Shaping Interculturalism Report 2009

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    REPORT ON CONSULTATIONSFOR AN INTERCULTURAL

    STRATEGY FORYOUTHWORKCompiled and written by Lisa Mauro-Bracken

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    CONTENTS

    Foreword 4

    Introduction 5

    Context 5An Intercultural Strategy or Youth Work 6

    Consultation Process 6

    Focus Groups with Young People 7

    Focus Groups with Parents rom ME

    and Irish Communities 7

    Youth Workers and Representatives o

    Organisations o ME groups 7

    Key Messages and Priorities 8

    Eperiences of Youth Work 9

    Eperience of Racism 11Participants Perceptions in the Irish Community 13

    Barriers to Accessing Youth Work Opportunities 14

    Challenges in the Deelopment of Inclusie Programmes 17

    Supports and Resources for Youth Organisations 20

    Supports that can be gien to Minority Groups 23

    Eamples of Good Practice 25

    Kerry Diocesan Youth Service 25

    Blanchardstown Youth Service 26

    YMCA, Dublin 27

    Peer Mentoring Activities 27Suggested Actions 29

    Research into Practices and Needs 29

    Policies to Support Intercultural Practice 29

    Funding and Resources 30

    Interagency Partnerships 30

    Training and Support or Youth Workers 31

    Recruitment o Outreach and Youth Workers

    rom ME Background 31

    Targeted Outreach and Inormation Programmes 32

    Pilot Projects and Initiatives 33Monitoring and Evaluation 33

    Conclusion 34

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    5

    INTRODUCTION

    The National Youth Council o

    Ireland (NYCI) with the support o

    the Department o Education andScience (DES) and the National

    Action Plan Against Racism

    (NPAR)1, produced a Report

    and Recommendations or an

    Intercultural Strategy or Youth

    Work. As part o this process, NYCI

    completed a consultation process

    to establish views on improving

    access to youth work opportunities

    or young people rom Traveller andminority ethnic communities.

    Youth work has particular

    characteristics, which make it

    suitable or working with young

    people rom Minority Ethnic (ME)

    groups. These include diverse,

    learner-centred programmes, its

    ocus on voluntary participation and

    fexible, adaptable methodologies.There is evidence o a commitment

    to, and interest in, intercultural

    youth work among both youth

    workers and young people in

    the ongoing activities o many

    youth organisations. However,

    there remains a need or greater

    strategic direction, support and

    coordination in this area to ensure

    that a commitment to inclusive,intercultural practice becomes a

    sustainable eature o youth work in

    Ireland.

    This report summarises inormation

    gathered as part o the ocus group

    consultations held with young

    people, their parents, youth workers

    and representatives o minority

    ethnic communities includingyouth workers rom minority ethnic

    backgrounds. It highlights the range

    and depth o comments made

    during the consultation phase o

    the development o an Intercultural

    Strategy or Youth Work.

    CONTExT

    In the relatively recent past, Irelandhas changed rom being a state

    with strong traditions o emigration

    to one experiencing substantial

    and diverse inward migration.

    It is estimated that since 2002,

    immigration has contributed to the

    overall population increase with

    the astest growing immigration

    fow coming rom EU New Member

    States ollowed by Aricans andAsians.

    10%ofIrelandspopulationare oreign nationals or

    approximately 420,000 people.

    Thispopulationconsistsof migrant workers and their

    amilies, asylum seekers,

    reugees, Roma and oreign

    students rom 165 nationalities.2

    Thisisinadditiontotheexisting cultural and ethnic diversity

    that had already existed in

    Ireland including 22,435

    Travellers.

    Developmentofapproachesforthe integration o diverse

    cultures and ethnic groups is

    essential as they are at

    increased risk o poverty,exclusion and discrimination.

    1 NPAR has since reached 2 Central Statistics Oce,the end o its projected Census 2006 Principalproject timeline and has Demographic Results,been discontinued. July 2007.

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    AN INTERCULTURAL STRATEGY

    FOR YOUTH WORK

    In response to recommendations in

    The National Action Plan against

    Racism, 2005 - 2008 (NPAR)3 and

    the National Youth Work Development

    Plan,4 NYCI and DES undertook

    to develop an intercultural strategy

    or the youth sector. This report and

    recommendations responds to the

    need to promote interculturalism

    and combat racism in the youthwork sector. It aims to ensure that

    development opportunities in the

    youth sector promote equality and

    are accessible, culturally sensitive

    and appropriate in meeting the

    needs o young people rom diverse

    and dierent cultures. This Report

    and Recommendations will take on

    board the whole system approach

    advocated in the NPAR includingmainstreaming, targeted strategies

    accommodation o cultural diversity.

    An Intercultural Strategy will enable

    the youth work sector to work more

    eectively to:

    Ensurethatyoungpeople,volunteers and youth workers

    rom minority ethniccommunities and diverse

    cultures can be assured o

    opportunities to engage in

    youth work and have equality

    outcomes rom youth work and

    youth service provision.

    Befullyinclusiveofandresponsive to the rich cultural

    diversity that exists amongst

    young people in Ireland todayand to ensure that such

    diversity is valued, celebrated

    and positively reinorced or the

    benet o all young people and

    or society as a whole.

    Contributetothedevelopmento a shared ability and a sense

    o responsibility to protect allyoung people and to ensure,

    or each other, the right to

    be dierent and to live ree rom

    racism and unair discrimination.

    Shareexistingnationalandinternational good practice, or

    example in relation to youth

    work with young

    Travellers,reugees etc.

    CONSULTATION PROCESS

    Between April and June 2007 a

    wide-ranging consultation process

    was completed to support the

    development o an Intercultural

    Strategy. A steering group with

    representation rom the youth work

    sector, government and nongovernment organisations advised

    on key aspects o the consultative

    process to ensure a strategy

    and implementation plan were

    completed.

    The consultation process included:

    Apubliccallforsubmissions Aseriesofdiscussionsand

    workshops with stakeholders

    rom statutory bodies and

    agencies

    AninvitationtoNYCImemberorganisations as well as other

    relevant groups to make

    submissions and contribute to

    the development o the strategy

    Focusgroupconsultationstoensure young people and youthworkers inormed the

    development o the strategy

    As mentioned above, this

    report highlights the comments

    made during the ocus group

    consultations. The aim o the

    consultations was to determine how

    access to youth work by memberso new and established minority

    ethnic communities could be

    improved.

    A total o 95 participants attended

    the ocus group events. The aim o

    the ocus group sessions were to:

    Provideanopportunityto engage in interculturaldialogue, exchange ideas and

    raise awareness.

    Allowparticipantstoshare experiences o needs, barriers

    to participation, and suggest

    adaptations necessary to ully

    accommodate young people

    rom diverse cultures and

    minority ethnic backgrounds in

    youth work. Contributetotheintercultural

    practice and social inclusion

    work being undertaken in the

    various locations.

    The groups were organised in the

    ollowing locations:

    Blanchardstown,Dublin15 Dundalk,Co.Louth Tralee,Co.Kerry CanalCommunitiesArea,

    Dublin 8

    3 www.diversityireland.ie

    4 www.youth.ie

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    7

    accommodation.

    FOCUS GROUPS WITH

    YOUNG PEOPLE

    A total o 29 young people attended

    these sessions. The sessions were

    targeted at those engaged in youth

    activities who were interested in

    more inclusive youth development

    opportunities. In addition, young

    people rom diverse and/or minority

    ethnic backgrounds were invited

    to attend. They may or may not

    have been engaged in youthactivity but they wanted to discuss

    their experiences o inclusion

    and exclusion and their desire to

    be involved. This included young

    people living in direct provision

    FOCUS GROUPS WITH PARENTS

    FROM MINORITY ETHNIC AND

    IRISH COMMUNITIES

    Fiteen parents attended sessions

    which were targeted at those

    who wish to promote a greater

    inclusion o young people rom

    diverse cultures in development

    opportunities. Many o the parents

    met or the rst time to discuss

    issues around inclusion/intercultural

    youth work and the opportunitiesor young people to participate in

    general.

    YOUTH WORKERS AND

    REPRESENTATIvES OF

    ORGANISATIONS OF MINORITYETHNIC GROUPS

    A total o 51 people contributed to

    these sessions. The sessions

    provided opportunities or sharing

    experiences and insights which

    contributed to the development

    o an Intercultural Strategy.

