+Featured Solution

―Welcome In

Mary Nally, Liam Carey 

Founded by Ashoka Fellow, Mary Nally

The Problem

An increasing number of migrants moves to a new country with no or little language cognition of the language spoken in their new country of residence. Lacking a social fabric and language skills, migrants struggle to integrate.  

The Solution

Fáilte Isteach (Welcome in) is a project initiated by the Irish volunteer organisation Third Age. The community initiative offers local communities of elderly volunteers the tools to further the integration process of migrants into their community. The curriculum consists of conversational English classes and introductions to practical information, local customs and culture. Older people are trained to teach basic English skills and are paired with a local migrant for regular weekly gatherings. The local community becomes a support system for the migrants in their new homes. Fáilte Isteach takes place in and can be introduced in pop-up classrooms in community centres, churches and common rooms across Ireland.  

The Impact

Fáilte Isteach currently has 83 groups involving over 800 volunteer tutors that meet weekly with 2,700 migrant students across Ireland. For 10 years, the project has been taken on in cities, towns, and isolated rural areas of Ireland and more recently, it has moved to the United States, England and Germany. Its ambition to bring together elderly and migrants makes it adaptable to any country with an aging population and an influx of migrants.