despite thetoxins,” said Anne Daly.

The toxic toothpaste was only “a symptom”,said Anne, of the wider issues facing asylum-seekers and of the way Irish society treats them.She pointed to the fact that the Minister had yetto reply (as we went to press) to the NASSG’sconcerns.

Ethnic minorities & health

By ALLEN MEAGHER

8changing ireland labour force participation rate for indigenous adults is approx. 65%

Ethnic minorities & health

FOR ten years now, many people fromethnic minority communities have had apoor experience accessing supports in timeof sickness. A survey has found that 44% ofcallers to the new Health Information andAdvocacy Centre based in Dublin hadproblems gaining access to basic healthservices.

The main item causing confusion is thecomplicated process of applying for amedical card/ GP visit card. Complicatedapplication forms, an unclear process andlong waiting times for the decisions wereamong most common problems.

In some cases, the Centre has seen asylumseekers denied an application for a medicalcard from their local health centres on thegrounds that they would not be entitled to amedical card anyway, because they are livingwith friends and not in direct provision centre.

The difficulties are further exacerbated if aperson “falls out” of the immigration system,

and this often happens not by their own fault.In one case, a woman’s work permit lapsedbecause of inaction of the employer. Soonafter, her GP suspected she might have abrain tumor. The proper diagnosis warranteda series of tests which, in her situation, shecould not afford. For this ill person, trying tosecure another work permit with a newemployer became a first priority; her health –the second.

In another case, a man resident in Irelandand working for five years broke his leg andreceived a hospital bill for several thousandeuro. The immigrant almost left Ireland,because he could not afford to pay the bill.Lucky for him, the HIAC were able to informhim that with a relatively simpleadministrative procedure (where he has topresent the evidence of his income, residentialand employment status to the hospital) hecould reduce his bill to a mere €60 euro orpossibly the bill could be waived altogether.

‘CHANGING Ireland’ has received asample of ‘Cool Mate’ toothpasteproduct in its packaging from anasylum-seeker in the Eyre Powell. Thereare no company details, no country ofmanufacture, and no reference to thetoxic DEG substance that led Australianauthorities to ban ‘Cool Mate’ last year.

The packaging carries the uselessclaim that it is ‘Designed in Germany’(this possibly refers to the packaging,rather than the product). Some, thoughpossibly not all, ingredients are listedon the packaging, and none is listed onthe toothpaste tube. Instead ofingredients, the tube bears the slogan“Natural Taste & Super Clean.”Nowhere on the tube or packaging isthere any information about thecompany or where it wasmanufactured or who the Irish supplieris.

The only reason people buy ‘CoolMate’ is because, one presumes, it ischeap and available. In Eyre Powell,the residents were supplied with thetoothpaste for around six weeks beforeit was withdrawn.

DEG in toothpaste – according to aninternet report - killed 107 people inthe USA before being banned intoothpaste in 1937 (it is still used inpaints and solvents).

Nomanufacturerdetails

If you find‘Cool Mate’IF anybody knows where ‘Cool Mate’toothpaste is being sold ordistributed, let ‘Changing Ireland’know and we will pass theinformation onto the Department ofHealth and Children. Contact details:page 2.

After five years work,man almost fled country- thought he owed money to HSE

Profit-making through direct provisionTHE Government’s system of direct provisionfor asylum-seekers (they get bed, board,secure accomodation and €19.10 a week)means valuable work for dozens ofcontractors nationwide. Companies who areawarded contracts seek naturally to beefficient and to make a profit. In 2004, thepayment for the contracted services was inthe range of €189 to €222.60 per personper week. Profits are generated by keeping

costs per head at a minimum. “The direct provision system is flawed,”

says Anne Daly, a community worker withthe Kildare Partnership. She says that itkeeps people in limbo for years withoutrights and those that benefit most from thesystem are the companies who won contractsfor direct provision centres.

She believes that, “The residents are seenas a commodity.”

9changing ireland economic anarchy of capitalist society is real source of evil - albert einstein

IF you had a cold, or a twisted ankle, orworse still a suspicious lump, would youstep into an office advertising itself as a‘Surgery’? An Irish person might in Ireland,but no sane foreigner would, unless theywere led through by a trusted friend.

It would take more than a sore throat orbleeding gums to propel me through the doorto meet the “GP”, worse still the “GeneralPractitioner”, in his “Surgery”.

Surgery here means a doctor will look atyou for four-to-five minutes, prescribe a doseof tablets or recommend a trip to hospital,and charge you €60. But, in other people’sEnglish, the word ‘surgery’ indicates a placethey might cut your leg off or operate on you.

SURGERY SIGNS CONFUSE PATIENTS

Said one former patient: “In my language,“surgery” means a place where the surgicaloperation is performed. So when I saw “GPsurgery” sign I never thought that this is theoffice of local family doctor.”

So, who knows how many sick immigrantswent without treatment when they had ahealth problem?

A decade of immigration has educated theauthorities and they have – to the great reliefof thousands of immigrants – opened aninformation centre aimed at plugging the gapfor non-Irish people living in Dublin city. Ittook time:

Step 1: 20 years ago, a communitydevelopment organisation was set up calledCairde (it came to life during a crisis in thehealth service).

Step 2: A decade passed and Cairdeestablished an Ethnic Minority Health Forum.At Forum meetings, citizens from over 20nations sit at one table and discuss healthissues effecting their compatriots resident inIreland.

Step 3: The Forum set up the HealthInformation and Advocacy Centre (HIAC)upon securing funding from Dublin CityCouncil and the HSE.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH

Today, the information centre is staffed andbusy working – crucially, from a communitydevelopment approach – to produce relevant,accurate and culturally appropriate healthinformation (and advocacy) for people fromethnic minorities.

Hopefully, in future, people new to Irelandcan make more use of the health systemfunded partly by their own taxes.

The HIAC has produced a number of easy-to-understand guidebooks on health and onMonday, June 16th, Minister for Integration,Conor Lenihan, officially opened the Centre.He explained that the main aim of HIAC wasto improve ethnic minority take up of primarycare.

While this is of course a commendableaim, it is says spokesperson Tommy Byrne a“stop-gap” measure in Dublin: “Nonetheless,the successful opening of the Centre is a clearillustration of a collaborative approach as away to deal with complex health needssensitively and effectively.”

RECOMMENDED WEBSITEIn the future, the HSE hopes to mainstream

the provision of accessible information on anational basis. In the meanwhile, anyone inthe country can ring the Centre and there isalso a useful website: www.healthfacts.ie

The website lists every hospital in the stateand every doctor’s surgery in Dublin, and‘Changing Ireland’ recommends this websiteto anyone seeking information about thepublic health system and / or about their ownpersonal health. The website has the potentialto serve hundreds if not thousands of visitorsdaily.

The need for the HIAC is very obvious. Inthe first six months, and despite havingminimal resources and almost no promotionalbudget, the Centre had to carry out nearly1,500 actions on behalf of over 1,300people. These actions involved dealing withhospitals, GPs, the HSE and the Departmentof Social and Family Affairs on behalf of illclients.

CEO of Cairde, Paddy Connolly, remarks:“The main issue which users of the Centrehave raised with us is the barriers they haveencountered when accessing health services.This is often illustrated by rigid bureaucracyand a lack of available information.”

The Health Information and AdvocacyCentre is based alongside its sister-organisation Cairde on: 19 Belvedere Place(off Mountjoy Sq. NE), Dublin 1. Queries tothe community health nurse are welcomeover the phone and the number to call is:01-8552111.

rities & health

Foreigners miss out onIreland’s health services- though Dublin is working to reverse trend

Polish clinic in LimerickA PRIVATELY-RUN health clinic for Polishimmigrants opened in Limerick city lastOctober.

The staff of the Medipol clinic on JohnStreet speak Russian, Czech and Slovak aswell as Polish and include doctors, a

paediatrician and a gynaecologist.Pat O’Sullivan, president of the Irish

Polish Cultural and Business Association,said it changed people’s lives: “Polishpeople living here had to go over and backhome to attend to routine medical problems,often due to language difficulties.”

Patients pay €50 per visit and canrecoup this money from their Polish healthinsurance. There are up to 10,000 Polishnationals living in the greater Limerick area.Not everyone, of course, can afford privatehealth care.

Who are the main playersat Community level?THE main players at community level inpromoting integration and interculturalisminclude:• 70 Local Partnerships, 180 Community

Development Projects, 100 FamilyResource Centres, many local refugee andmigrant support groups and religiousgroups.

• Local Citizen Information Centres.• 250+ ethnic minority groups around the

country. The Immigrant Council of Ireland(www.immigrantcouncil.ie) has a directoryof groups around the country.

• Integrating Ireland has regional fora

(www.integratingireland.ie).• National organisations supporting

communities include the NationalConsultative Committee on Racism andInterculturalism (www.nccri.ie) the MigrantRights Centre Ireland (www.mrci.ie).

• The NCCRI’s Synergy Initiative is based inBorder Counties.

• Local Partnerships, CommunityDevelopment Projects, Family ResourceCentres, local refugee and migrant supportgroups.

Integration in Ireland: the buck stops here

changing ireland true liberation of women can’t happen without the liberation of men - thérèse casgrain10

• One word – racism. One catchphrase -Interculturalism – which is essentially aboutinteraction, understanding and respect.

• “We all have a role to play - integration isnot just something done by government

policy - we as members of localcommunities and organisations have a vitalpart to play,” says Carina Fitzgerald, theNCCRI’s Community Development SupportOfficer.

Why are ‘new communities’ a priority?

Olusola Ekeh signing people in at the opening of Clondalkin’s Intercultural Centre which is supported bythe Clondalkin Partnership.

“WHILE many existing communitydevelopment projects have identified theneed to engage with new communities intheir areas, and want to work oninterculturalism and anti-racism, not manyhave actually done so,” says Alice Binchyof Tallaght Intercultural Action.*

“Most projects find it difficult to engageand make contact with ethnic minoritygroups in their area in a realistic andmeaningful way for lack of financialsupport, resources and knowledge,”concluded reporters at last year’s EARSseminar. **

Projects feel:- They don’t know what to do;- Their main priority is the long-term

residents of their community;- That the work is specialised and someone

else should do it;- That they don’t have the staff or the funds

to do this work.* ** Alice made this point to 20

community groups from the east of Irelandattending a seminar last Novemberorganised by the Equality and Anti-RacismSub-Committee (EARS). Much of the advicequoted here flows from that EARS seminar.

What’s the challenge?

Support• THE National Consultative Committee on

Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) has aCommunity Development Support Unitwhich freely gives assistance and technicalsupport to community groups working onintegration and interculturalism. It aims to“bring added value to the supportsprovided by other organisations” and to“highlight the collective issues and needs ofethnic minority groups to relevantgovernment bodies, policy-makers andservice providers at all levels.”

• For more information, call CarinaFitzgerald at the NCCRI on: 01-8588002.

