Leadership Development

 


Part of MRCI's community work approach involves supporting migrant workers to take on leadership roles in the work of the organisation, and in wider society. Through collective spaces such as the worker action groups and campaigns, as well as targeted leadership development courses and ongoing training opportunities, migrant workers are supported to take on representational roles, engage in policy debates and developments, and progress to leadership positions.

Migrant worker activists have acted as spokespersons in the media and during delegation meetings with politicians, represented MRCI and spoken about their issues at conferences and practice seminars, and are represented on various bodies including MRCI's Board of Management.


Campaign and action groups

Through these groups, in an ad-hoc and informal manner, participants acquire the knowledge and skills required to organise campaigns, engage in group decision making, and take on responsibility for ongoing actions in the group. See Our Work section for more information on the worker action groups and campaign groups.


Leadership development

During intensive weekend residentials and one-day leadership training sessions, migrant activists develop a variety of leadership skills relating to campaign strategies, planning and executing effective collective actions, analysis of power and equality, and related community work theory and practice.


Opening Doors
Ten migrant workers, along with ten MRCI team members, participated in an intensive, three-day residential workshop focusing on power structures, oppression and diversity, facilitated by US-based organisation 'Opening Doors'. Participants increased their understanding of diversity and identity, developed a common language for talking about power, privilege and difference, examined how institutional and personal practices maintain inequalities between people, and identified practical strategies for implementing and facilitating change, collectively. See Opening Doors Brochure


Building the Voices of Migrant Workers - a community work training course for migrant workers in Ireland.
MRCI's first leadership course took place over eight weeks in Autumn 2004. Many of the twelve migrant workers who participated had previously accessed MRCI's Drop In Centre seeking information or support, and were active and or interested in rights and justice for migrant workers and their families. The course topics included campaigning for change, the decision-making system in Ireland, collective analysis of migration and the values and principles of community work.



Building Migrant Voices MRCI leadership development programme 2008
MRCI's second leadership development programme was targeted at migrant workers who are actively involved in MRCI's action groups and Migrants Forum. The course took place on weekends over a six-month period in 2008, and aimed to support participants to develop both practical and analytical skills relevant to participating in groups, decision making and in taking on representational and leadership roles. Sixteen participants successfully completed the course.


NUI Maynooth Certificate in Community Work for Migrants
MRCI has coordinated a Certificate course in Community Work for Migrants, Community work in a Changing Ireland, with the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. 22 students completed the course and graduated in May 2010. The course was aimed at migrant workers active in working for justice and rights for migrant workers and their families, including people from an immigrant background who are employed in community work roles in locally-based organisations. Course content included an overview of key principles of community work, with students identifying different issues impacting on communities, as well as practical aspects such as planning community work initiatives.