DCU launches 'Finglas for Diversity' report
- 28 March 2007

The DCU Finglas for Diversity pilot project launched its report today at a reception attended by members of community groups, NGOs, anti-racism groups, educational organisations and DCU President Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski.

Finglas for Diversity is a multi-agency network based in Finglas, which aims to highlight the benefits of existing diversity in the community and to increase understanding of immigration by encouraging integration and cultural diversity at local level.

Finglas for Diversity has been collaborating with staff from the School of Communications, the School of Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies and the School of Education Studies in DCU over the past 18 months to involve undergraduate and postgraduate students.

45 DCU students have carried out key research for the Finglas for Diversity group, have produced a website, a short animated film and an oral history (radio) project which documents the lives and experiences of members of the community and their responses to change. They also participated in voluntary English language teaching programmes to migrant groups, have developed teaching and training materials and held media production workshops in the university for primary school children from Finglas.

From the perspective of the Finglas community, the work has forged important links between local groups and the university.

"As a result of the project, the boundaries between the university and its surroundings have become more fluid, with realistic and meaningful relations evolving between the two. From the perspective of the students, the initiative has been an important opportunity for personal development, cross-disciplinary cooperation and thinking ‘outside the box’. It has enabled them to see their coursework coming to life, to gain valuable work experience and to put a wide range of media, research and pedagogical skills into practice in a context that is not driven by market demands", said Kerry Lawless, project coordinator.

The work begun by DCU students will be carried on by the Finglas for Diversity network after the pilot project has come to an end. The students' ground breaking work on a welcome/information pack for migrants settling in the Finglas area will be further developed, supported by a grant from Dublin City Council. The media artefacts created, which are in the process of being adapted into an Education Resource pack, will be made available for use in primary and secondary schools.

DCU President, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski said, "DCU aims to be a leader in citizenship and community engagement in line with our strategic priorities. This project in particular highlights the intercultural presence within Ireland, and allows students to become involved at an extracurricular and intracurricular level with the local community. The students who produced the 'Seen and How Heard' video have already received a citizenship award, and they can now receive academic credit for their work as part of DCU's Uaneen Module".

This project was made possible with core funding from Finglas for Diversity, the Finglas Cabra Partnership, the DCU Learning Innovation Unit, and the DCU Theme Leader for Internationalisation, Interculturalism and Social Development.

Essential project funding was provided by citizenship2005.ie programme, the City of Dublin CDVEC, Dublin Bus and Dublin City Council.

ENDS