Language Explorers and IPIF 2022/2023

Research in other contexts has previously shown that young children who experienced forced migration show higher levels of socio-emotional problems, lower levels of cognitive development and lower levels of host country language development. Since previous evaluations of Mother Tongues’ Language Explorers show results that improve the relationship with languages and emotional well-being, for IPIF we planned to deliver these workshops, particularly with children with a forced migration background in mind.
Language Explorers is an award-winning outreach programme designed by Mother Tongues to offer a creative, multilingual space for young children and families to develop language and literacy through play and artistic tasks and to enhance resilience, inclusion and overall well-being. It is in line with First 5 Government strategy of sustaining parental engagement, creating playful learning environments and supporting parents in the transition from preschool to school. In the workshops children and parents engage in creative activities that have been carefully designed to promote language and communication skills and also self-expression, through a culturally-sensitive approach.
The workshops are run by artists-facilitators who are trained in the Language Explorers methodology.
For this project, funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under the International Protection Integration Fund 2022, we have partnered with the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and built a relationship of trust with the Clondalkin Towers Direct Provision Centre (in particular with Naima Forde, Homework Club and Children Activities Coordinator), The Intercultural Centre Clondalkin (with Carmen Paredes) and with one of the workers in Tallaght Cross (Galina Negru).
With Glencree, we run a training morning led by their Wellbeing coordinator, Patty Abozaglo, for our staff, the artists who facilitated Language Explorers for this project and their volunteers, 6 of whom come from a background of displacement too. This session aimed to embed some mindfulness techniques (called Capacitar) into the Language Explorers workshops.

We planned and delivered 22 multilingual workshops in South Dublin and 6 monolingual workshops in Bray.
The workshop format incorporated storytelling, Capacitar practices for emotional well-being, and other art forms. Capacitar practices were introduced to enhance emotional processing and well-being. Art activities allowed parents and children to express themselves and create together.

Mother Tongues has conducted interviews with key project stakeholders, including artist-facilitator Fernanda Ferrari, Nadette Foley (Manager of Glencree Intercultural and Refugee Programme), Patty Abozaglo (Trauma and Wellness Consultant, Glencree Welcomes Refugees Project), and Marian Baker (Early Years and Wellness Consultant). Watch the video to hear their insights.

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Mother Tongues is a social enterprise working to promote multilingualism and intercultural dialogue in Ireland.
We do this through three interconnected goals:
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