• The NCCRI is ten years old and is anindependent expert body on racism. Itswebsite features a ‘Racist Incidents ReportForm’ which people can download:www.nccri.ie

Tap forinformationTHE following organisations and methods willyield a lot of useful information, whateveryour query:• Central Statistics Office website:

www.cso.ie• Reception and Integration Agency:

www.ria.gov.ie• Citizens Information Centres:

www.citizensinformation.ie• Department of Enterprise, Trade and

Employment: www.entemp.ie• The Equality Authority: www.equality.ie• Nasc, the Irish Immigrant Support Centre:

www.nascireland.org• Cairde, which tackles health inequalities

among ethnic minority communities:www.cairde.ie

• Immigrant newspaper:www.metroeireann.com

• Local health centres.• Word of mouth – for example, from direct

provision hostels.• Schools and local authorities.• Find out who is living in the local area.

Collect data. For example, volunteers fromethnic minorities helped Tuam ResourceCentre CDP to survey the town and theproject launched a book on the diversemake-up of the Tuam’s population.

Things to do!WONDERING what kind of event to organise.The following are recommended by thosewith experience, though try not to run a one-off tokenistic event. Plan for a follow-up:• Welcome Events• International Sports Day• Coffee mornings-meet and greet• Organise social evenings where people

from new and existing communities couldmeet in a social context and share theirculture, food, stories and music

• Mainstream learning opportunities -promote inclusive participation on courses

• Promote events in ethnic minoritylanguages as well as English

• Day trips to museums, parks and places ofinterest

• Organise a Mother & Toddler Group• Challenge stereotypes and misinformation

by organising awareness raising events.Some tips: (a) Use existing forums/groupsas a medium to speak to the community.(b) Invite a person from a minority ethnicgroup to speak. (c) Organise diversitytraining for voluntary groups, serviceproviders, sports clubs.

11changing ireland the usa spends 1/20th of its gdp locking people up in prison

8 ways to promote integrationthrough community development

8 ways to promote integration

FROM Roscommon to Cork and Tallaght to Mayo, CDPs take a community developmentapproach to promoting integration and to protecting the rights of migrant workers andasylum-seekers. NINs are now part of many local community groups and often lead byexample.

1. Change attitudes with a series of myth-killing workshops. CORK

2. Encourage fellow-NINs to volunteer locally. GALWAY

3. Organise knitting groups. MAYO

4. Hold an intercultural fun day. LONGFORD

5. Start up a quilting group. ROSCOMMON

6. Network with others and open a drop-in centre. TALLAGHT, DUBLIN

7. Ask for a course in ‘Inter-Cultural Awareness’. CORK & KERRY

8. Nominate people for awards. NEW ROSS

EEnnccoouurraaggee NNIINNss ttoovvoolluunntteeeerr says Eunice Ofoegbu

Westside CDP, Galway city

COMMUNITY Development plays animportant role for people in thecommunity, particularly for those who aredisadvantaged. I have been involved incommunity development for the past fouryears with a special interest in non-Irishnational groups and single parent families.I served as a board member in theKiltimagh CDP and launched severaleducational and recreational programmesfor the refugee community in CountyMayo.

Currently, I am involved with theWestside CDP as well as on the Board ofManagement of the Westside ResourceCentre. My two and a half years with theProject gave me a broad understanding of

the issues that affectpeople living in theWestside and manypeople throughout Ireland.We share many of thesame experiences.

For example, I am asingle parent raising asmall child, struggling toget an education in orderto participate fully insociety. It is a challenge,sometimes it can almostseem overwhelming. Iknow that I share the

same difficulties with many other singleparents. It is still nearly impossible to findchildcare that is affordable, flexible and ofa standard that meets the needs of mychild.

I have met many non-Irish nationals whoare struggling to integrate into Irish cultureand to learn English to communicateeffectively. I encourage them to get involvedwith Community Development groups intheir local area. It can help them to buildthe social networks that are so important forthemselves and their families. It helps themto highlight the issues that affect their livesand to work together with other people andgroups to bring about change and positive

outcomes for everyone in our community.Sometimes people ask me how I find the

time and energy to get involved with avoluntary committee when I am strugglingto get an education and raise my daughter.I tell them that it is important for me to showother people in situations like mine that youshould never give up hope. Keep fightingfor a better life for you, for your family andfor other people in your community.

- Eunice Ofoegbu lives in Galway withher four-year-old daughter. She is amember of the voluntary managementcommittee of Westside Resource Centreand is also involved with Westside CDP.She was an activist with Kiltimagh CDP forfour years.

A guiding light“EUNICE has been a guiding light, a spiritof hope and a symbol of what is possible.The skills, enthusiasm and optimism whichshe gives us has kept our Project goingthrough some tough times. Also, she hasentertained us, for instance, with herchildhood memories that have us inhysterics.”

- A comment emailed in, withoutEunice’s knowledge, from Westside CDPVoluntary Committee

Westside CDP’s new computer suite

changing ireland see a volcano - try italy12

8 ways to promote integration

SSttaarrtt--uupp aa kknniittttiinngg ggrroouupp- it builds confidence and eases worries

Kiltimagh CDP, Co. Mayo

A VERY successful 12-week InterculturalCraft Circle is nearing completion inKiltimagh CDP, Co. Mayo. Most of theknitting yarn/wool and needles weredonated by the local community and theparticipants included women fromNigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe,Iraq, Bangladesh and Ireland.

The course made a real difference. For instance, one woman, Sibongile

Svusvu from Zimbabwe found the knittingtherapeutic. She has a daughter living inZimbabwe and life is not easy on her. Sinceshe learned to knit, she now has to knit

every evening because it“stops me from thinkingand worrying”.

Lou Brennan taughtembroidery and crossstitch techniques for sixweeks, then MaryDempsey taught knittingfor a further six weeks toa mix of women from theMayo Railway Hotel(direct provision centre)and the local community.

The women enjoyed both sessions andpicked up the sewing and knittingtechniques very quickly.

“It was great to see the interactionbetween all the women and as the weekswent by they became more comfortablewith each other, joking with each other andhelping each other with the differentstitches,” said Mary.

Every week new women joined the CraftCircle after they saw the knit-work that theirfriends produced. They made andembroidered cushions and they knitscarves, lace wraps, dolls, teddies and

blankets. None of the women fromKiltimagh’s direct provision centre didneedlework or knitting before but some ofthem proved to be naturals with needles.

“A few struggled at the beginning,especially with the knitting, until they foundtheir rhythm and a comfortable hold. It wasvery gratifying for the participants andfacilitators, to see confidence grow alongwith their knitting,” continued Mary. “TheCraft Circle gave them much more than anew skill, now, instead of just sitting in theirrooms they can knit or do someneedlework. And they made friends.”

Everyone made at least one piece ineach session, some completed two or threepieces. To end the Craft Circle, KiltimaghCDP organised a visit to the Museum ofCountry Life in Turlough, Castlebar to viewthe exhibition of early 20th century Aranknitwear. The museum arranged an Aranknitting workshop for the group on the day.

“The women requested that we continuethe Craft Circle again in the autumn andwe hope to attract new participants,”added Mary.

HHoolldd aa ddaayy ffoorriinntteerrccuullttuurraall ffuunn

Acorn CDP, Co. Longford

SEAN Ward got involved with Acorn CDPin Longford town while on placement fromthe Addiction Studies programme atAthlone Institute of Technology. He decidedto remain on with the project as avolunteer and here he outlines the project’simportance in County Longford:

The Acorn CDP is a unique organisationin County Longford and the opportunities itoffers to new communities are vital for the

integration of different cultures. It hostsAcorn United FC, provides computer classesand facilitates free access to the internet

and to computers. Theoutcome: it enables peopleto learn new communicationskills.

Classes are also providedin arts, crafts and sewing.One outcome: it enablespeople to feel more part ofIrish society.

Earlier this year,volunteers gathered to buildan Acorn CDP float for theSt. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The project has alsoprovided training in conflictresolution – it organisedtraining in the GlencreeCentre for Peace andReconciliation.

The real highlight of theyear is Intercultural Family Fun Day whichwas held on July 19th. It was a tremendoussuccess last year and won the project anational award.

One key difference between Acorn andother drop-in centres is that Acorn always

has a counsellor to hand, while in othercentres you may only get the opportunity toseek professional help on a weekly basis.

For more information, contact AcornCDP on 043-48373 or emailcdpacorn@eircom.net

“The project alsoprovided training inconflict resolution – itorganised training inGlencree.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

13changing ireland sing out, it’s a beautiful day!

mote integration

CChhaannggee aattttiittuuddeess wwiitthhmmyytthh--kkiilllliinngg wwoorrkksshhooppss

Mahon CDP, Cork city

FOR three years, Mahon CDP hasbeen running equality awarenessworkshops in two local schools.

Each year, an asylum-seeker or refugeevisits from Nasc, the Irish ImmigrantSupport Centre based in Cork. They speakabout their personal experiences, how theycame to be in Ireland and what they werefleeing from, and they field questions fromthe young people, including queries aboutthe freebies, from cars to prams, thatasylum-seekers are rumoured to receive.

The workshops are successful indispelling myths and stereotypes young

people believe in. Theproject has learned thatthe most prejudiced beliefsheld by locals are aimedless at asylum-seekers andrefugees and moretowards economicmigrants, most notablyPolish people. On foot ofthis, the organisers addedan equality element to theawareness programme.

“We now get a Cork woman in to talk tothe pupils. This woman had to leave Irelandin the 1980s to find work and lived inEngland for many years. She talks aboutracist comments she received, such as beingtold, ‘Ye’re only here to take our jobs – goback home Paddy!’ Then we get in a Polishwoman whose experience in Ireland mirrorsthat of the Cork woman in England. Thishas overturned the stereotypes. Theresponse from the children is incredible, it’sstopped a lot of the young people in theirtracks,” explains Viv Sadd, Mahon CDP co-ordinator.

The awareness workshops also includetalks by a lesbian and a gay man,Travellers, people with disabilities, andolder people.

It is a CDP initiative in collaboration withMahon Youth Development Project andbuilds on earlier work when bothorganisations brought a group of Mahonyouths on an educational trip to Poland,(following which a DVD was produced).

The youth worker is Denise Callanan.

For more information, contact: Viv Sadd,co-ordinator, Mahon CDP, Unit 7,Community Resource Centre, Avenue deRennes, Mahon, Cork. T: 021 4359070. F: 021 4359084. E: info@mahoncdp.comW: www.mahoncdp.com

NNeettwwoorrkk wwiitthh ootthheerrss - intercultural network marks 10th year whild parent body celebrates 21st

West TallaghtResource Centre,

Dublin

WHEN the West Tallaght Resource Centre(WTRC) was established 21 years ago, itchose to be “a small ‘enabling’organisation rather than a large‘managing’ organisation,” recalled AnnaLee recently in a report to mark theResource Centre’s achievements.

Anna was the first project leader and shewas joined on Thursday, June 19th, by staffand volunteers, past and present, andMinister of State John Curran for theCentre’s official 21st party.