    These sessions also provided

    an opportunity to consider howyouth service and minority

    led organisations could work

    collectively to develop a more

    inclusive youth work practice locally.

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    KEY MESSAGES AND PRIORITIES

    The ocus group consultations were inormative and a good opportunity

    or people to meet and discuss issues around intercultural youth work.

    These sessions created links between youth organisations and communitydevelopment agencies that oten do not work together on youth issues. In

    addition, the sessions provided an opportunity or participants to learn about

    available services as well as cultural learning.

    A number o recurring themes occurred throughout the discussions held with

    young people, parents and youth workers. The general ndings demonstrated

    that the equality ocus at the local level is not signicant, with limited inclusion

    programmes and activities being implemented.

    Activities which are inclusive o minority ethnic communities are developedbecause an individual youth service or worker/leader has recognised the

    need. Participants were not aware o any national guidelines or research on

    the needs o young people rom minority ethnic groups. Youth workers elt

    there is limited leadership in relation to intercultural youth practice and they

    do not have a sense o being responsible or inclusion. Many youth workers

    stated they are not condent about their skills to manage racist incidences

    and have limited ability to acilitate eective interculturalism/anti-racism

    practice with their groups.

    The ndings below outline the key messages emerging rom the ocus groupconsultations and include the ollowing:

    - Experiences o youth work

    - Experiences o racism

    - Participants perceptions o the majority community

    - Barriers to participation or minority ethnic/Traveller young people

    - Challenges to developing inclusive programmes

    - Support or youth organisations and youth workers

    - Support or minority ethnic organisations

    - Examples o good practice- Suggested actions

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    9

    ExPERIENCES OFYOUTH WORK

    A majority o the ocus group respondents rom ME backgrounds involved

    in youth work opportunities stated their experiences have been positive.

    Several young people rom ME backgrounds stated they are unaware oopportunities through the youth service in their community. Their involvement

    in youth related activities occurs through ater school programmes, church

    groups and sports clubs. However, their experiences are similar to those

    young people involved in the non-ormal youth sector. The participants

    mentioned the ollowing points:

    - Interaction and riendship

    - Creativity and reduced boredom

    - Inclusion and integration

    - Positive involvement in the community- Leadership activities and engagement or older youth

    - Support and assistance with ormal education through peer

    mentoring programmes and homework clubs

    - Support and welcome or parents

    - Reduced negative attitudes towards Travellers and a sense

    that discrimination and racism is decreasing

    - Need or more relevant activities

    - Employment options or disadvantaged communities

    Invited new people into youth club;

    Music is a good way to bring people

    together; swapping music; drama, hip

    hop; dancing and music.

    _ME Young Person

    New riends were made; we were

    all kind o riends, the whole group; it

    brought us togetherWe were working

    together or a perormance; elt good;working together and completing

    something; having to perorm; not

    messing up _ME Young Person

    For them, at moment theres not

    any dierences, whether Catholic or

    Muslim, all treated as one; not putting

    children into religious situations; make

    riends with who you want just be as

    one; dont worry about i rom Iraq orIreland _ME Parent

    Its important because we stay in same

    place; would eel separate i dont go;

    keep busy; go nuts i just stay at home;

    no external activities/entertainment;

    otherwise only TV _ME Parent

    I youre new its important or

    someone to make you eel welcome

    _ME Young Person

    Support rom Ms R. (a teacher) or the

    dance club; she gave us resources,

    radio/player, room to practice, anything

    we needed. She is the best; brought

    everyone together, brings black and

    white together; we have un; I have so

    many Irish riends she is so good she

    doesnt discriminate

    _ME Young Person

    I worked with principal to develop a

    strategy to get all children involved,

    they do the work; encouraged positive

    multicultural activities in school;

    we learn about each other; level o

    tolerance high, includes Travellers,

    Aricans; example o a school as a

    multicultural youth centre; we celebrate

    diversity. Need to have an active anti-

    bullying/racism policy; needs to bevisible not just poster gathering dust

    _ME Parent

    In my country or young people

    turning 18, receive community

    education, involved with education into

    lie, not only relying on school

    _ME Community Representatie

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    Leadership activities, we made acommittee, so young people come in

    and will plan what they want to do ornext week and this week say i want to

    go to cinema; one would be president;

    next one would have to see how

    much it would cost especially or trips

    _Youth Worker

    Sometimes things organised but not

    what interested in; sometimes, as well,

    gone through programme already or

    have been on exchanges so comingto basketball wouldnt be as exciting;

    boring _Traeller Young Person

    Ater age 18, kids, they enter dierent

    area, real challenge comes. At this age,

    looking at dierent pleasures o lie. So

    how to promote something more or

    them? How to express yoursel; how to

    develop yoursel; what is out there or

    you? Give chance to everyone to do

    things to contribute sel to communityand as a whole, to society; want to

    work with other youth organisations

    to keep them in this balanced state;

    extremes in both ways.This comes to

    light in all societies/communities, so

    how do we keep to the middle way.

    Thats our challenge.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Traveller kids mixed in with settled; noghting, no racism no name calling;

    kids get on well. (Local youth) Centre

    broke boundaries; settled come up

    to site and Travellers can go to their

    houses; call on each other to play.

    Dierent nationalities mixing too; youth

    workers must have knowledge o

    cultures; youth leader treats everyone

    Overall participants stated their experiences o youth work/activities were

    positive and provided opportunities or interaction, integration and riendships.

    These interactions reduce boredom and help to support young people and

    their parents in becoming a part o the community. Participants mentioned that

    positive experiences occurred because o the support provided by a teacher or

    other adult in creating an environment that is respectul and open to diversity.

    The positive environment was also ostered by schools and youth clubs having

    a policy on equality, bullying, and/or anti-racism in place ensuring that issues

    o race and culture are discussed openly. Although many young people andparents stated their youth work experiences have been positive, several

    participants stated that youth work activities are boring and need to be more

    relevant to their needs. They stated the current projects and activities do not

    oer opportunities to minority ethnic/Travellers beyond volunteering. There is

    a sense o rustration and disgruntlement towards the service with a desire or

    more activities which promote employment opportunities or Traveller youth.

    the same but doesnt come naturally;

    (The youth centre) is great or young

    people, it keeps them occupied and weknow where they are.

    _Traeller Parent

    Dont know what to do; would like

    to have opportunities; my status is a

    problem; I cant continue my study,

    cant work, and cant do anything.

    _ME Young Person

    Many Travellers work alongsidetrained people a long time; work

    but not qualied. Travellers have

    the experience; need recognition o

    experience so people can provide

    youth work as employees not

    volunteers. _Traeller Parent

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    11

    ExPERIENCE OF RACISM

    Several young people and parents rom minority ethnic and Traveller

    communities stated they had experienced racism with the ollowing points

    raised:

    - Verbal attacks are oten made by children. There is a perception that

    the children have no understanding o what they are saying.

    - Believe racist behaviour/comments are learned and that dealing with

    a situation requires working with children at school but also with

    parents and the wider community.

    - Response by parents is to limit activities outside the home. Young

    people also limit their own activities to places where they eel sae

    and do not travel alone or ater dark.

    - Very ew incidences are reported as there is a ear o repercussion.Reporting to those in authority does not resolve the problem as

    participants perceive they are the ones with negative attitudes.

    - Lack o inormation on the part o all participants about the role o the

    National Consultative Committee on Racism in Interculturalism

    (NCCRI).

    - Many stated there are mechanisms and policies in place to deal

    with such situations. Such approaches have assisted in reducing

    racism/discrimination in some areas.

    - In other cases, i an incident is reported, amilies, schools and

    youth organisations will respond, however participants stated they eltthe response is not always appropriate.

    nothing happening; Ethnic Liaison

    Ocer, he needs to have training in

    interculturalism; Garda employed in

    these posts need to liaise with groups;

    never see the ace o them; need

    to know what their job description,

    role, training brie is and who theyaccountable to; what ollow up will

    occur i report something.

    _Traeller Community Worker

    Told Ms. R. (teacher) about it, she

    wanted to tell the police but I didnt

    want to because didnt think it would

    help, could make it worse because

    parents o the kid dont care about how

    they act; dangerous but didnt want toreport; thought would get bullied more.

