About

The Cork Migrant Centre (CMC) runs psychosocial programs for migrants in Cork. CMC utilises a strength-based approach whereby migrant individuals, children and families’ knowledge, skills and experience are acknowledged through participatory working methods. Collaboration and partnerships with service users, other stakeholders (nationally and internationally) and academic institutions are key to CMC’s work with the aim of maintaining best work practices, capacity building and delivering evidence-based interventions. CMC offers its services to all migrants in Cork in Cork City and County, with a focus on direct provision centres in Cork (with close to 1000 residents combined), and those fleeing war.

Cork Migrant Centre Youth Initiative provides psychosocial wellbeing (social, emotional, cognitive, cultural, knowledge and skills) through offering creative activities which are delivered on site at Nano Nagle Place on Wednesday afternoons after school, using the universal language of visual and performance arts with a focus on social action towards transformative justice.

The ‘Urgency of Music’ action research project collaboratively developed by Cork Migrant Centre in partnership with The Kabin Studio and MGCC aimed to identify and address ongoing barriers to music participation for children in Direct Provision and amongst migrant communities.

This project took the form of a 5 day summer camp, based at The Kabin Studio and led to some new collaborations and developments through the new relationships nurtured by this project, including a collaboration with Cork Midsummer Festival and the establishment of Sauti* Studio, a new studio in the city centre for songwriting, beats, music production and recording with young artists.

In addition, this works supported the establishment of a new weekly youth music programme on Saturdays as part of the new development of Sauti Studio.

*Sauti is a Swahili word for voice, giving voice, thunder, sound