So what has WTRC done to supportasylum-seekers and refugees over theyears? Quite a lot - it is over ten yearssince the first concrete action was taken:

WTRC’s work in this area coincided witha Tallaght Partnership initiative to establishthe Tallaght Refugee Women’s Group 1997.Both initiatives converged and becameTallaght Intercultural Action (TIA) in 1998.

TIA is a community developmentorganisation working with refugees, asylumseekers and migrants. It provides a drop-infacility, support and computer training formembers of new communities. The Drop-in

Facility, with the support ofthe Bridgine Sisters, andWTRC, is based in St.Maelruan’s Parish Centre. Itprovides a meeting place forrefugees, asylum seekersand Irish nationals to gettogether and participate inmulti-cultural activities.Information and training arealso provided.

WTRC was responsiblefrom the beginning foremploying TIA’s staff andadministering their budget.This relationship continuestoday and staff numbershave grown to five. WTRC iscurrently working to enableTIA to become self-managing and independent. The TIA is 10years old.

“The WTRC was always committed to thegrowth of local groups, to building theircapacity and supporting theirdevelopment,” recalled Anna Lee. The TIA

is the proof of the pudding.For the record, the WTRC started as one

of nine projects (out of 150 applicants)funded under the Second EC Programmeto Tackle Poverty(1985-1989). Soon after,it became part of the CommunityDevelopment Programme.

“It’s stopped a lot of theyoung people in theirtracks.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

changing ireland cook more at home, eat healthy, save money14

8 ways to promote integration

CCaallll SSHHEEPP ffoorr aa ccoouurrssee iinn‘‘IInntteerr--CCuullttuurraall AAwwaarreenneessss’’

SHEP CDP, Counties Cork & Kerry

THE Social and Health Education Project(SHEP) operates in Counties Cork andKerry. It supports community groups byproviding trained tutors to conduct coursesin social and health education. For manyyears, intercultural awareness training has

been one of 12 maincourses offered by SHEP.

Working in partnershipwith the Eastern EuropeanAssociation (EEA), SHEPdeveloped and facilitateda ‘Culture Club’programme in 2006which facilitated 45-50people from abroad andfrom Ireland to share andreflect on their respectivetraditions. The CultureClub programme hascontinued with ongoingsupport from the EEA andnow meets regularly in theSouth Parish CommunityCentre in Cork.

Meanwhile, in 2007SHEP developed and delivered 10-weekintercultural dialogue programmes forimmigrants. The courses were held inBlackpool, Wilton and Cork city centre.

“The community development approachadopted in the programmes has left those

involved feeling confident in their ownability to sustain their groups. Also, throughthese programmes, SHEP facilitators havegained valuable new experience ofintercultural work and the capacity of theproject has grown,” says Dr. Paul Doherty,Director, the Social and Health EducationProject.

The courses lead participants to askquestions about Irish culture as well as toexamine the diverse cultural traditionsrepresented in the immigrant populationitself.

SHEP commenced its work in 1974. Aswell as community training services, theproject provides counselling, advocacy andorganisational development support.

For more details of SHEP’s interculturalwork, contact Liam McCarthy. T: 021-4666180 E: socialandhealth@eircom.net.SHEP is based in Village Chambers, TheVillage Centre, Station Road, Ballincollig,Co. Cork. Information about the project,including its International PartnershipProgramme in Nepal, can be found on thewebsite: www.socialandhealth.com

NNoommiinnaattee ppeeooppllee ffoorr aawwaarrddss- our nominee won a national award

New Ross CDP, Co. Wexford

REZA Mirfattahi is an Iranian asylum-seeker, living in the Old Rectory Hostel, inNew Ross, Co. Wexford. On June 19th, hewas one of two Iranians presented with aWorld Refugee Day award.

He lists his place on the Voluntary Boardof Management of New Ross CDP as hisnumber one community contribution. Thereare many others – including his involvementin the local credit union, civil defence,Community Voice Group, and RAPIDnewsletter.

“As an asylum seeker I am facing many

limitations as part of the asylum process,”says Reza. Against the odds, many asylum-seekers manage to integrate very well, asReza’s example shows very well.

While denied access to third level (as areall asylum-seekers unless they can pay thefees), Reza has completed courses throughlocal organisations such as the CountyWexford Partnership. His completion rate isindicative of the choice that is available topeople who can engage with thecommunity: English, suicide-intervention,lifeguard training, FETAC fitness, healthpromotion, mental health, swimming forteachers and child protection.

Mayor of New Ross, Cllr. Ingrid O’Brien,described Reza’s civic spirit as being“clearly imbued with a keen sense of socialjustice, decency and fairness.” She said shewas impressed by the way he visited localschools, discussing the position anddifficulties facing refugees and asylumseekers in Ireland, and breaking downbarriers of ignorance between the differentnationalities in our town.

Another Iranian man, Mojtaba

Pouladpour, living in Co. Longford, won aRefugee Award this year in the Health andWelfare category.

Reza’s award-win is featured on pages18-19.

New Ross CDPstaff members andvolunteers and theMayor of NewRoss traveled toDublin to supportReza Mirfattahi atthe World RefugeeDay Awardsceremony.

changing ireland do something good and meaningful, this week15

mote integration

BBrriinngg ppeeoopplleettooggeetthheerr ttoo qquuiilltt

Roscommon Women’s Network

THE co-ordinator of Roscommon Women’sNetwork CDP has been cursing ‘ChangingIreland’ for the “huge” reaction her projectreceived to a report on their interculturalquilting. We reported how the quiltingticked many boxes in adopting aCommunity Development approach:collective action, an anti-poverty aim,partnership, empowerment andsustainability.

“We barely have time to answer thephone,” said Nora, exaggerating a little.“While the women were making the quilt, Isaid we should write up an evaluation,describing how it worked, and I’m sorry wedidn’t now because everyone who rings

asks the same questions.”The project co-ordinator

is part-time, as is theadministrator MariaHarris and CE participantLorraine Campbell andthey have been underpressure to deal withenquiries following presscoverage of the Network’s

success with ‘intercultural quilting’. A novelelement was that the Network organised forthe quilt to tour the county.

Calls came from around the country,including one on a Friday afternoon fromthe PAUL Partnership in Limerick.

“They had me on the phone for an hour,and I was cursing ‘Changing Ireland’because I wanted to get home. But really it’sgreat, I could talk about the quilt all day.”

Others making enquiries include DublinCity Council, the October 17th committeeand Roscommon County Council.

Nora said that 60% of the 26 quilterswho came from many countries had “neversewed a button before” and they are very

proud. The quilt was produced to raiseawareness of October 17th, the UNInternational Day for the Eradication ofPoverty and it was funded by CombatPoverty and the Roscommon CountyDevelopment Board.

A local young parents’ group since wentto work to produce a quilt of their own, butfunding was an issue: “We asked CombatPoverty for money for them but they saidthey don’t provide funding just like that,”said Nora. “Six weeks later they got backto us and said they were getting tired ofseeing newspaper clippings landing ontheir desk about our quilt, so the board haddecided to give us €1,000. The youngwomen were over the moon and they madetheir own quilt. We call it the ‘sister-quilt’,”said Nora.

To keep the staff and 14 volunteers in theRoscommon Women’s Network on theirtoes, give them a ring. They would love tohear from you. Seriously!

T: 094-962-1690. E: NFahy@rwn.ie orMHarris@rwn.ie

THE Combat Poverty Agency believes theCommunity Development Programmeshould be expanded with more projectsset up locally by and for people fromethnic minorities.

The new projects should be focused onspecific groups within an area, as therealready are Traveller groups in Kerry orin Clondalkin for example. In reachingout to non-Irish ethnic minorities, thegroup project approach could suitworking with people from the largerethnic groups such as Nigerians or Poles.

Combat Poverty identified the need inits Submission late last year to theDepartment of Community Rural andGaeltacht Affairs on the futuredevelopment of the Community

Development Programme. It was one ofover 110 submissions received on theProgramme’s future.

It named some specific issues relatingto the inclusion of ethnic minorities inCDPs: • Work is needed with women and

young people. Generally, youngpeople from ethnic minorities are notengaging in activities withincommunities.

• Adequate resources will be required toensure language was not a barrier. Theinclusion of language training underthe heading of ‘literacy’ by the VECswas not helpful.

• Work with a group focus (as well asindividual) would be required, i.e.

support for group formation anddevelopment.

• The CDPs should work with existingethnic-led organisations in communities– in recognition of the fact that manyethnic-led organisations are nationallyrather than geographically oriented.

• Relationships would ideally bedeveloped at national level withnational organisations, though theProgramme’s lack of a national officeinhibits this at present.

• Advocate on behalf of ethnic-ledorganisations regarding lack offunding.

Ethnic communitiesdeserve their own CDPs- says Combat Poverty Agency

16changing ireland if paper can jam, can ink sing?

Integration: national news

Most foreignershere are BritishA REPORT released on June 30th bythe Central Statistics Office (CSO)shows that most Non-Irish Nationals(NINs) living in Ireland in April 2006were from Britain. The ten largestethnic minority groups in Ireland arefrom:1 Britain (112,548)2 Poland (63,276 resident +

10,126 Polish visitors on censusnight).

3 Lithuania (24,628 + 1,168 visitors) 4 Nigeria (16,300)5 Latvia (13,319)6 USA (12,475)7 China (11,161)8 Germany (10,289)9 Philippines (9,548)10 French nationals (9,046)

If you feel the statistics are notreflected in your area, you may beright. For instance, two-thirds of allChinese people resident in Ireland livein the greater Dublin area (the cityand its suburbs). By comparison, fourof every five Latvians live outside thePale.

A TIP! The CSO report includes revealing

profiles of the 10 largest non-Irishgroups which should help to guidepolicy-makers at local as well asnational level. The profiles showwhere in Ireland people from the tenlargest ethnic groups live, who theytend to live with, what kind of workthey do, their marital status, theirreligious beliefs or lack of, theireconomic status, and so on. Log ontowww.cso.ie, wait a few seconds, thenclick on ‘Census 2006’.

Major conference due for Dublin- theme: Community Development and InterculturalismTHE International Association of CommunityDevelopment (IACD) and Combat Poverty, inassociation with a number of other agenciesincluding Pobal and the NCCRI are hosting anInternational Conference on CommunityDevelopment and Interculturalism on 6/7thNovember 2008 in Dublin Castle.

The conference is to mark 2008 as the EUYear of Intercultural Dialogue and the 50thanniversary of the ratification of the Treaty ofRome.

Over 200 people are expected to attend,say Combat Poverty.

“Issues of migration, poverty, social inclusionand human rights are transforming both ruraland urban social contexts in Europe atunprecedented speeds. We are interested inproviding an international forum to highlight,explore and reflect on the contribution thatcommunity development makes to interculturaldialogue and what intercultural dialogue meansfor the values and practice of communitydevelopment,” say the organisers.

