Integrated Education Fund (Day 11)

I began my second work placement in Northern Ireland on Tuesday June 12th at the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) located in Belfast. I was really, REALLY excited to begin my placement with the IEF because part of the whole reason that I wanted to come to Northern Ireland was so that I would be able to study integrated education. I am a certified teacher and I have some experience in education policy and non-profit management, so the organization itself is fascinating to me.

As noted on its website, "The Integrated Education Fund aims to make integration, not separation, the norm in (the Northern Irish) education system. The Fund supports the continued growth of integrated school places and encourages all schools to provide their pupils with the opportunity to engage meaningfully with children from different cultural and religious backgrounds".

Currently in Northern Ireland, only about 7% of the school-aged population attends integrated schools where there are near even balances of Catholics and Protestants present. Only  7 percent! That means that 93 percent of children in Ireland attend schools that are extremely homogeneous where nearly everyone practices the same religion. Inclusion is limited. The Integrated Education Fund seeks to change that by funding schools where children of all faiths and backgrounds can learn together. I am mainly an observer of Northern Irish politics and culture and I certainly do not want to claim to know anything about mending relations in Northern Ireland, but I will say that I think integrated education will play an important role in the healing process here and anywhere else in the world where there has been segregation. In order for people to understand and tolerate each other, I think that people need a common meeting ground where they can get to know and appreciate each other and often schools provide that forum.

Anyway - onto the actual details of my day!

I was very warmly received at the IEF and the staff were so wonderful from the beginning. As soon as I walked in the door, I was asked if I wanted anything to eat or drink and although I initially declined, I eventually gave in and drank lots and lots of coffee! They also brought me plenty of candy bars (or "sweeties" as they call them here) even though it was 10am! Everyone here loves to eat candy, cookies and other sugary treats from morning till dusk.

The first people I met were Michael, the fundraising officer; Chris, the community engagement officer; and Brian, the fundraising manager. I talked to Michael and Brian for a long time about the current state of affairs in Northern Ireland, about the school system here, and about all of the different things that IEF does. It is interesting because in Northern Ireland, all of the Catholic schools are free and public as are the state-run schools and parents can choose to send their children wherever they would like. It's not like in the U.S. where you need to go to the school that it is closest to your residence. The IEF has had a difficult time getting integrated schools up and running because for a long time the Catholic church and schools were against it (and still are to a certain extent). It must be difficult to convince people to send their children to a mixed school when their priests are telling them not to do it!

After talking with Brian and Michael, I met Paul who is the Campaign Director. Paul shared a lot of his own experiences with integrated education with me - he and his wife are from different faiths and their sons today all attend integrated schools. He seems so passionate about the mission of the organization, so it was really refreshing to hear from him.

Then, I met Sara, who is the Grants Manager. The IEF provides so many really great grants to current integrated schools and to schools that would like to explore integrated options. Transformation grants, which allow schools to begin the transformation to integrated schools, are big - schools can receive up to 30,000 pounds!

After learning a ton about integrated education, I actually had a chance to hop in the car with Brian to visit an integrated school right near where I live in Downpatrick called Blackwater Integrated College (secondary schools in Ireland are known as "colleges").

The whole reason we went to visit Blackwater was because about 70 parishioners from a church in Texas actually came all the way to Northern Ireland to do some mission work revitalizing the school. Most of the volunteers were around 15-16 years old and helped to paint and do some landscaping. Blackwater is a terrific school but was in need of some renovations! The teenage volunteers were also learning about reconciliation here and formed fast bonds with the children at Blackwater.

It was a good first day learning so much about integrated education and getting the chance to see an actual school!