Migrant Leadership Academy - 2026
The Migrant Leadership Academy is an annual leadership programme that brings together migrants and refugees living in Ireland who are committed to advancing social justice, equality, and positive change in their communities.
Through a combination of practical training, leadership development, and community organising, participants gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become effective advocates and leaders.
The Migrant Leadership Academy 2026 will take place over two months, beginning with a three-day residential training at The Grand Hotel, Malahide, from 2-4 October 2026, followed by five weekly online sessions.
Applications are open and will close on Friday, August 28th at midnight.
Ireland is a very diverse society: 1 in 8 (12%) of us are people of a migrant background. Within our migrant and refugee communities Ireland has a pool of talented and inspiring leaders. They deliver great work contributing to the wellbeing of their local communities and transforming our society to be a better place for us all. However, many of the leaders work in silos, with no connection to wider networks or platforms.
The main objective of the Migrant Leadership Academy is to identify talented migrant and refugee leaders in Ireland and to provide them with a space for connection with fellow migrant and refugee leaders.
The space serves as a platform for reflection and skills exchange to enhance their leadership potential. The secondary aim is to support migrant and refugee leaders in designing and implementing their own social justice campaigns and/or migrant integration initiatives. Lastly, the long term objective is to increase diversity in leadership in the social justice sector, by providing access to career enhancing opportunities.
Are you a migrant leader?
We’re looking for people from a migrant and refugee background committed to social justice and equality and are passionate about their community. This programme is about building the power of communities so ideally you should already be connected to an existing social justice/migrant community group. If you have the drive and determination to change things for the better for your community then we want YOU!
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be non-EEA citizens or recently naturalised Irish citizens originally from a non-EEA country; People currently in the international protection process are welcome to apply;
- Be 18 years or older;
- Have good written and spoken English language skills;
- Be well-connected with your local migrant community;
- Have an interest in social justice, equality, diversity and community activism;
- Be reliable, with a strong commitment to the aims of the scheme;
- Be able to work well under pressure and use their initiative;
- Work well in a team.
Training Commitment
The training programme will run over a period of two months, beginning with a three-day in-person residential training at The Grand Hotel, Malahide, from 2-4 October 2026. Accommodation and meals will be provided throughout the residential training, and public transport costs will be covered by the programme.
Following the in-person training, participants will take part in four weekly online sessions (90 minutes each) on the following dates:
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Wednesday, 04 November 2026.
Applications are now open until 29 August 2026, midnight.
Apply here
What happens after?
Graduates of the Migrant Leadership will be welcomed into the MLA Alumni Network, where they can connect with over 100 migrant and refugee leaders, access information about professional and personal development opportunities, and take part in the annual MLA Reunion event.
Stories from our Migrant Leadership graduates
Read more about last year's graduates
More information about the Migrant Leadership Academy
This project is co-financed by the European Commission under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2021-2027 and is supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Download our 2020 evaluation report