The other agencies involved include theCommunity Development Foundation, EANR,New Communities Partnership, the EuropeanAnti-Poverty Network, Integrating Ireland,Pavee Point, CEBSD and the Centre for AppliedSocial Studies, NUI Maynooth, and Dublin CityCouncil. Conference aims:1. Use the theme of intercultural dialogue to

explore contemporary migration and

poverty in Europe.2. To explore and explain the role of

Community Development in this context.3. To increase solidarity with and share

understanding between European networks,activists, migrants, ethnic and indigenouscommunities and policy makers.

Objectives:1. To promote the role of community

development in challenging racism and inshaping an intercultural and equal society.

2. To include a focus on poverty and socialinclusion amongst migrants and ethnic andindigenous communities in Europe.

3. To promote the EU year of interculturaldialogue.

“This conference is envisaged therefore as aplace where delegates will benefit from the richlearning across Europe and be a place toexperience and envision new forms ofintercultural dialogue through conferencepapers, keynote speeches, project visits and ashowcase of poetry, music and film from withinthe migrant community in Ireland and furtherafield,” says Tara O'Leary of the InternationalAssociation of Community Development.

For more information, contact Michelle Griffin (T: 01-6026630. E: michelle.griffin@combatpoverty.ie) or Tara O'Leary (T: 0044(0)131-2082005. E: info@iacdglobal.org).

ON May 1st, the Minister for Integration,Conor Lenihan, issued a policy statementtermed ‘Migration Nation’. It was a majorpiece of work undertaken over a ten-month period by the new Office of theMinister for Integration. The 73-pagestatement outlines eight key actions ofpolicy and four key principles towardspromoting integration in Ireland. Amongthe points it makes are: • “In order to consolidate our position of

affluence, continued inward migrationmust be accompanied by a renewed

investment in social stability with itsdemonstrable link to productivity gains.The societal gains from properlymanaged immigration are obvious andthe demographic profile of the migrantswe have attracted to Ireland to dateillustrates this rather vividly.

• “The key challenge facing bothGovernment and Irish society is theimperative to integrate people of muchdifferent culture, ethnicity, language andreligion so that they become the new Irishcitizens of the 21st century.

• “Professional surveys of attitudes,conducted at both European anddomestic level, indicate that Irish peoplehave a high level of day to day contactwith our newcomer population and alower incidence of racially-motivatedattacks on migrant individuals.

• “Integration policy in Ireland will be atwo-way street involving rights and dutiesfor those migrants who reside, work andin particular those who aspire to be Irishcitizens.

• Minister Lenihan says there is a need for

“a partnership approach between theGovernment and non-governmentalorganisations, as well as civil societybodies, to deepen and enhance theopportunities for Integration.” Also, thereshould be “a strong link betweenintegration policy and wider state socialinclusion measures, strategies andinitiatives.”‘Migration Nation’ which is available for

download at:www.justice.ie/en/JELR/print/Migration%20Nation%20Launch

The official word on our ‘Migration Nation’ - Government seeks civil society partnership

On Census Day, April 23rd, 2006 . . .• 420,000 non-Irish people were resident in

the State, coming from 188 differentcountries.

• There were 44 countries - from Anguilla toWestern Sahara - represented by fewerthan 10 people.

• Some 17 per cent of Lithuanians aged fromfive to 19 could speak Irish.

• Over half of the Nigerian people in Dublinlived in Fingal. By comparison, on the city’s

Southside, only 1% of Nigerians in Irelandlived in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

• Non-Irish groups are dominated by peoplein their 20s and 30s, with significantly moremen than women. There were few childrenand older people among them.

• 80% of Chinese said they had "no religion",by far the highest per cent of any group,while 6 per cent said Buddhist and 1 in 20indicated Catholic.

• People from countries outside Europe hadhigher overall educational attainment thanIrish people in the same age brackets.

• While Nigerians were heavily urbanised,British nationals lived mainly in rural areas,Polish people were largely here to work,and most Chinese were here to study. Suchdistinctions are significant for policy-making.

17changing ireland 3% of all photocopier faults worldwide caused by people sitting up to copy their bums

national news

WE talk a lot about being inclusive. Ourcommunity projects work with vulnerablepeople who are excluded or marginalised,while Government legislation exists to makesure we don’t discriminate against certaingroups considered to be particularlyvulnerable.

Yet, when we consider or definevulnerability, do we cast our net wide enoughor ensure that we are aware of changes incircumstances that might lead to more peoplebecoming vulnerable? Is it enough for us tofocus our attention on people with disabilitiesor older people, for example? And if it isenough, does that mean we fail to notice awhole new group of vulnerable people, withthe result that little or nothing is done to helpthem?

The first half of this year has seen asignificant shift in Ireland’s economic fortunes,and we are all feeling the pinch. Theunemployment figures for the summer of 2008were last seen during the grim old days whenwe left in droves to find work that simply didnot exist here. This downturn has affected usall, but it looks like it’s having a particularlynegative effect on many of those who camehere since the EU was significantly expandedfour years ago. Are we, at national and locallevel, doing the best we can for our fellow EUcitizens who have been working here, livinghere and contributing to our country’s cofferssince 2004?

ILL-INFORMED RUMBLINGSNotwithstanding the ill-informed rumblings

that are often heard when significant numbersof immigrants arrive in any country, thesepeople have quietly gone about the business ofliving their lives. Now, though, the shadow ofan economic downturn looms large over themas more and more jobs are lost, and, whilemany are returning home or going elsewhere,many others have made their lives here. Their

families have joined them, their children go toschool here, they pay rent or mortgages, theyhave their networks of friends around themand have opened shops and started businessesproviding themselves - and everyone else -with valuable services and goods. They werecontributing to the system and suddenly findthat, through no fault of their own, they nowhave to turn to that system for help andsupport.

Our social welfare system is confusingenough for those of us who speak English asour first language, but it must be all but

unintelligible for many of these recentimmigrants. It’s encouraging, then, to seeexamples of local community projectsproviding information and translation servicesto those who find it difficult to decipher thecumbersome forms needed to claimJobseeker’s Benefit or Family IncomeSupplement.

FUNDING SHORTFALLSAs always, much of this work is limited by

funding shortfalls, and there’s a sense thatcommunity groups are being left to respond intheir usual ‘fire-fighting’ style. It seemssomewhat of an underachievement byGovernment for a recent press release toherald a statement on Integration and DiversityManagement from Minister for Integration,Conor Lenihan, as “the first document of itskind from the Office since it was established inJune 2007.” **

There appears to be a yawning gapbetween what is happening on the ground andwhat is happening in the corridors of power.And, while positive statements on integrationare to be applauded, perhaps increasedfunding for English classes or a multilingualcampaign to clarify social welfare entitlementsfor the unemployed would be a betterallocation of resources.

Each time conversational English classes aremade available in certain areas, they aremassively oversubscribed leading to largenumbers of disappointed applicants. Thosewho want and need to improve their Englishare frequently on low pay and cannot affordprivate lessons. And so the circle continues,with the vulnerable becoming increasinglyvulnerable. They lose their jobs and cannotunderstand the social welfare system; theycannot afford to learn English so they neverfind out that they can combine Irish socialinsurance with those from other EU countries tobe eligible for Jobseeker’s Benefit. Instead theyare bounced between the Department of Socialand Family Affairs and the HSE, always unsureas to what they are entitled to, or who theyshould ask.

HUGE WORK DONEThere is no doubt that our CDPs have

already done a huge amount of work toinclude and involve those who have come toIreland, and a flick through past issues of‘Changing Ireland’ reveals how much has beenachieved to date. As a whole new group ofvulnerable people begin to emerge, it lookslike, once again, CDPs will be found wheremost of the hard work is undertaken. As theytry to help migrant workers and their familiescome to terms with the effects of unemploymentand surviving on low income, they’ll be lookingto the Minister for Integration to come up withsomething a little more concrete than a pressrelease over the next twelve months.

* Declan Weir works as a manager withClifden Citizens Information Centre in Co.Galway. He previously worked as DisabilityInformation Outreach Worker with FORUMCDP in Connemara and has reported ondevelopment issues west of the Shannon for‘Changing Ireland’ since 2002.

** NOTE: The policy statement referred toby the writer is explained in more detail in aseparate report and is available fordownload.

• “Professional surveys of attitudes,conducted at both European anddomestic level, indicate that Irish peoplehave a high level of day to day contactwith our newcomer population and alower incidence of racially-motivatedattacks on migrant individuals.

• “Integration policy in Ireland will be atwo-way street involving rights and dutiesfor those migrants who reside, work andin particular those who aspire to be Irishcitizens.

• Minister Lenihan says there is a need for

“a partnership approach between theGovernment and non-governmentalorganisations, as well as civil societybodies, to deepen and enhance theopportunities for Integration.” Also, thereshould be “a strong link betweenintegration policy and wider state socialinclusion measures, strategies andinitiatives.”‘Migration Nation’ which is available for

download at:www.justice.ie/en/JELR/print/Migration%20Nation%20Launch

tion Nation’ - Government seeks civil society partnership

Minister Conor Lenihan

asks DECLAN WEIR, CIC manager

Opinion

Do we cast our netwide enough?

18changing ireland language ability is a key factor for immigrants seeking employment

REZA Mirfattahi made an impassioned speech on being presentedwith a World Refugee Award at a ceremony in Dublin on June 19th.He dedicated his award to people persecuted in his home country ofIran and appealed for Irish people to work in solidarity with theoppressed.

Among those listening was Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan.Reza’s speech focused on the positive virtues to be found amongrefugees and asylum-seekers. He was also openly critical of the regimein Iran:

“Asylum-seekers and refugees can contribute hugely and can bevaluable assets to their new communities. As people who have fledinjustices, we are now safe in the hands of new hosts in this country.These communities deserve our deep andgenuine gratitude and appreciation. Thiscan be manifested by engagement withcivic society and contributing to our newadopted communities in Ireland.

“Since coming to this country I havebeen committed to integrating fully intoIrish society. I have attempted to achieve this by getting involved acrossthe spectrum of community organisations.”

As an Iranian, he said he was “deeply honoured” to see that TomiReichental was at the ceremony.

“Tomi is a survivor of Holocaust living in Ireland. His meaningfulpresence is a very clear message to those ignorant back in my homecountry who tried during the past three decades to portray a verydifferent picture about (Israeli-Iranian) history.”

Reza said the Iranian regime ignored the long history of goodrelations between Persians and Jews, something you’re unlikely to hearabout through the media.

“Ireland could take the initiative and show the world that a freedom-loving Persian community living in exile is willing to integrate with theirJewish and other neighbours and work to overcome the current

challenge threatening both their futures,” said Reza.“Iran and Iranians should not be confused with the clerical regime.

Iran’s culture has suffered from the fundamentalist yoke, but it is aliveand defiant,” he continued, asking for the “free world” to help.

“There are hundreds of young Iranian dissidents who are sittingscared in places from Jordan to Turkey, or in refugee camps inEuropean cities. With a little help from the free world, they can becomethe building blocks … for democracy. As we face our oppressors, donot turn your back to us.”

