Cork East Fine Gael TD and Minister of State with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton, has announced that a total of €500,000 will be allocated under the 2018 Communities Integration Fund.
The Communities Integration Fund was launched by Minister Stanton in February 2017 to coincide with the launch of the Government’s 4 year Migrant Integration Strategy – A Blueprint for the Future. A total of 115 grass roots projects nationwide have now been approved to receive grants of up to €5,000 each for activities to support the integration of migrants within our communities.
A wide variety of projects have been selected for funding, including and not limited to:
• Arts and Craft based projects
• Intercultural festivals and events including food festivals
• Initiatives to promote migrant participation in sports and address barriers to participation in local sports clubs
• Projects aimed at building the capacity of female migrants to engage with their local communities
• Local anti-racism actions
• Projects supporting elderly migrants
• Projects supporting LGBT migrants
• Schools based integration projects
• Local supports for newly arrived migrants
Projects selected under the 2018 fund will take place between now and June 2019 and amongst those approved for funding are three local Cork East projects, The Carrigtwohill Family Resource Centre, Love and Care for People CLG and SECAD Partnership CLG.
Announcing the projects, Minister Stanton revealed “I am delighted to once again announce funding for a wide variety of projects to aid migrant integration and social inclusion in communities small and large throughout the State.
“These funds are crucial to enabling local communities to come together and develop the understanding that will serve as the foundation for stronger, more integrated communities in the future.
“Through the Communities Integration Fund, the government recognises that integration must happen at a grassroots level and that local community groups and organisations play a crucial role in this process.
“Last year was the first year of the Communities Integration Fund and having personally visited some of the projects funded I was struck by how great an impact such a relatively modest financial support can have in bringing migrants and their host communities together. I look forward to visiting more projects in the future and hearing about the many innovative approaches to migrant integration that will be supported once again through this year’s scheme.”
Further information on the Communities Integration Fund 2018 is available at:
http://www.integration.ie/en/ISEC/Pages/CIF2018
