This is a pilot Participatory Action Research (PAR) project supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRTC) and draws upon findings from the ESRC funded project Exclusion Amid Inclusion. This project is aware that migrants, asylum seekers and refugees who come to Northern Ireland have arrived into a divided society that impacts their ability fully engage socially and politically. Organisations that have been established to represent the interests of these communities have run into difficulties in establishing funding streams and creating cooperative relationships that are equitable and empowering due in part to social and political conditions unique to Northern Ireland. 

This initiative will seek to work with 6-8 representatives from different community based organisations (CBOs) in Northern Ireland that provide services to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees communities.  The initiative is to deliver bespoke workshops to communicate key organisational skills that are key to the successful obtaining and implementation of funding projects. Over a 12 week period we will provide training support and encouragement to these organisations that will seek to address their identified needs, providing training in identified areas that will help their organisation grow.

This will occur over a 12 week period, through attending one bi-weekly session for key members of the organisation to work collaboratively with QUB staff and members of different organisations.

The project employs a PAR approach, which means that those selected for the project will contribute to building evidence of the lives of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in communities across Northern Ireland through a collaborative research approach. This means the training sessions  will be created on the needs of the organisations and may include (but not limited to facilitated sessions addressing advocacy, programme evaluation, research skills and policy engagement.

The training will include participatory research training and mentorship for the organisations so that they can apply to support their own work. The research component will involve practicing data collection among their communities as practice and as means of delivering  the most authentic representation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees life in Northern Ireland that will contribute to the creation of a policy recommendations and event to advocate on behalf of the community.

We have been supported in the development of this programme by a number of organisations:

• CRAICNI
• Belfast Islamic Centre
• Migrant and Minority Ethnic Council

Read more on the Call for Projects here