    _ME Young Person

    This is around racism; racism is a lot

    around skin/colour but people say need

    to be mindul o imported racism.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Football is a mixed team but

    sometimes call names, skin colour etc,insulting; at my school wont call it to

    my ace; know it happens but pretend it

    doesnt _ME Young Person

    Irish in class tell me to *** o, shut up,

    etc.Teacher told about these things,

    but does nothing. Nothing will change;

    crazy;Teacher tells me to be quiet, shut

    up; makes me sad.

    _ME Young Person

    They get it rom their parents, young

    people dont understand and dont

    know what they are saying; I dont think

    they believe what they are saying; it is

    easier to start with young people, but

    theres a lot o work needs to be done

    withadults;Idsay60%ormoreneedsto be done with adults.

    _Youth Worker

    It comes rom parents, just today,someone was saying in the crche i

    someone brown comes here Im not

    allowed to come in anymore; parents

    in Ireland havent grown up in the

    Ireland their children are growing up in,

    their attitude is learned.The attitudes

    and opinions o parents are based on

    own experience and kids believe their

    parents when they say something. It

    has a negative eect._ME Youth Worker

    People are araid to report racism to

    the Garda because Garda are racist.

    Everyday, people are araid because

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    Not easily reported. Accept it. I amused to it, incidents happening.When

    I report, and call Garda, no response.They say, that oenders are underage,

    nothing they can do; they advised me

    to move out.There is nothing I can do;

    so why should I report it; eventually I

    let. _ME Parent

    I had an experience to report an

    assault, a racist incident; the Garda

    asked any bruises? There werent,

    so he said cant do anything or you.Victim becomes the suspect, there

    is no protection, dont eel sae; keep

    curtains closed, dont want people to

    know you live there. _ME Parent

    I someone calls you a monkey, just

    walk away, you are not a monkey so

    why does it bother you. I am teaching

    her to ignore racist statements

    otherwise will escalate and then its aburden to make

    amily sae. Its up to parents to teach

    child, tell them not to speak certain

    ways. _ME Parent

    When I rst came a kid said n****;

    I reported it to a teacher but he did

    nothing about it. All he did was ignore it.

    He should have gone to head teacher.

    I he did this the person might have got

    in trouble, but all he did was say dont

    say that again; (I was) told to ignore it;

    but when he let, the kid did it again.

    Why would I ignore it?_ME Young Person

    People dont know that (they can

    report to NCCRI). Need to advertise

    this or make it publicly known; has to

    be independent o government and

    Garda. Is it kept condential?; maybe

    (advertise) in Citizen Inormation

    Centres or advertise service in

    community groups _ME Parent

    Participants stated that they had experienced racism and dealing with it

    required work with children at school and with parents in the community. A

    whole community approach was necessary to reduce the occurrence o racist

    incidences. Several Traveller parents, young people and youth workers also

    stated they repeatedly experience institutional as well as direct discrimination.

    Most participants stated they did not report racist incidences as there is earo repercussion and that there is little interest or willingness to assist. Oten

    there is the sense o being treated as the one in the wrong. There is a lack

    o inormation on the part o all participants about the role o the NCCRI as

    an organisation that records incidents o racism and compiles three monthly

    reports and also oers advice on reporting incidents o racism to the Garda.

    This suggests the need or community groups to work closer together in

    understanding how to combat racism. More inormation and skills are required

    on handling racial incidences within the youth sector, schools and in the

    community. A concerted eort to combat racism is required to ensure young

    people eel sae and can participate actively in youth work.

    School yards, lot o bullying/racism in

    the past; kids wouldnt go i racism; but

    now, schools do something; somethingbeing done; kids can come back tell

    parents and then tell teacher; people

    can stand up now. Racism gone away.

    Mixing in now. _ME Young Person

    Racism is dealt with quickly; and

    sometimes (schools) over respond;

    cant say black; cant accuse minority

    ethnic o doing something; ght

    between communities and an Irishyoung person will get expelled; Oten

    appear obsessed with issues but not

    talking about it; Schools are terried

    problem will arise and will get accused

    o not handling it; DES has to look

    at it and provide support to schools;

    Board o Management o a school

    needs to have policies in place and

    create/approve language that wont be

    considered oensive; but need to beallowed to express sel without causing

    problems. _ME Parent

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    13

    PARTICIPANTS PERCEPTIONSOF THE IRISH COMMUNITY

    Some o the participants gave their own views on the Irish. Many o these

    views are based on their negative interactions with other young people during

    their time in Ireland. The ollowing statements were made:

    Dont meet Irish or play with them or

    get together with them; I have Czech

    and Polish riends; dont want to make

    riends with Irish; some are not good,

    crazy, not nice, wild.

    _ME Young Person

    Irish dont understand; but also notinterested in Arica, Poland etc. I you

    dont have accent okay, but once have

    accents even i white, people start to

    say oh hes rom there; shes not our

    riend because shes got this accent.

    _ME Young Person

    Irish not social; they dont speak to

    each other.Three oreigners on team,

    but the Irish dont speak to us; trainingbut no interaction with me other than

    kicking ball, etc. Acceptance dicult,

    but important; coach has tried but

    not work. In my class 50:50 Irish to

    oreigner, but segregate each other,

    dont have ull acceptance.

    _ME Young Person

    Settled people assumed I knewpeople because I was a Traveller and

    its same with coloured people, settled

    people think all know each other.

    _Traeller Youth Worker

    Irish kids dont identiy sel by

    creed/religion. Muslim kids identiy

    themselves by creed. Irish kids tend to

    ocus more on attitude, class.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Negative interactions with the majority Irish community have created

    a perception o the Irish as not social, not interested in minority ethnic

    communities and being racist. Many o these perceptions have grown out o

    the rustration and isolation young people eel when they are not included in

    activities. Several o the young people would like majority Irish youth to learn

    more about them in order to gain acceptance.

    I dont think they know what people

    go through to get here; its not like

    we came here and it was all peaches

    and cream.We had a hard time

    getting here. Now I want to go home

    because you get bullied just or your

    race; I hated it so much when rst got

    here. People look at me and they saywhat is she, not black not white, I am

    something unny; I explain what people

    go through to get here they understand

    better, might make a dierence; might

    make it easier to come together.

    _ME Young Person

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    BARRIERS TO ACCESSINGYOUTH WORK OPPORTUNITIES

    There are many barriers to accessing youth work opportunities or young people

    and adults rom a minority ethnic and Traveller background. Participants stated that

    youth organisations need to actively promote their services and provide a sae,welcoming and inclusive environment or true participation by young people rom

    diverse backgrounds to occur.The ollowing barriers were mentioned throughout

    the discussions:

    - Lack o inormation about youth work opportunities and youth

    organisations

    - Lack o targeted outreach and accessible programmes provided

    - Language and miscommunication

    - Limited awareness about cultural and religious belies and practices

    - Lack o youth workers rom the minority ethnic and TravellerCommunities

    - Parents ear and saety concerns or their children

    - Perception o parents about Irish culture, their own culture, youth work

    and young people

    - Gender issues

    - Financial constraints

    - Garda vetting process

    I dont know where to get inormation;supposed to have community projects

    but where to go dont know where to

    start._ME Parent

    I dont know about stu outside o

    school; wouldnt know about other

    clubs, not invited to go.

    _ME Young Person

    Lack o knowledge about service;need to do outreach; i its about

    building relationships, need to inorm.

    _ME Representatie

    Up to agencies to promote services

    that they have to oer .And up to

    parents and young people to nd out.

    _Community Worker

    Parents should be involved; veryprotective about my child; when no

    inormation mentioned this is one o the

    problems.Want it (inormation) written

    out, not have children telling us.

    _ME Parent

    I want to set up club that ocuses oncultural inormation, on Arican culture,

    happy to have Irish join, but most

    likely they wont be interested; things

    we want our children to learn; have to

    accept that we want dierent things.

    _ME Parent

    People lack inormation; might be

    on radio but not many understand it;

    helps i come and speak or provideinormation in persons language.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Literacy may be an issue; there is

    an assumption that people have the

    condence to make a call (to get

    inormation), presumed people will call

    numbers.

    _Traeller Community Worker

    People in class know where I come

    rom.This helps; have to get to know

    each other but language biggest

    problem; i didnt speak English, they

    would tell me to go.

    _ME Young Person

    Accents can cause barrier becausecant understand each other; but need

    to keep mixing and keep trying; say it

    once, dont understand, try again.

