Actions / Programmes

We and our project teams are dedicated to providing support for individuals & communities with a special focus on refugees, International Protection Applicants and the Black & Minority Ethnic communities making up our diverse Donegal population. Our role is to support migrant communities to navigate the complex systems and structures, access resources, realise their rights, challenge inequality and racism and build a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

Information, Assistance & Advocacy

  • Are you a refugee living in Donegal? Are you living in International Protection accommodation? Are you from a Black or other Minority Ethnic background? Are you a member of the Roma Community? Do you need assistance with your Visa status, work permit, welfare or other documents? Have you experienced racism or discrimination? The Donegal Intercultural Platform provides supports and signposting to services in these areas:
  • education
  • visa and work employment
  • housing
  • health
  • welfare
  • child and family support
  • incident reporting

International Protection supports

The Intercultural Platform was established in 2009 to support people in Direct Provision Hostels in Donegal Town and Moville.

Since that time we have been at the forefront of opposition to Direct Provision (DP) – but in support of people in the DP system. We attend meetings of the Friends of Port Road IPAS Apartments, support groups and events and we are working directly with the residents of the IPAS houses for people in the International Protection Accommodation system. We cover the entire county of Donegal.

We are funded to deliver for a special support programme called ‘Asylum & Refugee Outreach’ (ARO) to assist recently arrived people in the asylum system across Donegal. This programme is part-funded by the Department of Integration (DCEDIY) See more information on the ARO Tab. We offer an daily drop-in Monday to Friday at our HUB (eircode F92D684) as well as outreach visits outside Letterkenny.

English conversation Classes

Classes will run until early July and then take a summer break – starting back in September 2026.
We will update the locations list as local conversation classes re-start.

Current list is as follows:

  • Letterkenny Area: Library Wednesdays from 10.30 to 12.30 (Intermediate to advanced level B1 to C2).
  • KIlmacrennan: Old School House (opposite the Primary School) Thursdays 19:00 – 20:00
  • Complete beginners class every Thursday at Letterkenny’s Trinity Hall near the Cathedral also from 10.30 (STRICTLY ONLY BEGINNERS levels A1-A2) Eircode F92 AH28
  • Donegal Town: Thursdays 10.30, for more information/venue/times contact Roisin at 089 952 7939
  • Milford area: Mulroy Woods hotel (IPA residents only) Tuesday 10:30 – 12:00
  • Bundoran: (New Venue) Thursday 10:30-12 in the Bundoran Community Centre (Next to library and Supervalu)
  • Ballybofey/Stranorlar: Tuesday 10:30 – 12 in Planet Youth on Chestnut Road (Upstairs behind Alzheimer’s Society offices, Dunfril House Eircode F93 PY98).
  • Buncrana: Monday 10:30 and Wednesdays 10:30 11:30 and there is an intercultural café at 11am on Thursdays in the Exchange, Castle Avenue, Buncrana Eircode F93 FE09)
  • The other areas like Moville, Glenties, Ardara and Ramelton will be added should they confirm start-up dates and locations.

If you would like to help – we always need conversation facilitators – email donegalip@gmail.com call or text Paul on 0860841433 or use the ‘contact’ tab on this website. Also use these contact points to request more details on the classes. Thank you.

We support Ukrainians

We are dedicated to supporting children and families from Ukraine adjusting to life in County Donegal.  We recognise that family life is not always easy. Life events can affect our family life and family relationships. We have been supported by CYPSC Donegal and TUSLA.
Our Community Links Team will support you and will:

• Listen, support and assist you in your family’s place of residence
• Create the conditions for the inclusion of parents in accessing appropriate services
• Signpost you to specific support services for adults, teenagers, children and carers
• Support your inclusion in TUSLA’S ‘Meitheal’ system of Family Support gatherings so you can address issues as they arise.
• Inform you of Children’s Rights under ‘Children First’ legislation in Ireland so that you are informed of all aspects of law relating to family support and Child Protection in Ireland.

We are proud to support the new Ukrainian Community Support (UCS) group of Ukrainians who have established an advocacy and support project on a voluntary basis. The UCS meets in our intercultural Hub.

Think Equality Donegal

This project completed in November 2024, but the Intercultural Platform will continue the Human Rights and Equality Duty training at the core of the project.

Think Equality Donegal (TED) was established in 2021 as a unique collaboration between the Donegal Travellers Project, Donegal Intercultural Platform and Donegal Local Development Company. 

The project sought to promote the inclusion of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, including Traveller and Roma, in all aspects of the county’s economic and social life by building a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding. Specifically, the project was concerned with addressing the barriers that are preventing members of BME communities, including Traveller and Roma, from having equality of access and outcome across public services in Donegal. To that end, a core component of our work was to engage, inform and support public/government bodies to meet their responsibilities to comply with the public sector equality and human rights duty. At the same time, we worked to build the capacity of BME communities, including Traveller and Roma, to assume leadership and decision-making roles within our public institutions.

Think Equality Donegal’s vision was of an inclusive, equal society in Donegal where culture, diversity and ethnicity are valued and celebrated within connected communities across the county, and where prejudice and discrimination have no place on the lips or in the minds of our residents or our leaders. (See more information under the Think Equality Donegal tab).
The project completed its work at the end of November 2024 and was very successful.