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€10.3m grants for gender equality and migrant integration

The Department of Justice and Equality has announced grants totalling €10.3 million to promote gender equality, and the integration of migrants.

A total of 36 projects will be delivered nationwide over the next three years by NGOs, locally based community groups, and organisations that were successful following open ‘calls for proposals’.

The gender equality projects will support women’s entrepreneurship and participation in the workforce through a range of training and mentoring initiatives, including:

• A Leinster-based project to provide employment-readiness training to women in the asylum system focused around Direct Provision locations,
• A South and West Dublin-based project to provide training and mentoring to women who wish to start their own business, and
• A project in Co Wexford to provide comprehensive, QQI accredited job-readiness training for women who are detached form the labour market.

Women entrepreneurs

Announcing the gender equality funding on 7 October, Minister Charlie Flanagan (Justice and Equality) said that €5.8 million would go to supporting women’s participation in the workforce.

Funding of €4.3 million is being made available over a three-year period under the European Social Fund for initiatives targeted at encouraging women detached from the labour market to take up paid employment.

A further €1.5 million will go towards projects that support women’s entrepreneurship.

The amount builds on the €5.5 million funding awarded in 2017 to 18 projects that offer direct support to disadvantaged women wishing to re-enter the labour market.

Migrant integration

€4.5 million is being made available over three years under the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). These grants will target initiatives that promote the integration of non-EU migrants, and that combat discrimination and racism.

Projects will include English-language classes and workplace training. Anti-racism and cultural diversity initiatives would also benefit, the minister said.

Among the migrant integration projects selected for funding are:

• A project in Cork to provide employment-readiness training to migrants interested in pursuing a career in horticulture,
• A nationwide project to provide structured diversity training in schools to promote diversity and integration,
• A nationwide project to provide personal development programmes, through participation in personal, physical, community and team challenges.

Migration-and-integration grants

The following will receive grants from the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund: City of Dublin Education and Training Board, Clare Immigrant Support Centre, Cork Education and Training Board, Co Kildare Leader Partnership, Crosscare, Cultúr Migrant Centre, Gaisce, Galway City Partnership, Immigrant Council of Ireland, Irish Traveller Movement, KASI, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, Marino Institute of Education, Monaghan County Council, NASC, North East West Kerry Developments, South West Mayo Development Company, Spirasi, and Waterford Area Partnership.

Returning-to-the-workforce grants

The following will receive grants under the ESF PEIL Gender Equality – Strand A: Women Returning to the Workforce Fund: South East Community Training and Education Centre (SECTEC), Ballyhoura Development Association, Business in the Community Ireland, Cherish/One Family, Cork City Partnership, Irish Refugee Council, National Collective of Community-Based Women’s Networks, Network Personnel, New Communities Partnership, North East West Kerry Developments, Northside Partnership, and People First.

Entrepreneurship grants

The following will receive grants under the ESF PEIL Gender Equality – Strand B: Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund: Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Partas, SECAD Partnership CLG, South East Community Training and Education Centre.