    _ME Young Person

    English language greatest barrier

    or social communication; dont know

    what to talk about or what to do; we

    can talk and have group discussion

    about medical things, school work, buti want to talk urther, dont know what

    to say; dont know what their social lie

    is. _ME Young Person

    Arican cultureor example, why

    do children avoid eye contact when

    speaking with an adult. also way

    we address people is dierent; my

    children call other elders Aunty, not by

    rst name; show respect; I cant reerto my older sisters by rst name;

    taboo.This can cause signicant

    problems; it causes conusion between

    the two cultures.

    _ME Community Representatie

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    Understanding their culture, its a big

    problem;Travellers, they have their

    own culture; its rom the parentsperspective what their children are

    allowed to do while trying to keep the

    culture. _Community Worker

    I have my Arabic background, I am

    British, I am Irish.Whole concept o

    integration is undened; what do

    we mean by integration. I have Irish

    riends, study here, work here, pay

    taxes, go out; okay, dont drink, not intoclubbing scene thats my preerence

    rather than cultural thing. So when

    someone says integration, I eel more

    integrated as have similar problems as

    othersCeltic Tiger, Ireland changed,

    been here through that change; Irish

    have lost identity, ewer Irish going to

    church. Culture constantly changing so

    to promote Irish culture then is a good

    thing or us. _ME Youth Worker

    The religious aspects is what brings

    us together; cultural aspects brings

    or creates a dierence within groups;

    last Friday had around 15 cultures in

    one group; or us, the uniying thing is

    the creed and dont dierentiate based

    on culture. Next step is to invite other

    creeds because religious barriers they

    do exist because parents have ears;real barriers that need to be crossed.

    To preserve religious identity, this is

    greater challenge to us than the cultural

    challenge. _ME Youth Worker

    I dont know each other, how can we

    know values.The idea o Irish culture

    or Irishness overrides religious barriers;

    promoting the idea o a common thread

    is a good way orward._ME Youth Worker

    Issue around ood; i ood not halal,

    this is a barrier; i invited to events, it

    is dicult to attend, need to have halal

    ood; oten this is overlooked and i I

    dont tell them about ood need, I wont

    come to event. _ME Young Person

    Parents come with ears o exclusion;

    oten trying to build trust but still

    Travellers wont let children out on

    trips.

    _Traeller Deelopment Worker

    Mum not allow me, wont let me walk

    around at night. I parents know where

    I am and know its sae, its okay. I dont

    know whats happening, not happy. Ithey have a consent sheet and letter,

    its ne, its okay. _ME Young Person

    Saety or kids, araid or them to just

    go to things; need to know who is

    organising. _ME Parent

    Not a ear born out o ignorance; have

    to understand their context, dierent

    backgrounds, dierent experiences; itsnot as i dont have youth work/groups

    at home but in a dierent country.

    Families trying to nd own area, theyre

    looking rom dierent perspective.

    _ME Community Representatie

    In Blanchardstown, some parts are

    disadvantaged; many people living

    modestly. Some children involved in

    bad activities, so parents dont wantchildren mixing with Irish children and

    Irish children may also not be willing to

    mix up with new communities.There

    is a ear o ghetto/not mixing between

    two communities; very disadvantaged

    because not in powerul situation.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Many want to be involved but not

    accepted; example, ootball teamsnot accepting them to join in; i no

    integration we will see ourselves as

    disadvantaged; revenge could happen.

    This is what happened in France with

    Arabic black children; need to rst

    address what type o interaction can

    we promote between communities. I

    talking about integration, interaction is

    the rst step. _ME Parent

    Children will see selves as children,

    integration is really about us the adults

    who have to look at this; Children will

    grow into culture, shit into it

    _Traeller Deelopment Worker

    Parents can be a big barrier or

    children; need to get them involved,

    explain positive benets o youth work;personal development o young people;

    most time parents dont realise that.

    They are living in a dierent society,

    where i dont care about personal

    development o children, it could be a

    tragedy or them. _ME Youth Worker

    In school, kids making riends with

    other kids; kids interact quickly, but

    parents holding them back; hard toget parents involved; try dierent

    things. Lucky with Forige youth club,

    but parent involvement a challenge.

    Activities at youth club would mean two

    ree hours or them (dont get this oten)

    so see it as something to look ater kids

    not to get involved with themselves.

    _Traeller Deelopment Worker

    Parents are oten reluctant to integrateand wont let young people do this;

    because when dont eel welcome, they

    live in and stay in own community; dont

    let children out; strategy is to work with

    parents; hard to get them to trust and

    be happy to see children involved.

    _ME Parent

    Adults are the ones with problems

    and prejudices (teach to children). Anaccepting school environment creates

    accepting children; learn rom children;

    need to oster this acceptance so

    society will be better. _ME Parent

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    Dicult to engage parents; manycame with business ideas and busy

    with own things and survival, no clueabout the society around them; dont

    understand Irish society, culture.

    Parents unaware o social make up o

    Ireland and new needs o kids; think

    o it as when at home; need to be

    aware o new country that they live in

    and being aware; See education side

    o things, getting decent grades, but

    dicult to educate them about the

    other things; Parents dont see it asimportant; havent understood need or

    children to engage.

    _ME Youth Worker

    I am a Muslim ather, (its a) matter o

    act that boys and girls dont mix; even

    in prayers, separate in mosque; cant

    be where a woman is, because it would

    get me out o my prayers. _ME Parent

    When youre a girl you stay right

    until married; parents have to know

    everything. _Traeller Parent

    Perception nothing to do with a

    religious thing but more to do with

    cultural thing rom home; that women

    are not involved outside o the home.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Girls not let o as much as boys;

    not as much reedom.This could be

    challenged but traditions are up to

    parents. Mothers and athers always

    strict with girls; usually seen not heard.Once a girl is 12/13, must stay home;

    young girls are engaged at 16/17;

    engaged so girl wont get bad name; i

    out (socially), get bad name and then

    hard to get her married.

    _Traeller Youth Worker

    Girls engage easily and well and very

    willing. Men reluctant wont necessarily

    join. See a lot o sexism in school.Need or equality, respect; amily values

    issue and belies so dont see that

    certain actions not acceptable.

    _Community Worker

    Young emale leaders on committees,

    at least a third on committees; want

    50%butstilldifculttogetfemalesinvolved.The youth leaders will provide

    the condence to the parents; let themknow this is our prole, our history; can

    only be broken down by youth leader;

    and create trust. _ME Youth Worker

    (In our countries) unusual to spend

    money on ootball, or activities but here

    income is limited and many activities

    have to be paid or; and parents dont

    have money to pay. Their perception is

    that here many activities are seen ascosting or requiring pay; and in reality

    many activities do not cost; parents

    Many o the barriers mentioned throughout the consultation process require

    youth organisations and workers to rethink how they promote their services

    and create a more welcoming, inclusive service. Language, cultural and

    religious diversity within the minority ethnic communities urther limits the

    ability o some groups to learn about youth services through the normal

    recruitment processes being used. The perception o parents about Irishculture, their own culture and how young people are expected to behave

    creates barriers to active participation due to ear and concern or the saety

    o their children as well as the desire to maintain their cultural/religious

    identities. Additional inormation about the youth service and the benets to

    young people must be provided to parents along with the creation o a trusting

    relationship beore real participation can occur.

    need inormation about this.

    _Community Representatie

    Barrier; but theres a reason or

    people not getting clearance (Garda

    vetting), very essential(need a) level

    playing eld; same clearance as any

    one elsehave one law or youth

    organisation and one or others. Other

    organisations looking at it but up to

    them; doesnt make sense.

    _Community Worker

    For example i she wants to apply

    she should know how to get it; Need

    to know more about the procedure;

    how long; explanation about how it

    works; how apply or it; there should be

    someone there to help. _ME Parent

    No problem or issue getting Garda

    clearance or volunteers, but there

    was a real standoshness whenproduced orm; understand that they

    have to ll in lots o orms so they

    were taken aback and suspicious

    by this but explained its to protect

    young people and sel, and explained

    the orm so ound it okay; Garda

    clearance has to be done by each

    organisation so every time they

    volunteer or dierent group they

    need new clearance._Community Worker

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    17

    CHALLENGES IN THE DEvELOPMENTOF INCLUSIvE PROGRAMMES

    Youth worker participants stated they ound it dicult to get young people

    rom a minority ethnic background, especially asylum seekers and separated

    children, to access and participate in youth work. For those experiencingdiculties rst hand, they recognised it is necessary to encourage young

    people directly and have a fexible, open attitude in order to respond eectively

    to the needs o this group. They recognised the need to create an environment

    within the club that values and respects diverse cultural backgrounds. The

    ollowing challenges were mentioned throughout the ocus group discussions:

    - Youth workers perceptions and attitudinal barriers

    - Need or enhanced skills or youth workers and Irish youth

    around intercultural issues and anti-racism

    - Funding and resource constraints- Programme and structural infexibility

    - Lack o interagency communication

    Peoples prejudices there; ear o

    change, ear o dierence.

