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A joint meeting of the Children & Youth and New Communities Affinity Groups will be held on Thursday, 27th May from 10.30am-1.30pm in Boston College Ireland, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.
The aim of this joint meeting is to explore the cross-cutting issues – children and youth of new communities – and see what the challenges and implications are for (a) the NGO sector and (b) Grantmaking.
The agenda for the meeting is as follows:
10.30 – 11.00 Coffee & introductions
11.00 – 12.30 4 guest speakers, two from each ‘sector’, will each provide a short 10-minute presentation each on the challenges around young people and new communities from their perspective and what they are doing in their respective fields which will be followed by questions and a group discussion.
Session Chair: Michael Higgins, Programme Director, Common Purpose Ireland
Common Purpose runs programmes in Ireland which gives leaders the inspiration, the knowledge and the connections they need to produce real change. Common Purpose also believes that young people have an essential role to play in changing the way society works and run the “Your Turn” campaign for 15 – 17 year olds aims to unlock their leadership potential by giving young people the information and inspiration they need to make a difference.
Jo Ahern, CEO, The Integration Centre
Established in July 2009 from the merger of Integrating Ireland and the Refugee Information Service, The Integration Centre is committed to the integration and inclusion of those from immigrant backgrounds in Irish society, its institutions and communities. Early in 2010, The Integration Centre published a guide, “At Home in Ireland” to address the needs of immigrant youth and their parents in accessing information on employment, education, language learning, family and inclusion. The Integration Centre also recently launched a study of the experiences of life in Ireland of 169 young immigrants aged 15- 17 from across the country, which was conducted by Trinity College Dublin’s ‘Trinity Immigration Initiative’.
Rachel Murphy, Strategy Development Manager, Foroige
Foroige is Ireland’s largest youth organisation, supporting over 52,000 young people every year. In 2009, Foroige developed a programme aimed at ensuring that young people from minority backgrounds would be able to participate in their clubs and programmes as equally as young people from ‘typical’ Irish backgrounds. This resulted in an Integration Strategy and an Implementation Guide, focusing on how Foroige can professionally be aware of- and engage with- diversity issues, which was piloted in two areas and now being rolled-out throughout the organisation.
Paul Rowe, CEO, Educate Together
Educate Together is Ireland’s fast growing primary school movement and has establish and currently supports 56 Educate Together National Schools in 18 counties. Educate Together guarantees children and parents of all ethnic backgrounds and all faiths and none, equal respect in the operation and governing of education and has accrued a huge amount of experience in understanding some of the challenges and benefits this brings to each of its school communities.
David Carroll, National Network Manager, Belong To Youth Services
BeLonG To is an organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) young people, aged between 14 and 23. They are currently developing a national network of new LGBT support groups all around the country, working with local youth groups to leverage existing youth support resources as well as training teachers and youth workers, running awareness campaigns in schools and youth services and working with government departments to ensure that LGBT young people are heard so that positive social change occurs. Through this work, Belong To is ensuring that mainstream services and structures can be influenced to be equally supportive of a ‘minority’ LGBT agenda.
Group questions, answers and discussion following the presentations
12 30 – 13.00 Affinity Group ‘normal business’ and gather reflections on the morning and potential for further streamlining of how we work together
13 00 Close
Please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you are interested in attending.