Mayo Intercultural Action (MIA) is delighted to announce that it has been successful in its application for funding under the European Refugee Fund.The award of this grant is a great achievement for the organisation, County Mayo and most importantly for the asylum-seekers and refugees that will benefit from the project. MIA is amongst a small number of organisations in the country which supports asylum-seekers and refugees in the country that has been awarded this funding.

Under this scheme MIA will implement an innovative project called Different Together - Building a Sustainable Model of Integration. This exciting pilot project will promote the sustainable integration of refugees in Co. Mayo and work to create positive and sustainable communities for everyone living in Mayo. One of the aims of the project is to equip refugees to participate in and engage with their local community. As part of the project MIA will deliver an accredited training programme in Community Work in a Changing Ireland, as well as various other relevant topics. This project will develop a model of integration that can be replicated in other counties in Ireland.

Thérèse Ruane, co-founder of MIA said: "We're really pleased that this project has been granted EU funding. It's a real achievement and an acknowledgement of the work of MIA over the years. This project is very innovative and will benefit greatly refugees in Mayo as well as developing and promoting a sustainable model of integration, which can then be replicated accross the country."

"We'll be working in collaboration with partner organisations such as the Mayo County Development Board, Mayo Rape Crisis Centre and GMIT as well as An Gárda Síochána, Castlebar Town Council, HSE, Citizen Information Service, South West Mayo Development Company, Mayo North East, Mayo Community Forum, Galway Refugee Support Group, Castlebar Community Radio, SIPTU. MIA would like to sincerely thank the many partner organisations for their support and we are looking forward to working together on this project."

The European Refugee Fund is part of the European Commission's General Programme of funding called ‘Solidarity and Management of Migrant Flows'. The purpose the Programme is to support actions relating to migration, and the European Refugee Fund supports reception and integration actions for asylum-seekers and refugees.