    _Community Worker

    A lot o youth groups live in own

    bubble and need to burst bubble. Noawareness about the issues, many

    dont want to change. A lot more work

    has to happen and see what other

    youth groups are doing.

    _Youth Worker

    Outreach work to target minority ethnic

    groups has to do with leadership.

    _Youth Worker

    Society gives silent messages to

    people: an all Irish group sends a silent

    message to minority groups; when

    writing up constitution, should ask, are

    we being inclusive; are we wheelchair

    riendly, are we LGBT inclusive; are

    we open to minority ethnic groups;

    are we making eorts to include

    minority ethnic young people or are we

    orgetting subconsciously?_Community Worker

    Need to break down perceptions; need

    to break down locally; start small and

    move up; break ormation o ghettos

    and seclusion.Want everyone to have

    ree way o expression. Perceptions

    grow there (in ghettos) and extreme

    views, bad things can happen; so need

    to ocus on how to break perceptions

    o young people, its how to break theghetto. _ME Youth Worker

    Youth Workers need to be trained

    to deal with issues; understanding

    the need and having skills to take

    responsibilities or comments/actions

    being made at youth clubs. Xenophobia

    versus racism needs to be addressed;

    imported xenophobia/anti-Semitism

    with migrants; No intercultural stubeing implemented.

    _Community Worker

    Dealing with anti-racism work:

    members at Y hadnt engaged

    beore. Anti-racism work with Irish,

    there was a wariness because never

    mixed with oreigners beore. Also,

    at the hostels, dierent groups live

    together and have many signicantdierences. They dont necessarily

    get on; doesnt mean have to get on.

    Only thing they have in common is

    that they are oreign nationals (and

    they are asylum seekers.) They are

    rom dierent countries; could have

    Nigerian, Moroccan all together;

    problem with that, but people see

    them all as non-nationals.

    _Youth Worker

    Oten activities enorced through

    unding;Youth leaders not connected

    to this because so engaged and

    absorbed with kids so dont have time

    to make connections. _Youth Leader

    Asylum seekers and reugees,

    minority ethnic youth are not

    mentioned or named in DES

    unding as a target group like theTravellers and disadvantaged youth

    are. Disadvantaged young people,

    what does it really mean? Open

    to interpretation; not specied so

    interpret it way we need to; but should

    specically name asylum seekers as

    a target group as they are living o

    19.10 a week. We should receive

    proper unding not 2,500 to sustain

    projects or a year...We have twogroups, legally resident migrants and

    asylum seekers group, integrated

    groups together; decided to target

    asylum seekers beore got unding;

    ran project on a shoestring to oer

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    something; anything we can oer ornothing, we did it; oered arts, crats,

    computers. _Youth Worker

    Awul lot o people coming in are

    living in rented accommodation;

    very expensive, living on very small

    budgets and are disadvantaged but

    my area wouldnt cover them so they

    arent coming into my youth group;

    Disadvantaged by cost o living; my

    remit not able to target minority ethnic

    groups even though would like to dothis. _Youth Worker

    Access to spaces; waiting lists to

    youth projects; a lot o projects would

    be geographical, based on catchment

    area and that unding excludes; that is

    a barrier.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Youth organisations have geographicboundaries. Funding is provided to

    parishes which serve specic areas.

    Dierent types o boundaries exist,

    need to dene community.

    _Youth Worker

    Our experience o amilies at

    accommodation centre: they need

    greater access to youth organisations;

    waiting lists, shortage o spaces andunding can be issues. Dont want to

    organise separate, own little groups.

    Want them to join in. Inclusion very

    dicult because arent enough

    services; even trying to get them

    into ater school, oten service not

    there or ull; need or more provision

    especially or children living in dicult

    circumstances who are cut o already.

    When young people cut o its evenmore important to tap in to other

    existing mainstream programmes so

    young people get some type o normal

    lie and or their parents sanity, give

    them a break knowing that children are

    going to something._ME Community Representatie

    Transport a problem and time because

    cant allow them out too late. In

    Tyrellstown, kids everywhere but no

    place to bring them locally; have to pick

    them up personally; needs exploring,

    something needs to be done. Driving

    like mad to erry all over the place to

    get children to places because theywanted to do things. _Youth Worker

    I you get clubs that invite people you

    will get people mixing in, get them

    together, but depends on the acilities

    and where it is located. Some people

    will drive kids to it; some only walk and

    i too ar wont go but i 5 minutes.

    Sae enough or kids to go to centre;

    but i it were urther away wouldnt goto it. Facilities/Centre have to be where

    everyone goes. _Traeller Parent

    Evenings 5:30 to 6:30pm okay but not

    sure as I dont want to walk about at

    night; area really rough.

    _ME Young Person

    Wont set up groups unless have

    three volunteers; all have to go throughinduction training and Garda clearance

    is required. _Youth Worker

    Worry about being on own so i its to

    happen, inormation must be provided

    about youth club in school, can talk

    with riends about going to club.

    Separate, isolation will lead to people

    not joining; only go to places with

    riends, peers, community; cant underestimate ears. _Youth Worker

    Dicult or newcomers, people dont

    join in because they dont want to be

    the rst one. People huddle togetherin groups; need something to get them

    going, break boundaries.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Go to places where relatives go so

    easy to make riends and mingle.

    _ME Young Person

    Global village is held over lunch with

    sizeable number o oreign nationalsand some Irish; 1st to 5th year (12-16

    yrs old) seem to love it; keep coming

    back; asked them once i they would

    attend NYP (regular youth club based

    outside o school) but this was outside

    their comort zone so didnt show

    up; let the activities in school; very

    successul, they attend doing great

    work. _Youth Worker

    People looking or place but only place

    (in Tyrellstown) is the school and it is

    willing but small, only 6 classrooms;

    built these places but no place to

    gather. May live in an advantaged area

    but no acility available.

    _Community Worker

    No regular meetings; did some training

    with (other organisations) and rom thatsaid needed network days to support

    using the new skills but not really

    happening in terms o networking. Its

    obvious its needed; (Interculturalism)

    big thing or all but so used to what

    doing and tend to catch up at trainings;

    nothing however done that is saying

    lets get together. _Youth Worker

    Racism dicult to listen to Dontknow how to react, challenge

    misinormation Youth workers not

    trained. _Youth Worker

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    19

    Attitudes o youth workers at the individual and organisational level can result

    in exclusion and discrimination. Language and images used at youth centres

    can also create an exclusive environment limiting participation o minorityethnic and Traveller youth. The lack o acilities, location o some centres in

    rough areas and geographical boundaries have also limited the participation

    o young people as many participants stated there are saety concerns about

    allowing children to attend activities ater dark.

    Furthermore, a lack o cross sector work between youth services, schools,

    community development projects and minority ethnic led organisations limits

    channels or disseminating inormation, developing projects that involve a

    amily ocus and providing services that refect the needs o the community.

    These challenges aect the ability o youth organisations and workers todevelop inclusive programmes and will need to be overcome to ensure

    increased participation.

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    SUPPORTS AND RESOURCESFORYOUTH ORGANISATIONS

    Youth workers and representatives o the ME ethnic communities elt there

    was a need or support and resources to ensure their services are in line with

    intercultural practice. Many o the participants stated they would be interestedin working with diverse groups but that they lack the awareness o, or skills in,

    intercultural issues and practice.

    The ollowing supports were mentioned as being essential to reducing

    miscommunication and confict and ensuring the implementation o

    intercultural youth work practice:

    - Ongoing and relevant intercultural awareness and capacity building

    (support and training)

    - Intercultural communication skills and support in using skills gained- National guidelines and policies to instruct and guide youth organisations

    in implementing intercultural practices

    - Support in the development o inclusive programmes

    - Skills on implementing needs assessment

    - Documentation and sharing o good practice approaches which can be

    used by youth workers as models

    - Support in understanding the Youth Work Act (2001) and the role o VEC

    Youth Ocers

    - Adequate resources, both human and nancial

    I used Theatre o the oppressed:

    very simple game; one person

    nominated as devil; game called

    Devils Advocate and did with mixed

    group; some young children rom

    minority ethnic participants rozen in

    ear; quizzed them on why? (To them)

    devil is powerul; culturally ound this

    disempowered me as I didnt expectthe reaction; ound I wasnt culturally

    aware. I learned, but need more

    inormation about cultural issues/

    belies and parameters can work

    with. Feel youth workers need to be

    more aware; made me stop and think.