He went on to bravely dedicate his award to “the scared anddesperate wives and children of workers arrested in demonstrationsthroughout Iran, the cut tongues of the Iranian trade union leaders in

prison, Mansour Osanloo andMahmoud Salehi, the beaten andarrested workers who are flogged inthe public places simply for peacefuldemonstrations, to the desperatemothers of young political prisonersunder torture in jail, to the women of

Iran oppressed by the Sharia rules who are treated as second classcitizens to be ashamed of being born female, to the entire hostagenation, the people of Iran, imprisoned in a jail as vast as the countryitself.”

Reza had begun his speech by thanking the people of New Ross “fortheir kindness and generosity”, in particular supporters (who hadtravelled by mini-bus with him) from New Ross CDP.

He finished with an appeal for solidarity from the audience.EDITOR’S NOTE: We describe Reza in our headline as a refugee,

which he is by virtue of the fact that he has fled persecution in hisnative country. It is of course another matter as to whether he islegally recognised as such by the authorities here. His current legalstatus is as an asylum-seeker (someone seeking official recognition,status and protection as a refugee).

IRAN (or Persia) was renamedthe Islamic Republic of Iran byrevolutionary Islamists whoseized power in a 1979 coupmounted against the US-supported and autocraticShah. Repression of one kindwas replaced by repression ofanother.

Iran’s oil reserves mean it isgeopolitically important andthere has been war andconflict since oil became thenew gold. As recently as Juneof this year, the ‘New Yorker’magazine reported the USgovernment had allocated$400 million this year for asupposedly secret war thatincludes abductions and

assassinations within Iran,with the aim of destabilisingthe Iranian regime.

While US militaryintelligence agencies havereported publicly that Iran’sinterest in nuclear powerappears solely for civilian use,the Bush administrationcontinues to push the storythat the Iranian regime is benton developing nuclearweapons.

Repression within Iran takesplace against a backdrop ofgeopolitical wrestling. Inrecent years, opposition partyactivities are tolerated less andless.

- Editor

Repression in aninternationalcontext

World refugee day awards 2008

REZA Mirfattahi believes it “unlikely” that his award-win

will contribute anything to his case which is pending (for

close to three years now) and is due to be heard by the

Refugee Appeals Tribunal.“The award just helps me to highlight the human rights

abuses of the fundamentalist Islamic regime in Iran,” says Reza.“The whole asylum-process in Ireland is some kind of lottery.There is no sense to it. How do they assess someone in a 30-

minute interview and by googling you on the internet?”Reza feels himself changing inside and sometimes is

“depressed, a bit jumpy, and under pressure” as the waitingdrags on.

“I don’t know why I’ve to wait so long,” he says, echoingthe experience of many other asylum-seekers.

He singles out for criticism the performance of JimNicholson, a controversial former member of the three-person Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Mr. Nicholson, accordingto documents lodged with the courts, granted asylum on just

two occasions in over 400 appeal hearings. He has sinceresigned from the post and the Refugee Legal Service hascalled for a review of up to 1,000 rejected asylumapplicatons.

The Refugee Appeals Tribunal is due to be replaced byanother body under proposed new legislation.

After Reza’s appeal hearing takes place, he anticipatesa further 8-to-9 month wait to hear the outcome. That’s ifhe’s lucky - he knows people who have waited a yearand more, including people who were then turned down.

Reza Mirfattahi from New Ross and Iran, speaking at the World Refugee Dayawards ceremony.

Reza: Award will not win my case for me

“As we face our oppressors, do

not turn your back to us!”

‘‘SShhooww ssoollidaritywwiitthh uuss IIrraanians!’- urges award-winning refugee, Renza Mirfattahi

challenge threatening both their futures,” said Reza.“Iran and Iranians should not be confused with the clerical regime.

Iran’s culture has suffered from the fundamentalist yoke, but it is aliveand defiant,” he continued, asking for the “free world” to help.

“There are hundreds of young Iranian dissidents who are sittingscared in places from Jordan to Turkey, or in refugee camps inEuropean cities. With a little help from the free world, they can becomethe building blocks … for democracy. As we face our oppressors, donot turn your back to us.”

He went on to bravely dedicate his award to “the scared anddesperate wives and children of workers arrested in demonstrationsthroughout Iran, the cut tongues of the Iranian trade union leaders in

prison, Mansour Osanloo andMahmoud Salehi, the beaten andarrested workers who are flogged inthe public places simply for peacefuldemonstrations, to the desperatemothers of young political prisonersunder torture in jail, to the women of

Iran oppressed by the Sharia rules who are treated as second classcitizens to be ashamed of being born female, to the entire hostagenation, the people of Iran, imprisoned in a jail as vast as the countryitself.”

Reza had begun his speech by thanking the people of New Ross “fortheir kindness and generosity”, in particular supporters (who hadtravelled by mini-bus with him) from New Ross CDP.

He finished with an appeal for solidarity from the audience.EDITOR’S NOTE: We describe Reza in our headline as a refugee,

which he is by virtue of the fact that he has fled persecution in hisnative country. It is of course another matter as to whether he islegally recognised as such by the authorities here. His current legalstatus is as an asylum-seeker (someone seeking official recognition,status and protection as a refugee).

CONTROVERSY erupted atthe Refugee Awardsceremony in Dublin when aproposed award-winner, ofMuslim faith, was demotedfrom the honours list. MetroEireann reported that theKerry resident “indicated hewould not shake hands withthe female presenter.”

A refusal to shake handswith another person isnothing new in Ireland,apart from the fact that thistime the antagonist was of anon-Christian faith.

The Kerry-based asylum-seeker had been selected forhis work with the KerryVolunteer Centre and as afundraiser for AmnestyInternational.

However, as MetroEireann reported, heinformed organisers prior to

the ceremony thatarrangements needed to beput in place so that he wouldnot have to shake handswith any female.

The person due to presentthe award was BenedictaAttoh, a Nigerian womanwho intends to stand as acandidate in next year’slocal elections.

Metro Eireann reporter,Catherine Reilly, interviewedthe man and found he wouldnot shake her hand either.The would-be winnerexpressed confusion, said hedid not want controversyand said he had been happyto be nominated.

There are mixed viewsamong Muslims on the issueof shaking hands withmembers of the oppositesex.

Kerry residentdenied award afterhandshake drama

19changing ireland poor recognition of degrees earned abroad is a barrier for immigrants

day awards 2008

two occasions in over 400 appeal hearings. He has sinceresigned from the post and the Refugee Legal Service hascalled for a review of up to 1,000 rejected asylumapplicatons.

The Refugee Appeals Tribunal is due to be replaced byanother body under proposed new legislation.

After Reza’s appeal hearing takes place, he anticipatesa further 8-to-9 month wait to hear the outcome. That’s ifhe’s lucky - he knows people who have waited a yearand more, including people who were then turned down.

for me

ur oppressors, do

back to us!”

oolliiddaarriittyyIrraanniiaannss!!’’

Renza Mirfattahi

WorldRefugeeDay awardTHE United Nations' WorldRefugee Day is observed onJune 20th each year. The eventhonours the courage, strengthand determination of women,men and children who areforced to flee their homelandunder threat of persecution,conflict and violence.

Organised by the AfricanRefugee Network at the AfricaCentre, the Refugee Awardsceremony in Ireland aims torecognise the positivecontribution that many asylumseekers and refugees makelocally and to highlight theefforts of local people whoextend the hand of friendshipand solidarity towards them.

There are ten different awards

under five categories includingCommunity and Environment,Health and Welfare, Arts andCulture, and Sports and Leisure.There are two awards in eachcategory, with one going to alocal person and another to arefugee/asylum-seeker.

The highest-profile winner todate is former Ireland managerBRIAN KERR who was honouredlast year for promoting socceramong migrant communities. Headvocated sport as a tool forintegration.

This year’s ceremony - anddrama - took place on June 19thin the Dublin City Council’sWood Quay offices.

For more information, logonto: www.africacentre.ie

20changing ireland many immigrants work in jobs they are over-qualified for

THE future direction taken by the CommunityDevelopment Programme is being led by thebottom-up as well as the top-down, as itshould be. The Programme is 18 years oldand the projects within it - all working inareas of disadvantage - bring positivechange to hard-pressed communitiesthroughout the country. Around 2000 localvolunteers are part of the Programme and itis a key part of the new NDP. Last year, aconsultation process was begun and it hastaken on a life of its own.

When regional CDP conferences promisedfor early this year did not materialise, projectssought and got a half-dozen meetings atregional level with then-Minister Carey andwith senior officials. The Eastern RegionNetwork meeting with the Minister, forexample, was hailed by projects as being“very positive.” The Network has followed itwith a July 15th meeting with the newMinister of State, John Curran.

The catalyst for calling regional meetingswas the ending of contracts with RegionalSupport Agencies and a perceived lack of fullconsultation with projects about what wouldreplace them. The regional meetings alsoprovided a space for projects to make theirviews known about the Programme'sdevelopment.

Sometimes, in face-to-face meetings, morecan be conveyed. Projects had alreadycontributed to the 110-plus submissions madeto the Department late last year (which arenow publicly available and fill a good-sizedbox).

Currently, the old model of contractingRegional Support Agencies to assist projectson corporate governance, legal and humanresource issues is being replaced with a new

model - the tender has been issued. Newcentralised support arrangements should bein place by the end of September. Aseparate tender competition is due to beheld for community development trainingand support. In the interim, the Departmentsays it will provide and pay for support asappropriate to the needs of projects.

Meanwhile, on the ground - in Ballymun tobe precise - a CDP has written to everyproject seeking funding support for afeasibility study to show how and why theProgramme would benefit from having anational office. The Community ActionProgramme CDP say they have got a positiveresponse from projects and that the studyshould be complete by December.

However, there was fallout over the waythe model for supporting projects waschanged by the Department without, sayproject representatives, proper consultation.In May, the volunteer and staff

representatives on a national consultativecommittee resigned. They said they felt“excluded” from the process of developingthe Programme.

However, Minister John Curran argues thatover 2007 the consultation process -including the “contribution” from the projectrepresentatives - proved “very beneficial tothe Department in its efforts to improve theefficiency and effectiveness of theProgramme.”

He said it has led to better budgetingarrangements for projects and to a new'Governance and Good Practice Checklist' forprojects. And, over the summer, he promisednew procedures in respect of corporategovernance, financial management andcontrol.

Significantly, from a participationviewpoint, the Department is proposing tointroduce “formal networking arrangementsat local, regional and national level as partof the future support structure for Projects.”

This is likely to be very much welcomedby projects. In the meantime, the Ministerhas written asking the members of theNational Consultative Panel who resigned toconsider engaging with the new networkingarrangements once they are put in place.

Furthermore, a national conference ispromised by the Department (a date has yetto be set).

The volunteers and staff in theProgramme's 180 projects and the Ministersand their officials will work together, overthe coming months, to map the way forwardfor the Programme. It will be interesting tosee how the mapping unfolds and in whichdirection the Programme goes. If anyone islooking for further reading, the 110-plussubmissions on the matter are publiclyavailable. They fill a good box mind!

Programme news

NNeewwss iinn bbrriieeff• Old support agency model being

replaced

• Consultative panel members resign

• Projects have regional meetings withDept.

