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Migrant political participation training
This training is aimed at migrants living in Ireland who are interested in becoming involved in Irish politics, up to and including participating in elections. This training empowers migrants with the knowledge of how the various political systems in Ireland work and how to make the most of their voting rights. It also lays the foundation for becoming more civically active in Irish society, whether it’s campaigning for causes that are important to you or taking part in elections.
The training is also useful to any services or civic society groups working to engage with migrants in the political process as it provides a full overview of voting rights based on immigration status.
Audience
Migrants with an interest in politics and community organising; Migrants interested in participating in elections
Goals
Increase understanding of the Irish political system at the local, national and EU level; Understand voting rights for migrants and naturalised citizens.
Structure and format
Political participation training runs for 1 hour and includes between 10-20 participants in an interactive format.
Participants will be guided through how the Irish political system works at all levels of Government, with a special emphasis on voting rights for different types of immigration statuses.
Standard topics
- Types of elections and voting rights
- Local Government
- What do Councillors do?
- Who can become a Councillor?
- Irish electoral system
- Co-opting
- National Government
Meet the trainers
Liliana Fernandez, Training & Integration Officer
Liliana joined the Integration Team at the Immigrant Council of Ireland in August 2021. She has been involved in social inclusion and migrant integration projects as the current Chairperson of the Venezuelan Community in Ireland (VCI) and the South Dublin Migrant Integration Forum (SDMIF).
She previously worked as a consultant for the UN-agency FAO and the Natural Resources Governance Institute. Liliana holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the School of Public Policy of the Central European University and a Certificate in Charity Law, Governance and Trusteeship from the Law Society of Ireland.
Teresa Buczkowska, Integration Manager
Teresa Buczkowska is a Polish migrant woman living in Ireland since 2005. She joined the Immigrant Council of Ireland in 2013, initially as an Integration Intern, progressing to the position of the Integration Team Coordinator in 2015.
Teresa holds an MA in Ethnography and Social Anthropology from Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland. Teresa is a qualified trainer in diversity management, intercultural competency and anti-racism. In 2019 she was awarded a bursary by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to study for a Professional Diploma in Human Rights and Equality at the Institute for Public Administration.
Teresa is published both in Ireland and internationally on racism, integration best practices and integration politics. In December 2019 Teresa was appointed to the board of the Arts Council.
About Immigrant Council of Ireland training
The Immigrant Council provides training programmes and workshops to businesses, schools, associations and organisations covering a wide suite of topics related to immigration and migrant rights, as well as diversity and inclusion.
Whether you are looking to upskill your frontline staff, build a more diverse and inclusive workforce, or simply looking to fulfil Diversity & Inclusion requirements for your company our training is suited for multiple audiences across many different sectors.