PRESENTED BY James Mc Ardle Des Greene Emma Cafferkey

1. PRESENTED BY James Mc Ardle Des Greene Emma Cafferkey

2. Mayo Intercultural Action “Promoting The Positive Effects Of Interculturalism In Irish Society”

3. Mayo Intercultural Action • NGO (non governmental organisation) • 2004 • Therese Ruane • Ailish Irvine • Jackie Costello And Bridget Breen • Rosemary Ozotu Abu

4. Mayo Intercultural Action • Provide support and advocacy • Give advice to asylum seekers • Training • Education • Employment • Rights and Entitlements

5. Mayo Intercultural Action

6. Mayo Intercultural Action “I dreamed of getting my papers and being allowed to stay in Ireland but I had no idea life would be so hard once I had my Stamp 4 card.”

7. Mayo Intercultural Action Hill House, Mountain View , Castlebar (MIA)

8. 4/09/2011Sportlann CastlebarLithuania, Nigeria, Congo, Burma, Russia, Poland and Cameroon Mayo Intercultural Action

10. Mayo Intercultural Action Population of mayo 2011 130,552 net population EST. 10% migrants EST. 13,000 migrants

11. Mayo Intercultural Action “I dreamed of getting my papers and being allowed to stay in Ireland but I had no idea life would be so hard once I had my Stamp 4 card.”

12. The Karen In Mayo

13. Learning outcome • Where do they come from • Who are the Karen • When did they arrive in Mayo • What do they do here

14. Where is the Union of Myanmar • British Colony • Independent 1948 • Military One Party state • Population 60m • UN Sanctions • Rice, Teak, Opium

15. Who are the Karen • Hill tribe/ South Burma • Giraffe People • 10% of the Population • Camps Thailand • Own Language • Buddhist/ Christian

16. When did they come • Sept 2007 10 families • UNHCR • Refugee Centres 2.5 weeks • Ballina / Castlebar • Met them in Jan 2008

17. Pay Shaw tee/ Sab Wey Se • Sept 2007 – Family • 16 years refugee • Govt Picked them • Leaving cert • Grandmother • Citizenship

18. What do they do here • Set up their own businesses • Leadership Programmes • Education • Gardening • Citizenship • Integration

20. The Karen – A Summary • Burma - Myanamar • One Party State • Fled to Thailand • Ireland 2009 • 103 living in Mayo • Integrated • Cold Weather !!

21. MIA’S PROGRAMSGROW PROGRAMERF PROGRAM

22. GROW Growing Real Opportunities for Women

23. What is it about? • Business start up program • Commenced 2010 • 2 year programme ,September to May • 12 participants in first year • Now into their second year • Certificate from leader

24. PROGRAM MODULES • Funding • Social welfare • Marketing • Payroll • Basic book keeping • Conversational English skills • Marketing • Business structure • Employment law

25. MENTORING 6hrs of Mentoring Free of charge Aspects of business related issues E.g. social welfare entitlements E.g. Where to get funding/grants Employment issues

26. ERFEuropean Refugee Fund

27. What IS ERF? • Refugee personal development program • Two year program • NUI Maynooth • Classes monthly • Certificate in Community Work • Objective • Encouraging migrant workers to represent themselves

28. What happens? • Promotes intercultural involvement • leadership within their community • Works in partnership with GROW PROGRAM

29. NAISCNUAnew links

30. Mayo Intercultural Action • 2006 • Meitheal Mayo • Pobal • Promotes and facilitates Integration • Voice For The Voiceless

31. Promotes and facilitates integration • co-ordinates & implements employment and capacity training programmes

32. Allows access to education, training and employment • provides support for English language difficulties • access to courses and training • Information on exploitation in the workplace

33. Example of Business • The Mood Gallery • Sells Irish handmade items • E.g. jewellery, pottery, felt craft, glass craft etc • Classes in jewellery design

34. MOOD GALERY Bridge Street/Main Street, Castlebar,

35. Mayo Intercultural Action NOLLAIG SHONA DUIT! • HAPPY CHRISTMAS! • EKELE NCHETE OMUMU • ONYE NZOPUTA! • WESOTYCH SWIT BOEGO • NARODZENIA! • JOYEUX NOEL! • ARÓ-OFUDIMMA! • FELIZ NAVIDAD!

36. Why MIA Why MIA?