    Never thought or a second that a

    word would righten them.

    _Youth Worker

    Need to understand culture, cant

    use hearsay or media; need support

    around the idea o amily in own and

    other cultures; all responsible or

    what is important and need to nd

    out; really need to re-educate selves

    around values and belies.

    _Youth Worker

    We would work on integration,

    but there is ear we wont be able

    to communicate (with youth and

    parents) _Youth Worker

    I cant communicate here, how canwe communicate about other areas;

    to avoid this sense o alienation need

    to promote intercultural activities

    together. _ME Youth Worker

    Language, many parents have little

    or no English; how am I going to

    communicate with them; can use

    children but Explain to young

    people and then expect them to tellparents, this might not work.

    _Youth Worker

    Youth services should take the lead

    on this and embed it (intercultural

    youth work) into organisation; always

    deal with it and ensure people aware

    o policy. _Community Worker

    I think it should be in the Constitution

    to have to start somewhere with

    integration. School and youth clubs

    that is where bulk o work is, this is

    where rst contact comes. School is

    a miniature version o lie; what youinstil in school years and i putting in

    wrong ingredients into child (Need

    to)have it (equality/inclusion) in

    constitution but could raise hostility.

    _Community Worker

    We have no guidelines, no direction;

    nothing that states include everybody

    or that have to be proactive and

    provide service. Have to do this work._Youth Worker

    Comes rom youth clubs and youth

    work, understanding o why doing it

    (equality) young people and youth

    workers have to be part o the

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    process; important process; design

    the policy themselves.

    _Youth Worker

    Lot o work needs to be done,

    still nothing, no specic project

    or programme in place. Many

    voluntary groups dont have equality

    policy; there is a stage beore that,

    understanding why need it; need to

    do education about why do we need

    equality and then develop policy rom

    there. _Youth Worker

    I think locally it would be useul

    to develop similar intercultural

    strategy with VEC via Community

    Development Board (CDB); i CDB

    under NPAR, takes the initiative to

    develop anti-racism and equality

    plans, there needs to be a ocus on

    youth inside this. It would bring all

    agencies together; Galway did thisand very strong youth ocus. Could

    happen in other places, but depends

    on the CDB; where is commitment o

    board on this.

    _Community Deelopment Worker

    A lot o the projects have expressed

    an interest in intercultural work but

    dont know where to begin; and a

    lot o times, because the projectsare so established themselves, its

    something completely new that has

    to be taken on and the leaders would

    need training; dierent piece o work;

    the interest is there; its just where to

    begin. _Youth Worker

    Youth services have to be directed

    to be inclusive; sometimes important

    to make things a condition o unding.Now, have to provide child protection,

    but should it be a condition o unding

    that have to be inclusive? Do youth

    services have to be directed to do

    this? _Youth Worker

    Assessment as well, youth should be

    asked elt needs and express what

    want to do; and getting other groupsto respond to the assessment. I

    young people not included, they will

    get in to trouble. Get them together to

    ask them what like to do; how to get

    these done; nd out what they need.

    _Youth Worker

    Need to nd out what young people

    want; mom and dad give certain

    education and experiences but needother inormation; take responsibility

    and experience or lie.

    _ME Community Representatie

    There are Muslims in many

    areas and would have dierent

    communities. We know have to go to

    community and provide services, but

    need easy access. A small survey

    to outline where they are and whatbackground they are; i know persons

    are there and what ethnic background

    is there, makes it easier; but havent

    really looked into a survey and not

    done a survey because costly and

    timely so dont know dierences.

    _ME Youth Workers

    Is there learning rom UK and EU;

    they have already come up with stu;gone through this process already;

    is there something else we could be

    learning. _Youth Worker

    VEC under the Youth Work Act,

    taking on Youth Ocers; their job is to

    develop comprehensive youth work

    plan with policies; intercultural work

    needs to be integrated into plans.

    Youth ocers being trained but notsure i getting diversity or intercultural

    training; need to push it nationally or

    at least locally. _Community Worker

    Theres a lot o scepticism around

    VEC taking on youth work; and

    what that is going to dictate to the

    workers and the young people and

    putting a curriculum to youth work;ear that they will be taking on large

    youth projects and programmes and

    squeezing out the smaller ones; huge

    scepticism. _Youth Worker

    I let Kildare at a time when people

    starting to talk about it; maybe its

    about going under ormal education

    area, when youth work is about

    inormal education; VEC would bemore ormal education and that

    will dictate how it is reported, this

    changes how we manage as well as

    accountability. People are araid its

    becoming very numbers ocused,

    how many kids, how many projects

    did you run, what activities, etc., not

    about development; changes the

    ocus to outcome based; taking away

    rom real ocus, o reaching out toneeds; youth work however ocuses

    on reaching out to disadvantaged,

    empowering; but becoming more like

    private business. _Youth Worker

    Its important they (minority ethnic

    led community groups) all hear

    about VEC registration and that

    VEC includes their work in the

    mapping exercise._Community Deelopment Worker

    Need or inrastructure, acilities

    and venues or activities. Saying that

    though, need to be careul where

    youth club is set up; certain areas,

    like living in hell; youth club in one

    area would not be good.

    _Traeller and ME Parents

    Comes down to having resources;

    limited resources, cant promise

    something cant deliver.

    _Youth Worker

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    Limited unds but implementing as

    much as we can, as see there is a

    great need to include these groupsso kids have a chance to be kids.

    _Youth Worker and Leader

    Ongoing, continuous support and adequate training is required or youth

    workers to gain the condence to use the inormation and skills obtained

    as well as to build their capacity to work within a diverse and inclusive

    environment. Several youth workers elt national guidance regarding

    intercultural issues is necessary along with policies to target new communities.

    Guidelines on how to develop inclusive programmes as well as inormation onbest practice approaches which can be used as models would be useul.

    The invisibility o the ME community in some areas suggested youth workers

    and organisations required assistance on implementing needs analysis and

    gathering baseline data about the local population. There is a need or a better

    understanding o the Youth Work Act and the role o the VEC Youth Ocers

    in terms o its impact on unding and resourcing existing youth organisations

    as well as youth work implemented by community-led groups. Adequate

    resources are necessary to ensure youth organisations have the capacity to

    target young people, volunteers and workers rom ME backgrounds.

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    23

    SUPPORTS THAT CAN BEGIvEN TO MINORITY GROUPS

    In order to support minority ethnic groups and enhance participation o young

    people rom these communities, youth organisations must actively engage

    local groups to explore areas o overlap and identiy opportunities to plan andwork together.

    Participants stated the ollowing supports would assist minority groups in

    becoming more involved in youth work:

    - Inormation and greater awareness about the youth service,

    becoming aliated to a youth organisation and accessing

    supports available rom the service

    - Establish partnerships and networking opportunities to learn

    and share skills, knowledge and expertise- Provision o certied courses to minority ethnic organisations

    to enhance the capacity o their members

    - Resources such as access to acilities, unding opportunities,

    identiying materials/training and managing logistical barriers

    such as transport and child care

    Have no knowledge about how youth

    services work or the unding.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Didnt know until recently that we

    could become aliated with KDYS;

    doing own thing; talked to sta

    here trying to get membership, got

    inormation about service but dont

    know what help is available, what

    we can do etc.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Biggest challenge we all ace was to

    set up youth organisation; that was

    our challenge. I build up networks;

    try to meet once a month and discuss

    what doing; once a month or an hour,

    as its silly to operate separately.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Issue o capacity building, most o us

    our qualications are not recognised,building capacity so possible to get

    employed aterwards.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Some groups need to have their

    capacity built like we said earlier

    because they have been oppressed

    all their lie. Targeting people, but then

    giving with one hand and taking withthe other; theres a ne line there; a

    group may need all help they can be

    given in their category group but then

    are we reinorcing the stereotypes vs.

    making it more inclusion vs. fung

    over the issues.

