EVER WONDERED how to do introductions with the neighbours, or why an Irish funeral is such a big deal? A novel mentoring programme in Dublin aims to resolve such cultural intricacies and promote better integration between Irish and immigrant locals.
Mentors from the native Irish population (or long-time residents) and protégés from immigrant communities in Dublin are being sought by Dodder Valley Partnership, according to its integration worker Zuzana Tesárová, and will be matched up through one-on-one partnerships in a bid to improve understanding of one another.
She said the programme has been “successfully piloted” by the Immigrant Council of Ireland, which received a grant extension from the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals to roll out the programme nationally through local organisations.
According to Tesárová, there is “a lot of information that Irish people have which has not been learnt in an academic manner but from the fact that they were raised here”.
She said this knowledge relates to customs, for example, explaining that funerals in her native Slovakia are not as frequented as in Ireland, where colleagues of a deceased person are usually expected to attend their funeral.
Tesárová said another issue is access to suitable employment by highly educated migrants, who have “the knowledge and skills but not the appropriate contacts”.
According to the community worker, Irish people can also benefit from the programme.
“Lots of Irish people read about migrants but have very little personal contact with them. And with all the political correctness, people tend to be scared to ask questions... I believe integration is about both sides not being scared to talk to each other.”
She said by-products of the programme include a chance for a migrant to practice English and potential friendship forming between Irish people and immigrants.
Dodder Valley Partnership is presently recruiting voluntary mentors and protégés in the South Dublin County Council area, and training will be provided for participants.
Tesárová said three references will be required from potential mentors, and a commitment of at least five hours per month, for three months, is required by both parties. Participants must be 18 or over, and protégés can come from both EU and non-EU countries.
“It’s also good to highlight that it is a short-term volunteering opportunity, and there are not many such opportunities,” added Tesárová, “It’s a chance to try something new and get to know someone from a different culture.”
She emphasised that neither mentors nor protégés require any special qualifications to participate. In the case of mentors, “just living here they have a wealth of experience that they don’t know they have”.
Applications are invited immediately and matches are earmarked for the end of June, she outlined.
For further information, send an e-mail to zuzana.
tesarova@doddervalley.ie or phone 01 466 4246.