• Tender out for new support to projects

• Separate tender for communitydevelopment training

• New networking arrangements on theway

• Projects working towards setting up anational office

• Conference promised

New Programme beingshaped from top and bottom

By ALLEN MEAGHER

John Curran is newCommunity Minister

DUBLIN Mid-West TD, John Curran, is the newMinister of State with special responsibility forDrugs Strategy and Community Affairs at theDepartment of Community, Rural, and GaeltachtAffairs. Taoiseach Brian Cowen appointed PatCarey, who held the position for 11 months, ashis new ‘Chief Whip’.

John Curran’s base is Clondalkin and he wasfirst elected to the Dáil in 2002 and wasreturned last year in a landslide win.

He graduated from UCD with a degree in

Commerce and ran his own business for almost20 years. He rates his work with a number ofyouth projects and charity fund-raising venturesas “amongst my proudest achievements.”

John is married to Shauna with two school-going children.

You can contact Minister John Curran bywriting to him at the Department of Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. T: 01-6473042(Department) and 01-618 3792 (Constituency).

IntegrationMinister ofStateIN June, 2007, Conor Lenihan from DublinSouth West was appointed Minister of Statewith special responsibility for IntegrationPolicy at the Department of Community,Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Departmentof Education and Science and theDepartment of Justice, Equality and LawReform. He was re-appointed to the positionin May of this year.

21changing ireland is minic a bhris beál duine a shrón

mme news

THE Department of Community, Rural &Gaeltacht Affairs wishes to establish “threemulti-operator framework agreements overa four-year period for training and supportservices” to CDPs.

In a new tender document issued on June16th, the Department seeks “expressions ofinterests for training and consultancy supportservices” to projects funded through theCommunity Development Programme.”

The tender names three lots of support, inthe areas of: Corporate Governance,Financial management, and HumanResources.

TWO TENDERSThe tender specifies that the eventual

service providers will have to “provide qualitysupport in the form of direct and indirecttraining and development support tovolunteer board members and staff ofProjects. It will be possible to provide supporton a regional or national basis,” it adds. Thetender is open to regional support agenciesthat worked with the Programme before aswell as other interested parties.

There will be a separate tender competitionfor the community development training andsupport. In the Limerick area, for the timebeing, CDP co-ordinators are discussing theidea of providing training to volunteers inneighbouring projects.

NEW NETWORKING STRUCTUREMeanwhile, the Department’s Assistant

Principal Officer, Sean McLaughlin, haswritten to projects, saying: “Considerableskills and talents of both volunteers and staff

that have been developed over the years. Aspart of the overall support structures, weintend to harness this experience andlearning through formal networkingarrangements at local, regional and nationallevel and I will advise Projects in this regardat a further date.”

In addition, the Department is progressingtowards the introduction of formal networkingarrangements at local, regional and nationallevel, as part of the future support structurefor projects. He said that plans are being laidby the Department for a national conference.

“We remain fully committed to thedevelopment of volunteers and staff ofProjects and to providing support serviceswhere needs are identified,” he added.

PROVIDING ONGOING SUPPORT

Sean has confirmed the Department willstep in to provide support, including fundingto CDPs, in the interim period while a newsupport structure is being put in place.

“We are positively disposed to project’sneeds, once they specify what those needsare,” declared Sean.

“New centralised support arrangementsshould be in place by the end of September.In the interim, projects have been affordedsome flexibility by providing them with, albeitlimited, resources to procure services thatmeet their training and development needs.

He urged people “not to hesitate to contactyour Departmental contact if you have anyfurther queries, particularly where any matterarises that you consider may requireadditional assistance.”

Volunteer reps resign fromPanel‘By Maurice McConvilleREGIONAL representatives – staff andvolunteers - of the National ConsultativePanel (NCP) have taken the very difficultdecision to resign from NCP. The reasonsfor our actions are laid out in the letterwe sent to Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, JuniorMinister John Curran and Departmentofficials informing them of our decision.

The representatives are appalled bythe Department’s decision to make majorchanges to the Community DevelopmentProgramme without the input orknowledge of the NCP representatives.Despite having agreed to a collaborativeprocess, the Department chose toundermine that same process, by takingan arbitrary decision to make majorchanges to support structure to projects.

FELT LET DOWNWe had worked closely with officials

on the content and process of theconsultation and we had alsoencouraged regions and project toengage with the process. Representativesfelt let down by the Department’s action.

It was agreed by representatives thatthe Department’s action had made theprocess of consultation meaningless. Itwould be wrong for us to remain withina process where our input as regionalrepresentatives is not respected. We didattempt to meet with the then JuniorMinister, Pat Carey to put our case for afair and open consultation process,however we were not afforded thisopportunity. We therefore had no otheroption but to resign from the NCP.

LETTER OF RESIGNATIONIn their letter of resignation, the

representatives said:“The National Consultation Panel was

set up with the purpose of shaping thenew programme for the CommunityDevelopment Programme 2007 -2013…and we met with staff of the CommunityDevelopment Unit Dept, of CRAGAformally 3 times in 2007.

“A cornerstone of CommunityDevelopment is consultation with thoseaffected by policy and programmechanges. However, after the initialengagement with the Consultation Panelin relation to the scope of theconsultation we have neither had accessto the responses from the consultationquestions nor any role in moving theconsultation process forward.

“(We now) withdraw ourrepresentation and this letter is toconfirm to you that we are resigningfrom the National Consultation Panel.

“We feel that the Panel has not beenput in a position to fulfil its role and wedo not wish to continue and thereby givecredibility to a process from which wehave actually been excluded.”

The letter was signed by MattieSheridan, a volunteer withLarchville/Lisduggan CDP in Waterford,on behalf of the other volunteer and staffrepresentatives on the nationalcommittee.

- as Department provides for interim support

Tenderout fornewsupportservices Sean McLaughlin

22changing ireland it is often that a person's mouth broke his nose

Programme news

The Minister for Community, Rural andGaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, has praised‘Changing Ireland’ for providing communitydevelopment workers and volunteers aroundthe country with a "voice" and a "centralforum" for debate on issues relevant to thesector.

Minister Ó Cuív, whose Department fundsthe magazine, was in Moyross, Limerick onApril 24th, to launch the web and printversions of the 25th edition.

“‘Changing Ireland’ not only gives peopleworking in community development a voice, italso provides a central forum for the exchangeof knowledge, experience and ideas," he told a40-strong group.

HUMOURWith humour, he described what happened

most publications he receives, but assuredeveryone that ‘Changing Ireland’ was onemagazine that does not hit his waste-paperbasket as soon as it comes in.

The articles were “very readable, they areinteresting, they relate to ordinary people’slives and they are practical, they talk about theway it is. And yes, you sometimes say thingswe mightn’t agree with, but… as a politician,when somebody really challenges you, it doesperk you up and maybe make you think in anew direction and that needs to happen all thetime.”

STRUCTURAL DIVIDEDuring his speech, the Minister talked of “a

big divide in our society” and, in reference to

urban deprivation effecting young people inparticular, he said that education and activitieswere key. He drew attention to the way societyis “very much structured against” young peoplefrom urban disadvantaged areas going on tothird level education.

He also spoke of achievements under RAPID,the full country coverage by the Partnershipsand about the Community DevelopmentProgramme’s permanent place in tacklingdisadvantage within communities.

HEALTHY DEMOCRACYEditor Allen Meagher said, “It is a sign of a

healthy democracy and a credit to MinisterÉamon Ó Cuív and his Department that theyfund a magazine that sometimes reflects criticalviews on local and national social policy. Theyvalue communities having a voice. ‘ChangingIreland’ is proud to be the voice for many of theso-called ‘disadvantaged’ communities. Andwhen we name a problem, we can also namea proven solution.”

PROVEN SOLUTIONSOver the years, he said ‘Changing Ireland’

had highlighted "proven responses to suicide,antisocial behaviour, rural isolation and manyother solutions to supposedly impossibleproblems".

The launch took place at the AGM of theCommunity Development Network Moyross,which manages ‘Changing Ireland’ on behalfof the Community Development Programme.During his visit, the Minister met with CDPvolunteers and packers from the area.

Rebecca Carey (packing team), Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, editor Allen Meagher, CDN chairperson TracyMcElligott, and Lindsay O'Connor (packing team) at the launch of the 25th ‘Changing Ireland’.

Keep challenging us,says Minister at launch- Moyross magazine is a “voice” for the sector

Dublin CDP pushesprojects for national officeA CDP in Dublin is pushing hard to set up anational office for the CommunityDevelopment Programme and has askedeach CDP to contribute to a fund thatshould help make it happen.

“A national office would give theProgramme a voice on national issues, suchas the recent finding that there was a 30%price differential in shopping baskets northand south of the border. Issues like this hitthe marginalised in society most and weshould be saying something about it,” saidEmma Freeman of Ballymun.

For years, projects in the CommunityDevelopment Programme talked of the needfor a national office, but this time there ismovement.

Tender documents will be drawn up inearly July, the steering group will then beestablished, and the tender will beadvertised by late summer.

Project co-ordinator, Emma Freeman isdoing the leg-work and Emma’s employer,the Community Action Programme inBallymun, has agreed to manage thefinances and report back to the steeringgroup if the idea takes off.

There have been “a lot of enquiries”from people interested in joining thesteering group and Emma says she hasonly had one negative reply to the cash-appeal to date.

Emma hopes the study will be launchedby December (and not September, as sheinitially hoped for).

Each management committee in thecountry was asked to discuss the proposal,so Emma’s argument needed to be strong.She wrote to say a national office isrequired as a matter of urgency:

“Despite a ‘review’ of the Programmehaving taken place, there is no indicationthat a clear understanding of futuredevelopment priorities has emerged. This iseven more serious given the importantdevelopments taking place in the localdevelopment environment overall (throughthe cohesion process for example). Given itslong-standing history and acknowledgedimpact, the Community DevelopmentProgramme should provide a very strongand informed voice in this process. Insteadof this it remains silent.”

She says the sense of powerlessnessarises, to some extent, from a lack ofunderstanding of both the nature andsignificant contribution made by communitydevelopment: “Even though the lastevaluation of the Programme (by Nexus in2000) clearly demonstrated the verypositive impacts of CDPs, there was noeffort since, at Programme level, to followthrough on this report’s keyrecommendations.”

According to Emma there is now a veryreal danger that the programme’s futuremay be shaped by a misunderstanding ofits key strengths and that any chance ofaddressing these challenges rests in thehands of projects.

A national office would mean theProgramme has some say at national policylevel and the office would help to promotethe Programme’s achievements.

Emma invites projects to pay €200 eachtowards the cost of a feasibility study to seehow best to move the proposal forward.