    _Traeller Community Worker

    Should always ollow up to try not

    to have training just or training sake;(review) training; and push agencies

    so that its proper and accredited

    training leading to skills and

    employment; aiming to build peoples

    capacity; people need jobs..

    _Traeller Youth Worker

    Come to KDYS to do junior cycle and

    senior cycle; when rst started o I

    came here as participant; in all theseyears dont understand (why) only

    one Traveller employed here. Strategy

    is to include Travellers, supporting

    them to nish school and get trained,

    get qualications, but also need to

    support them getting employed.

    I dont have them employed there

    is a barrier to using service; dont

    penalise those or not nishingschool; nd other ways to get them

    involved. _Traeller Community

    Worker/Parent

    Support would be to include

    open door, unding, inormation,

    equality policy.

    _ME Community Representatie

    Need some sort o nancial help;security, a place to meet, maybe

    a sports hall; dierent clubs have

    access to halls so play/bring teams

    together in dierent places

    _Youth Worker

    Funding and resources an issue;

    put own money into setting up

    youth organisation, all o us are

    proessionals; so thats how we raisedmoney at beginning. Now looking or

    unding; should be able to get a little

    support rom other organisations but

    mainly on us._ME Youth Workers

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    ExAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE

    Much o the good practice occurring at the ocus group sites is occurring in an

    ad hoc ashion and is not ully documented.

    Documentation o such activities could be shared with other agencies. An

    activity which ocuses on identiying and collating best practice materials and

    disseminating it to youth organisations would be useul. Examples o good

    practice were identied in the ollowing areas:

    - Welcoming environment: ethos o equality

    - Targeted outreach/inormation provision

    - Interagency partnerships

    - Employment o minority ethnic youth worker

    - Peer mentor programmes

    WELCOMING ENvIRONMENT,

    ETHOS OF EqUALITY: KERRY

    DIOCESAN YOUTH SERvICE

    To be really honest ever since I

    came to Tralee been seeing leafets

    about KDYS; KDYS statement o

    welcome, anti-racism, equality, all onleafets; dierent people on posters,

    amiliar aces. In KDYS, there was a

    leafet; there was a decision made

    that said we will be clear, honest,

    open. _ME Parent

    Have long relationship with some

    parents; have strong relationship with

    a good ew parents; some minority

    ethnic parents volunteering, they gettraining. _Youth Worker

    KDYS has an ethos o equality;

    always had practice o inclusiveness,

    equality; saw a massive need or

    young people in town rom asylum

    seeker and new communities

    background; knew they needed to be

    accommodated, needed to respond;

    volunteers came along at right time;

    antastic all came and said wanted

    to be volunteers; oered training,

    got nancial support; everything

    happened at the right time.

    _Youth Worker

    As KDYS workers and leaders, we

    will sit with them (parents) and saywhat procedures there are and tell

    them who we are, give application

    orm, insurance and explain have

    emergency number; meet with

    parents rom accommodation centre

    to talk about this. Next month, or

    example, all parents with children,

    we will have meeting and coee; tell

    them who we are tell about equality;

    we will say who is responsible orthem, build trust, explain service.

    Even me, beore I knew KDYS, I

    wouldnt let my daughter come, not

    until I am sure, now know them. So

    get them in, build trust, is important.

    _ME Youth Worker

    Parents need to know about youth

    services. We have a meeting or

    parents to come to; a letter can work

    too, but a visit may be necessary. Tell

    them where you are, invite parents to

    come to meet youth workers; when

    tell them about programme they trust

    you. For example, some members

    last week went to Dublin; we had

    sent a letter home explaining the

    programme and invited parents todrop in or call; explained everything

    will be ne; there were no problems,

    but just wanted to be sure.

    _Youth Worker

    Also organise programmes in school,

    Lets be r iends and Okay, Lets Go

    (transition programme). Workers go

    out to primary school, 6th class, and

    go through timetable, school tour,language inormation or parents.

    The KDYS member o sta that runs

    the programmes acilitates students

    to make transition rom primary

    to secondary school; will provide

    inormation or parents in several

    languages explaining that child needs

    to be registered in secondary school.

    _Youth Worker

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    TARGETED OUTREACH COMBINED WITH INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIP

    AND EMPLOYMENT OF MINORITY ETHNIC YOUTH WORKER:

    BLANCHARDSTOWN YOUTH SERVICE (BYS)

    An example o good practice included a targeted outreach programme or a

    summer camp. The youth outreach worker met parents, oten going door to

    door, and presented inormation at a local church about the youth service,

    proposed activities and answered parents questions.

    This assisted in building a trusting relationship with the amily and helped to

    spread the word about the summer camp. The programme was unded by theBlanchardstown Area Partnership (BAP) and linked with local schools and

    churches which also oered venues or promoting youth work. It allowed the

    youth service to utilise the cultural resources in the community and provided

    useul insight to cultural dierences.

    For young people to integrate

    properly need to speak the language;

    inability to speak English language

    was a barrier; other issues too;language was one way to get them

    involved. Families had issues around

    culture in Ireland; i young people let

    on own would be easily accepted,

    but when mix up with Irish people

    couple o issues had to be looked

    at. Having the language was helpul;

    it enabled and empowered them to

    communicate and inormed them;

    gradually able to include youth inactivities at community centre and

    youth clubs in the area. Initiative

    in BYS, unded by BAP, ound

    partnership between these two

    organisations (BYS and BAP) worked

    very well. _Community Worker

    I think we did sow a seed which I

    believe can be tapped into; the layout

    is there and very successul, theresno doubt about that; we ended up

    involving a great number o these

    young people in activities in the

    summer. Whole idea is to get them

    to take part in area club and group

    activities in the area and achieve

    integration as a result o that. I think it

    was successul, however we need tobuild on that. _ME Youth Worker

    Had a ew issues, like the culture

    thing; young people decide not want

    to do this; some o them didnt want

    to; so we wondered why; when asked,

    we realised it wasnt a question o the

    young people not wanting to do it; a

    lot o issues around ear, and around

    mum and dad and asking i couldgo out; parents opinions, not tting

    in; so devised couple o strategies.

    Have to bring the whole amily along;

    went and spoke with parents, carried

    them along and explained what was

    available; positive aspects o youth

    work; educate parents means it is

    easier to get children to come; sit in

    living room; they invite you to dinner

    or cup tea; tell them whats available;time done educating parents much

    easier to get young people to take

    part; I believe strategy that cant go

    wrong. _ME Youth Worker

    The work, done in the summer, is

    important; vast majority o activities

    were ree; getting inormation out was

    necessary, but we had to change (inorder) to reach the community;(the

    youth worker) he went door to

    door; met parents and talked about

    the programme; issue is getting

    inormation out, had to change to

    get into the communities; youth

    worker explained things, answered

    questions. Outreach, knocking on

    doors; challenging ear; think o worst

    case situation so gave them thepositive; acknowledge what is going

    on. _Youth Worker

    Every community cant have ull

    time worker; impossible to have

    ull time worker in each place; will

    always be restriction but important

    to acknowledge all the work that is

    being done; do a lot o work to plan

    activities and to inorm people aboutthem but inormation still not out

    there. _Youth Worker

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    TARGETED OUTREACH:YMCA, DUBLIN

    Youth worker participants providing services or young asylum seekers,

    including separated children, have ound it dicult to get young people to

    access and participate in youth work because o the lack o trust, ear due to

    previous experiences/trauma, and reluctance to leave their accommodation

    centre. The youth workers stated it is necessary to encourage young people

    directly and to provide fexible, one to one support. Youth workers stated the

    identication and implementation o dierent approaches to initially engage

    young people rom ME backgrounds would be essential.

    Starting in September, we set up

    a system where one youth worker

    would take responsibility or linking

    up two hostels; there would be a

    crossover between youth rather than

    the case workers sending them to

    us; more connected, with us going

    to them; I will go over and will be

    PEER MENTORING ACTIVITIES

    the key person who goes to centre

    and inorms youth o activities to get

    them to join. I act as a go between; I

    know it sounds small but (not being

    physically present) is a barrier;

    so I will attend every photography

    course; we need to think about

    things a bit more; make sure our

    Peer mentoring programmes geared towards ensuring a positive transition

    rom primary to post primary school have been a successul mechanism

    or involving minority ethnic youth in youth work activities. It is elt that once

    they are involved in school activities it becomes easier to involve them in

    ater school youth work activities. It also ensures young people talk about

    youth work and promote increased participation within their own social group.

