Project Outline
Donegal Intercultural Platform are developing and delivering an inclusion-focused action-research pilot project (In-Step) targeting young people 15-25 living in International Protection settings and in Ukrainian refugee accommodation with the aim to create the conditions for greater inclusion of migrant youth in community, faith and recreational initiatives.
The Platform has established a youth team through various creative approaches to explore impediments and challenges to inclusion as experienced by the group members and by other young people living in the IPAS and Temporary Protection accommodation. The In-Step project has also established a parent / Guardian reference group to contribute to the action research process from inception to final report. The project has drawn on the work and experience of our colleagues in the Irish Refugee Council and their excellent Tight Spaces project report.
Read the report here: tightspaces
.
Aim
To identify actions & processes that young people find to be effective in breaking down barriers to inclusion, support growth in self-confidence & overcome the particular challenges facing the target groups.
Timescale
The project will run from March until September 2023 with the final report / findings presented at the end of September 2023 in good time for consideration by schools, youth clubs and services, afterschool projects, Family Resource Centres and community development projects. We will then take the final report, its findings and recommendations to a range of youth organisations for discussion and ideas for implementation.
We continue the young adult working group beyond August to provide longer term support and advocacy for young men in the International protection system with the support of the Connecting For Life initiative of the HSE – this development will be called ‘Protecting Ourselves – Protecting Each Other’
Outcome
A youth-led process that identifies what young people in the asylum and refugee communities experience, need and can overcome through appropriate and creative actions including language and cultural supports, recreational opportunities. To provide some ‘guides to action’ for youth and community work practitioners working to include refugee and asylum-resident young people in their programmes. The project has two working groups (15-18 and 19-25years) each with specific objectives, methods and outcomes.