For more information, contact: Emma Freeman, Programme Manager,CAP, Axis Community Centre, Ballymun,Dublin 9. T: 01-8832162. F: 01-8832161. E: info@cap.ie W: www.cap.ie

23changing ireland ireland has 30,000 millionaires – ray murphy, youth worker & drummer

Opinion

Concerned forProgramme’s future- constantly changing operational environment not a help

OVER 15 years of involvement with theProgramme, Framework and Projects havehad to manage and adapt to constantchanges in the ongoing life span of the CDP.This has, I feel, often been a fruitless andadditional burden distracting us away fromthe real work with communities on theground. These changes have beeninfluenced by both internal structuralchanges as well as the impact of a widerpolitical, economic and operationalenvironment. The following pointsdemonstrate how lack of consistency at thetop has created the ‘poor relation’ statusthat the Programme has been experiencingover the years. • There has been too much changing of key

staff within the various departments whohave been managing the CDP. SinceDeaglan O’Briain left the Programme in1999 there have been six other PrincipleOfficers, and changes too numerous tomention among the other civil servants.There have been five Ministerial changes,and the Programme has now beenallocated its third Junior Ministerial positionin four years. This has led, in my opinion,to a lack of leadership and drive atGovernment level.

• The Programme was originally managedby the Department of Social Welfare, thenthe Department of Social Community andFamily Affairs and was moved to theDepartment of Community Rural andGaeltacht Affairs in 2003. This has meantthat key relationships at local level betweenDepartment personnel, Support Agenciesand Projects have been lost and thebreadth of knowledge of the Programmehas not been replaced within the currentmanagement structure. The change to theDCRGA has contributed to a distinct lack ofvision for, and acknowledgement of, theProgramme’s capabilities and potential tocontribute to government policy.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROGRAMME?

The picture that is emerging now is of aCommunity Development Programme wherethe original vision and potential has beeneroded. It has been a lost opportunity andsad failure not to acknowledge, championand take pride in the work that Projects haveachieved in communities that experience the

highest levels of disadvantage in the country.This Programme has been a unique model forpromoting social change and activecitizenship within Ireland. Yet instead ofputting it at the centre of Governmentdevelopment policy and anti-povertyapproaches, the Programme has beensidelined. As yet there is still no clearinformation as to what the future plans are forthe Programme despite two nationalconsultation processes being initiated in thepast 5 years.

Due to a lack of leadership andinconsistency in management, what we havenow is a fragmented, low key andindividually based Programme. In addition, Ibelieve the Department’s lack of will, to date,to provide adequate resources for additionalcore staff or proper supports for regional andnational networking has contributed to thecurrent low status of the CDP at national level.The implication being that the voice of thosecommunities most experiencing struggle anddisadvantage has effectively been silenced.

What adds insult to injury for volunteerswho have been involved over the years is thelack of joined up thinking. DCRGAs is nowfunding the development of “ActiveCitizenship” and the “Volunteer Centres”. Asone level of support for volunteers is beingdismantled within the CDP, another is beingestablished around the corner with a newgroup of volunteers with new structures andstaff.

One of our regrets is that we have not beenin a position to influence any of thedevelopments or events of recent years. ForProjects as well as Regional SupportsAgencies this has been a hugely frustratingexperience. Despite our long sustainedinvolvement with and commitment to CDPs we

have ended up without a voice or anopportunity to contribute to the Programme’soverall development.

However, our experience of the work atlocal and regional level has always been avery positive one and we wish all of theProjects in the South East, and in all areas ofthe Programme every success and hope tocontinue to build on a new relationshipmoving into the future.

Finally, Framework Regional SupportAgency became involved in the CommunityDevelopment Programme in 1993, startingout with six CDPs and ending up providingsupport to 28 CDPs and 18 FRCs at the endof 2007. The staff and volunteers consider ita privilege to have been involved in theProgramme and were constantly inspired bythe projects as they brought about positivechange to their communities.

* Glynis writes on behalf of themanagement and staff of FrameworkSupport Agency based in Waterford City.

By GLYNIS CURRIEFramework Support Agency*

LETTER

VolunteerManagementJune 9thWaterford

Dear Editor, I am very concerned that this

Government has taken away the verything that us Volunteers need - thetraining provided by support agencies.Believe me, as a Volunteer of over 35years, I know how much we needtraining, even to keep-up with all thenew rules.

However, with all the Dáil Questionsthat have been asked, no answer hasbeen given as to why this is happening.

With all the money that we theVolunteers are saving the Government,you would think that they would bedoing all they can to help us to supportour Communities. We the Volunteershave been taken for granted for far toolong, and we are getting fed-up, andmost of us are thinking very hard beforetaking on those responsibilities for verymuch longer.

The Ministers say that they want tosupport the Volunteers in the community.We could do so much for our communitywith all the money that they are wasting.

Regards,Paddy O’Sullivan,Volunteer, Larchville/Lisduggan CDP

and the Men’s Development Network

Glynis Currie, Framework Support Agency

24changing ireland www.healthfacts.ie = especially useful for non-Irish residents

Regeneration in Dublin

“IT’S a grass roots community protest,”said Rita Fagan, Lena Jordan and GerryCarney in advance of the June 9thmarch, the second march in protest atthe collapse of three massiveregeneration schemes in Dublin city. Anappeal went out to political partiesurging them to “respect our protestspace” and so they did, keeping partypolitical banners in the background.

At 6pm on June 9th, for the second time ina month, a large crowd marched on City Hall.Many were from the affected communities,others emerged onto the streets in a show ofsolidarity. And they were loud – theorganisers had called on people to bringalong pots and pans. Poignantly, many woreblack to symbolise the death of thecommunities’ hopes and dreams.

The next day Rita Fagan was beamingonce again and pleased to see they hadmade half-a-page in the Irish Times. Theywere keeping the story in the public eye.

The bad news first broke on May 19thwhen three inner city working classcommunities had their hopes, dreams andexpectations shattered – the developer whohad committed to regeneration in the threecommunities was pulling out. The areas areSt. Michaels Estate, O’Devaney Gardens andDominick Street flats.

In the case of St. Michael’s Estate it wastheir third time to experience disappointmenthaving developed three different plans fortheir site over the past seven years.

In all three communities, the Department ofthe Environment and Dublin City Councilenforced Public Private Partnership (PPP) as

the model to deliver their homes and facilities.In a statement issued in response to the

pull-out, reps from the communities, Rita,Lena and Gerry wrote:

“The living communities in all three areashad no choice but to work with the State toensure within the PPP that they got the bestdeal for their communities. They joined theirRegeneration Boards and worked extremelyhard to draft up plans not only for the bricksand mortar but ones that included a socialagenda that would address the deepinequalities which affect these communities.Each community crafted their land to matchtheir needs. St. Michael’s Estate fought hardand won to be participants on the assessment

panel.”As it happened, developer Bernard

McNamara’s company was chosen. He wasalso the favoured tender for regeneration inO’Devaney Gardens, Dominick Street, a 14acre site in St. Michaels Estate along withSean McDermott Street and Infirmary road.

“Promises were made by the Statenationally and locally to our communities,”said the community reps. “The collapse of thePPP model is not our problem and we ascommunities will not be silenced.”

They demanded that Dublin City Councilfollow through with the regeneration plans.

For more check: www.stmichaelsestate.ie

Hopes for fresh start despiteMcNamara pull-out- struggle continues for St. Michael’s Est., O’Devaney Gdns. and Dominic St.

Rita Fagan urges people to make their voices heard outside Dublin City Council offices on June 9th asthe Council met to discuss problems with the city’s regeneration schemes.

Mostly good news for BallymunTHE good news from Ballymun – and goodnews from regeneration projects in Dublin isespecially welcome in these troubled times– is that almost 80% of new homes arecomplete, 24 of the 36 blocks of flats arehistory and, in four years' time, all the oldflats will be gone and a total of 2,400 newhomes will be occupied.

Ballymun Regeneration says the nextphase of its plan is to focus on social andeconomic issues and to move the areas froma cycle of dependency to becoming a self-sustaining community in its own right.

Plans are also understood to beprogressing to provide proper facilities for

existing community groups. More communitysector involvement should be a feature offuture regeneration in the area that wasonce the country’s largest flat complex andgreatest heroin dive.

And the bad news is . . . the regenerationof Ballymun will cost double its originalestimate of €442 million (how do suchoverspends happen?) and will take six yearslonger than planned, according to a reportpublished in March by the State's spendingwatchdog.

Incidentally, there has also been adoubling of costs in a regeneration schemein Cork city.

BCON steering members Emma Freeman, MáirínO'Cuireain, Dermot King and Audrey Meehan whocampaigned, with considerable success, for bettercommunity facilities in Ballymun.

ion in Dublin

Determination to end “dire conditions” for residentsREGENERATION in Dublin is sorely needed,says Rita Fagan, co-ordinator of St. Michael’sEstate Resource Centre.

“Limerick might be in the papers butcommunities in Dublin are as bad with anti-social behaviour and shootings and gangs.We have people in O’Devaney Gardens andthey are living in dire conditions.”

Things have got worse since the collapse ofthe regeneration schemes in Dublin andcriminals have gathered in large numbers inthe abandoned housing complexes atweekends. It’s not a place to live, but somepeople have no choice.

“We have been on our knees so manytimes,” Rita says. “We signed off on January14th and then the developer McNamarawanted €8 million saying the land was toxic.He wanted the land, but he didn’t want todeliver.”

O’DEVANEY GARDENS MIGHT PULL THROUGH

“It looks somewhat hopeful for O’DevaneyGardens as McNamara had signed the legalcontract,” said Rita on June 9th. “But it doesn’tlook so good for the other two communitiesand there is a great value for us keepingourselves in the media. Dominic Street is smalland collective action is needed to support theirstruggle.

“There is a lot to be said about developingrelationships with journalists to promote theissue. We are at the bottom, on our knees, butwe will fight to the end.”

“Meanwhile,” she pointed out, “our work onthe ground in St. Michael’s continues,supporting after-school groups, summer

projects and so on.”The depth of disappointment in the

communities is immense, and the battle for fairplay will continue.“The government don’tcontrol us, they can’t tell us what to do. Localpeople are leading and we appreciate thesolidarity of other groups,” added Rita.

Nonie Ewe: ‘Thanks, but no thanks!’

Dear Horace!Isn't the no vote a hoot? Thanks for all the

dough but we have to say no. Whathappened?

- Nonie Ewe

Dear Nonie,This is a new departure in politics for the

island of Ireland and a change from Ulster saysNO! The trouble is we have no ‘Big Man’ with abig voice to back it up. Most of our politicanswere at a loss for what to say.

The politicians’ favourite answer seemed to be"The people didn't understand". Well, when theTaoiseach admits to not having read the whole

treaty, is it any wonder?If we are given another go at getting the

answer right, maybe CDPs will be expected -under cohesion - to run workshops in"Understanding the Lisbon Treaty and why plebsneed to tick yes." I am putting the applicationtogether right now. I might be able to tender forthe whole country as a Support Agency.

Happy Days!Horace

The cheek of them NINs

Hello Horace!I hear the NINs – Non-Irish Nationals - are

big into volunteering and especially that lot,the Nigerians. Well, I’ve been reading the dailynewspapers for years – never mind that‘Changing Ireland’ propaganda - and I happento know the Nigerians come here to help thecrime-wave.