    Involvement in youth work activities rom a young age is believed to be the

    most eective way to increase participation.

    Peer mentoring programmes are a positive approach or promoting andadvocating young peoples interests to a larger group o people and they

    improve representation o minority ethnic groups within a service. It has

    given youth workers the opportunity to consult with young people about their

    interests as well as identiy how to improve access to the youth service.

    Projects can then be developed in response to such consultation.

    The mentor group, 5th year, look

    ater 1st years; always look to

    promote 5th year oreign nationals tobe positive role models or a 1st year

    oreign national; see it as very well

    balanced and mixed. Comortable

    there; made an exhibition, created

    using stories, masks, dierent

    dances, the project based on themes

    looking at commonalities.

    _ME Young Person

    The mentoring model tries to give

    them a positive ocus; many are

    disadvantaged because o their

    status in Ireland; Motivate and remind

    them there is a uture; use sports,

    art, academics, science. Very little

    work is connected. In terms o the

    young people mixing we had a lot

    o success; its just getting them on

    a continuous basis and making the

    unaccompanied minors rom the

    hostels eel part o the project.

    _Youth Worker

    positive promotion o Arican culture;

    no role models; dont hear about

    them, so need to promote the positiverole models more; dont hear about

    them or things accomplished; Need

    to identiy successul people;(instead

    o) emphasis always on the negative.

    _ME Community Worker

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    In that school they have a peer

    mentoring programme; trained to

    mentor isolated youth; trained 12mentors; roll out in September;

    People at risk will now work with

    other students; School approached

    KDYS to run the training.

    Young people at risk o leaving school

    themselves trained as mentors;

    helps in school, provides a contact,someone can go and talk to when

    have a problem; they listen but not

    counsellors; so i you are araid to go

    to a teacher about being bullied, you

    have a mentor so go to mentor and

    they have the courage to go to the

    teacher. Support you to do this and to

    get help. _Youth Worker

    Several examples o good practice were highlighted during the consultation

    process. This inormation provided ideas or other youth organisations and

    workers on dierent approaches that could be used to increase participation o

    young people rom minority ethnic and Traveller communities. However, there

    are many more examples o good practice occurring which are undocumented

    and thereore, unavailable as learning models. Documentation o good practice

    will need to occur so that youth organisations and workers can share ideas

    and support each other in developing more inclusive practices.

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    SUGGESTED ACTIONS

    Throughout the consultation process several suggestions on how to ensure

    participation and develop intercultural youth work practice were made.

    - Research into practices and needs

    - Policies to support intercultural practice

    - Funding and resources

    - Interagency partnerships

    - Training and support

    - Recruitment o outreach and youth workers rom ME

    background

    - Targeted outreach and inormation

    - Pilot projects and initiatives

    - Monitoring and evaluation

    RESEARCH INTO PRACTICES AND NEEDS

    There is a lack o relevant data about ME young people, their needs, the

    barriers to their participation in youth work and what interests they have. Also

    there is a lack o knowledge about activities and programmes occurring in the

    youth services that have had success in increasing participation o minority

    ethnic youth and adults. In order to ensure programmes and activities are

    relevant to the needs o young people, research is required. The researchshould provide youth organisations with a base rom which to plan and develop

    positive, inclusive programmes.

    Research into best practices should also occur with the aim o producing

    resources and guidelines or the development and implementation o inclusive

    programmes. The research should include a component on organisational

    refection to ensure an equality agenda which respects diversity and promotes

    anti-racism is embedded in all programmes, policies and procedures.

    POLICIES TO SUPPORT INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE

    Several participants stated there was a need to develop equality and

    intercultural policies within their organisations. As part o this process all sta,

    volunteers and young people involved in the organisation should determine

    what interculturalism means and what an intercultural approach would entail.

    Support should be provided to youth organisations in this process. It is also

    important to ensure the involvement o local minority led groups and young

    people. The policies should promote equality and inclusion in services. It maybe necessary or an organisation to refect on current policies and practices

    and identiy good practices in the sector.Youth workers, volunteers and

    young people should be provided with training on the policies to ensure they

    understand and can implement their programmes in line with them.

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    Use the human rights based

    approach. Members must enshrine

    equality into constitutions; anti-racism code o practice embedded

    in this, diversity plan; doing this with

    the sporting organisations getting

    them to look at equality clauses/

    FUNDING AND RESOURCES

    codes; sports organisations told by

    ministers i they didnt include child

    protection and equality they wouldlose unding so they incorporated

    these into constitutions; so something

    to consider.

    _Community Deelopment Worker

    Additional unding is required to enable intercultural youth work and

    integration initiatives are developed and implemented. This should be madeavailable to all youth organisations to promote participation and inclusion

    in their work. Inclusive activities will require that youth workers, leaders and

    management provide adequate time and human resources to the planning

    and implementation process. This will have cost implications. Providing

    sustainable, long term unding sources will ensure all organisations can avail o

    training, education and the support needed to promote interculturalism within

    Ireland.

    INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS

    Networking with other youth organisations needs to be prioritised. Participants

    involved in close working relationships with other agencies demonstrated this

    provides the necessary nancial and resource supports to implement inclusive

    programmes.

    Such partnerships must be built into programme planning and educational

    training as it will enable smaller organisations to provide more equal access to

    and a wider range o options or minority young people. Participants also stated

    the development o good relationships with existing minority ethnic groups willprovide contacts and enable them to participate in the development o relevant

    policies and practices within youth organisations.

    Have to be proactive and promote

    working together.

    _Community Worker

    Would be useul i youth workers

    came together visit each other, mix;have an organised event.

    _Youth Worker

    A couple o Aricans, other oreigners

    around table, get mixture o cultural

    views; in your culture you do this, in

    ours we do this so nd balance so

    that child will not come home and

    talk back or say your culture is badbecause it is a domineering culture;

    respects me _ME Parent

    Getting dierent groups to work

    together is the rst step; even i its

    raising awareness about issues.

    _Youth Worker

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    TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR YOUTH WORKERS

    Throughout the consultation, youth workers and volunteers stated thatcontinuous training and intercultural awareness with young people, volunteers,

    sta and the community is necessary.

    For youth workers to work eectively with young people rom minority

    ethnic backgrounds, they need greater cultural awareness, intercultural

    understanding and skills. Such activities would ensure recognition o

    intercultural dierence and an understanding o traditions, social norms, values

    and belies. Participants elt that all youth workers within organisations should

    complete intercultural and anti-racism training so that they may develop their

    own understanding and insights into racism and discrimination.

    The training should provide an opportunity or sel refection and develop

    practical skills that will enable them to respond eectively to racist incidents.

    Formal training should also be provided within youth and community course

    work on intercultural issues and provide youth workers with skills that will

    assist them in developing inclusion practices in their daily activities.

    Better training provided; better

    understanding o the peoplewe are working with; practice o

    interculturalism need skills; great

    youth workers should mentor

    others; more volunteers rom local

    communities. _Youth Worker

    Bring children, youth workers and

    volunteers together and teach about

    Arican culture; important to share

    inormation between communities._ME Community Representatie

    Our club has a ew new members;

    couple o white aces; anti-racismwas discussed last night; one kid

    stated maybe he eels let out

    because hes Irish, but kid stated its

    great I love coming here. We all have

    preconceived ideas and a level o

    ignorance, lack o education around

    cultures. Need to educate these

    groups and merge them and need

    good acilitators to do the integration

    part. They are willing and want toget to know each other. Exciting to

    have people rom other places; young

    people in Drogheda think its exotic;want to learn about them, culture,

    stories. In Drogheda young people

    are ascinated by cultures.

    _Youth Worker

    RECRUITMENT OF OUTREACH AND YOUTH WORKERS FROM MINORITY

    ETHNIC BACKGROUND:

    A review o recruitment policy may be required to ensure minority ethnic

    groups and Travellers are represented on youth organisations sta.

    Recruitment o outreach and youth workers along with volunteers romminority ethnic background was recommended throughout the consultation

    process. Several participants elt this would ensure better understanding o

    cultural dierences and demonstrate a commitment to diversity by the youth

    organisation. It would also promote the services o the youth sector to the

    minority ethnic communities creating a stronger relationship between them.

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    (Having youth worker rom own

    culture) guarantees that there is

    balance, someone who will stick upor my interest; then I would be happy

    or child to go there. _ME Parent

    Lose motivation i experience

    racism and bullying so b