If it is true about this volunteering lark, thenwe’ll have to get onto our TDs about it. I mean,who do these people think they are, cominghere and taking our volunteer places. The waythings are going, there’ll be no volunteerplaces left for us Irish. Bloody NINs!

Paddy Notoeverything CromwellChairperson, Too Many Challenges

Community Group

Dear Paddy Notoeverything,The Nigerians are only the tip of the iceberg.

We now have Estonians volunteering, Polishvolunteers, why even the French over here arevolunteering. We’ll have to put a stop to it alrightor the NINs might start settling in, integratingand the like and decide to stay or something.We’ll need to start a group to put a stop to this.Just need a few volunteers.

- Horace

The code is outHi Horace!I’m writing from the West of Ireland to let

you know that we devised a Code toencourage our projects to be friendly towardsgay people. Just letting you know.

Frank Friendly,Helping Out CDP

Hello Frank,Ok, a Code. Think I know what you mean, is

it like a secret password? Code X - gay womanapproaching, everyone smile! Write again, letme know the code-word and I’ll pass it on.

- Horace

Write to: Help Me Horace, ‘Changing Ireland’, c/o CDN Moyross, Community Enterprise Centre, Moyross,Limerick.

changing ireland census ’06: two thirds of filipinos in ireland are married25

Dublin City CouncilstatementDUBLIN City Council released a statement onJune 9th expressing optimism that theregeneration of O’Devaney Gardens maystill go ahead. It said it was putting in placea “Special Housing Development Unitspecifically to progress the regeneration of StMichael’s Estate, Dominick Street andO’Devaney Gardens, including developingalternative plans as necessary.”

After a meeting on July 7th, the Councilsaid it hoped the regeneration schemes forSt Michael’s Estate, and for Dominick Streetwould go to the second bidder. Theyintended to invite mediation between theCouncil and developer McNamara & Co.over the regeneration of O’DevaneyGardens.

26changing ireland census ’06: there are polish people living in every town and city in Ireland

1) Organise events at a suitable time, e.g.evenings and weekends for migrantworkers. Sunday is often the mostcommonly free day, though some minorityethnic groups have Sunday services.*

2) Acknowledge the differences in thesituation and needs of both women andmen and the fact that migrant workers arenot a homogenous group.

3) Address barriers to participation, e.g.poor public transport and lack ofchildcare.

4) Do not arrange social events in pubs. 5) In the initial stage it may not be necessary

to pay full commercial rates for translationof leaflets to advertise events.Ask localleaders if they can help in translating flyersthat simply say, e.g.,‘A welcome night, aninformation session on migrant workers’rights’.

6) Post leaflets and flyers where people meetor go, e.g. the Post Office, shop windows,internet café, local library, local churches.

7 If the majority of migrant workers in thetown/area speak one particularlanguage, e.g. Polish, try to have sometranslation. It is important to have someidea of the languages spoken by migrantworkers in the area. For non-EEA migrantworkers it is possible to begin a roughprofile of nationality by checking the DETEwebsite www.entemp.ie

8) Get sufficient copies of the free leaflets onmigrant workers’ rights. These areavailable in 11 languages from theEmployment Rights Information Unit of theDepartment of Enterprise,Trade andEmployment. Check titles onwww.entemp.ie/employment/rights/publications.htm

9) Invite local CDPs, FRCs or Partnerships tointroduce their work and initiatives insupport of migrant workers and theirfamilies.

10 Be strategic, ensure that a communitydevelopment worker is present at

meetings, define opportunities forcollectivising experiences, invite people tomeet to reflect on the issues that have beenraised in previous meetings and to helporganise a follow-up as appropriate.

11 Migrant workers who work long oruntypical hours often cannot access theCIC, the Library or public services thatonly operate during ‘office’hours fromMonday to Friday.

Source: A Strategy Guide for CommunityDevelopment Projects, Family ResourceCentres and Partnerships. The report waspublished by Pobal and the NCCRI tosupport the implementation of the NationalAction Plan Against Racism and also the EUYear of Intercultural Dialogue. The authorwas Siobhán Lynam.

Hard copies are available through the NCCRI, Third Floor, Jervis House, Jervis Street, Dublin 1. T: 01-8588000. F: 01-8727621. E: info@nccri.ie It is available for download from: www.nccri.ie/pdf/StrategyGuide.pdf

Resource section

Aug 06 Hiroshima Day Aug 09 International Day of the

World’s Indigenous People Aug 12 International Youth Day

Sep 08 International literacy Day Sep 19 International Day of Peace Sep 26 Declaration of the Rights of

the Child

Oct 01 International Day for thePreservation of the OzoneLayer

Oct 05 World Teachers Day Oct 06 International Day for

Children Oct 16 World Food Day Oct 17 International Day for the

Elimination of Poverty Oct 24 United Nations Day

Nov 01 International VolunteerManagers Appreciation Day

Nov 16 International Day forTolerance

Nov 20 Universal Children’s Day Nov 25 International Day for the

Elimination of ViolenceAgainst Women

Dec 01 International Aids Day Dec 03 International Day for Persons

with a Disability Dec 05 International Volunteer Day Dec 10 Human Rights Day

“WHEN you are undocumented thefeeling is that you can be sacked atany moment ...The person whoemploys you has all the power. You dowhatever he wants. You feel that theemployer knows about your positionand is taking advantage of you andthere is nothing you can do about it.”

- ‘Life in the Shadows’, anexploration of irregular migration inIreland, published by the MigrantRights Centre Ireland anddownloadable from the organisation’swebsite: www.mrci.ie

2008 - key UNdates tocome

Slave-likelabour

Here’s how to do it!- tips for involving immigrants in community events

Plus 3 extra tipsTHE Migrant Rights Centre Ireland has plentyof experience in running events formembers of ethnic minorities and here,Helen Lowry, shares three tips to add to ourmelting pot of knowledge:1) Notable international dates offer

opportunities to hold events aimed atmigrants in the local community. Somedates include – UN International Day forMigrants on December 18th, InternationalWomen's Day on March 8th, Africa Dayon May 25th.

2) Translation of information and flyers isimportant to remember and makes it mucheasier for migrants to access information.

3) A great of information is spread throughword of mouth - identify potential leadersor those active in their communities and askthem to spread the word or invite them toget involved in the organisation of theevent.

- For more advice, contact: Helen Lowry,Community Worker, Migrant Rights CentreIreland, 55 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1.

T: 01 8897570. W: www.mrci.ie

27changing ireland census ’06: british people make up 9% of population of kinsale, co. cork

Next issue

Changing IrelandChanging Ireland

Call for more intercultural centresIRELAND should set up more interculturalcentres at local community level and theNCCRI boss, Philip Watt, has called on theGovernment to support theirmainstreaming.

Speaking at the opening on June 10th ofClondalkin Intercultural Centre, he stated:“This is one of the first such centres inIreland. As Ireland becomes increasinglydiverse, we need more such centres tofacilitate dialogue, understanding andinteraction at a local level. We would callon the government to support similarinitiatives across the country.”

Services the Clondalkin Centre providesinclude being a focal point for minoritycommunities in the Clondalkin area,providing information, English languageclasses, integrated summer youth projects,employment and training courses.

Interculturalism, as an approach tointegration, is promoted by the LocalDevelopment Social Inclusion Programme(LDSIP) and in Clondalkin, ethnic minoritieshave been very involved in the Centre’s set-up. Throughout, the Partnership has taken acommunity development approach to thework, taking the lead particularly fromwomen from ethnic communities (who run anumber of thriving groups locally).

The Partnership has supported an ethnicminority women’s forum with about 200women on the database and it meetsmonthly. One outcome was they developeda training for trainers programme on anti-racism and interculturalism.

There was so much happening that thewomen’s forum agreed the ideal thing wasto open an intercultural centre and now thedream is a reality.

As Clondalkin Partnership’s EqualityCoordinator, David Lynch, points out,“Through previous integration and outreach

work, the Partnership was successful indeveloping a solid ground for the Centre".

However, David notes, “All interculturalcentres are pilots because there is nomainstreaming of funding in this regardyet.”

Over the last few years, funding wasprovided to dozens of groups from thePobal-run ‘Fund for Initiatives to SupportLegally Resident Migrants’ (applications arenow closed). A new EU-supported fundingstream should be launched in 2009 –though the criteria has not been publicisedas of yet and is by no means guaranteed toinclude funding for intercultural centres.However, interested groups should watchfor advertisements and keep an eye on thePobal website.

For more advice, contact the ClondalkinIntercultural Centre or the CanalCommunities Intercultural Centre (CCIC).The CCIC has, for example, receivedfunding from a range of sources, from thelocal Partnership company, the DormantAccounts Fund, Pobal, and Dublin CityCouncil to the One Foundation.

Clondalkin Intercultural Centre: Ovidiu Matiut, Intercultural Centre Co-ordinator, 15 Tower Road,Clondalkin, Dublin. Opening hours: Mon–Fri, 9-4pm. T: 01-4577213. E: intercultural@clondalkinpartnership.ieCanal Communities Intercultural Centre,3/4 Ring Tce, Inchicore, Dublin. T: 01-453 7239. M: 087-132 4115.

Loretta Ristic, Communications Officer and Miriam McNamee, Education Access Officer, outsideClondalkin Intercultural Centre.

Other centresThe Canal Communities Intercultural Centre was set up in 2004by the Canal Partnership to integrate the internationalcommunity in Inchicore, Rialto, Bluebell and Islandbridge withlocal Irish people.

Its top three achievements, according to manager PatriciaHiggins are:1. The Centre’s steering group includes a genuine mix of people.2. The Centre was very successful in getting Irish people involved. 3. The health programme delivered by the centre was devised

after research work led by volunteers from ethnic minorities. Patricia says, “We have plenty of reports that show the work

we’ve done, but all you’ve to do is see the hundreds ofphotographs we have of people laughing and enjoyingthemselves.”

The following either run intercultural centres from largerpremises or are looking at setting one up in their area: TallaghtIntercultural Action, the Jesuits, the Christian Brothers (on SyngeStreet, Dublin), the North West Inner City Network, and theBallymun Partnership.

Intercultural centres offer empathy“INTERCULTURAL centres are very important as an initial pointof contact for migrants,” says Bernie McDonnell, speaking asEquality Programme Manager with Pobal.

“It means they can go somewhere they feel safe and secureand where the surroundings are familiar and the people theymeet there will have experienced similar difficulties to their ownat one time,” she says.

She added that it was important for traditional communitycentres to have an equality strategy and to be open to all. It isnot the case that migrants should go solely to intercultural centresand not to local community centres. The two are complimentary.

Pobal administers a range of programmes that have promotedintegration at local level in Ireland, with for example funding of€2 million being dispersed through the Fund for Initiatives toSupport Legally Resident Migrants.

‘Changing Ireland’, c/o Community Enterprise Centre, Moyross, LimerickT. 061-458011 (editorial) / 458090 (admin). E: editor@changingireland.ie or admin@changingireland.ie W: www.changingireland.ie