Blog – Comhlamh

By Mark Malone

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Health and Wealth FirstWeds

The race for a vaccine for COVID19 is a regular feature of the airways and newsprint since the outbreak of the pandemic in February and March this year. But what will happen after an effective vaccine is developed – do these headlines inform us of the processes and frameworks underpinning future vaccine production and […]

Access to Medicines Ireland Calls on Government to Halt 'Vaccine Nationalism’

Access to Medicines Ireland Calls on Government to Halt ‘Vaccine Nationalism’ C-TAP Initiative for Global Equitable Access to Covid-19 Healthcare supported by President Higgins and Leading Irish Health Experts The Access to Medicines Ireland (AMI) campaign group calls for the Irish government to take immediate action to support the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ‘Solidarity Call […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh joins call for urgent practical solidarity with people on Lesbos.

Comhlámh have co-signed an open letter calling for immediate action from the Irish government following the fire in Moria, Lesbos which has left over 13,000 people destitute. Mark Cumming, head of Comhlámh says, “The impact of the fire at the Moria camp on Lesbos has had a devastating impact on thousands of men, women and […]

Conversations with volunteers. Eoin Ryan

Taking shelter from the sun after planting soya beans, December 2019 Welcome home Eoin. Where have you been? I have recently returned home from Zambia where I had been based at a project in Mkushi, Central Province, since the first week of November 2019 working with Development Aid from People to People (DAPP). Since May 2020, I have […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh's Justice for Palestine presents 'Why BDS'

Comhlámh’s Justice for Palestine member group presents this free online event to discuss the international movement of Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS). BDS will be discussed by three well-respected speakers: Fatin al Tamimi, Richard Falk and Omar Barghouti. BDS has been described as the only way to pressure Israel to comply with International Law. The […]

"Stories from Home"

Comhlámh and the Ireland Says Welcome group are delighted to be hosting our annual multi-cultural Culture Night. For our 2020 event we will be moving online so please join us virtually for an evening of “Stories from Home” with stories and pieces written and read by four guests from the refugee and migrant community living […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Is Free Speech Racist

We all know what free speech means. Or at least that’s the way the term ‘free speech’ gets bandied about. But is there more to unpack about meanings and intentions of the term. Who gets to decide? Who is excluded? And why has racism become so central to disputes around the status of freedom of […]

Online, virtual and remote debriefing.

I didn’t want to do online debriefings at first. I didn’t think I could do them and I worried they wouldn’t work; but on the 12 March 2020 Covid–19 changed the way we live and work indefinitely in Ireland, and doing debriefings online, virtually or remotely was simply the way it was going to be. Comhlámh believes that all volunteer development workers […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Project Officer, Capacity Building & Volunteering Quality (Career Break cover – 13 months)

Project Officer, Capacity Building & Volunteering Quality (Career Break cover – 13 months) Job Title: Capacity Building & Volunteering Quality Project OfficerReports to: Programme ManagerLocation: 12 Parliament Street, Dublin 2 Comhlámh is the Irish Association of Development Workers and Volunteers. Our mission is to nurture, guide and mobilise development workers and volunteers to work for […]

Comhlámh joins the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign against Facebook.

Comhlámh joins the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign against Facebook. Comhlámh also calls for other organisations to suspend paying advertising revenue until tech giant takes substantive action. Comhlámh has halted all advertising on Facebook products as part of growing international support for the ‘Stop Hate For Profit’ campaign. As of 30th June the organisation will suspend all […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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'Stop Filming Us' screening and discussion – July #FirstWeds

‘Stop Filming Us’ screening and discussion – July #FirstWeds Wednesday 1st July from 7pm Watch ‘Stop Filming Us’ Here at 7pm Join the live post screening panel here at 8pm The Black Lives Matter movement has lit a fire under international conversations about the nature of our societies, including questions about the under-representation and indeed […]

Virtual, online and remote volunteering for international development

Virtual, online and remote volunteering for international development On 20 May Comhlámh attended a webinar on remote volunteering, hosted by FORUM which is the global network of organisations involved in international volunteering for development. There were a number of presentations from a variety of the FORUM organisations, namely; Cuso International Canada, the UNV Online programme, […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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#FirstWeds Migrant Voices Across Europe

#FirstWeds Migrant Voices Across Europe Make sure and subscribe to Comhlámh’s YouTube channel by clicking here to ensure you dont get notified about our live feed videos Streaming from 7pm Wed 3rd June, we will be in conversation with people self organising as migrants and looking at what solidarity work is happening and how it […]

Children in orphanages at specific risk of Covid-19

Children in orphanages at specific risk of Covid-19 Comhlámh and the Orphanage Working Group: Supporting the Global Movement to Keep Children Safe Children in orphanages at specific risk of Covid-19 An estimated 8 million children currently live in orphanages worldwide.1 They are at specific risk of Covid-19, both in terms of infection and the socioeconomic […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Conversations with Volunteers and Development Workers

Conversations with Volunteers and Development Workers Áine Lynch left Comhlámh in mid 2019 to take up a role as project coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières. This is her second deployment with MSF and we caught up with her over email, to ask her a few questions about her role in Pakistan during Covid-19. Áine Lynch, […]

Social Justice and Radical Hope in a Global Pandemic

Social Justice and Radical Hope in a Global Pandemic On the 8th April three Comhlámh staff members, Sive Bresnihan, Caoimhe Butterly and Mark Malone asked if it were possible to have radical hope and show solidarity with social justice issues during a global pandemic, when people are experiencing such challenging feelings. They recorded the conversation […]

E-TICK – our new online course on Ethical Communication has landed!

E-TICK – our new online course on Ethical Communication has landed! Did you know, by the time you read this page, 500 hours of video will have been uploaded to YouTube? Did you know that in the second it takes you to read this word, 9,000 tweets will have been tweeted on Twitter (this corresponds to over […]

Green New Deal, Just Transition and COVID-19

#FirstWeds Green New Deal, Just Transition and COVID-19 Watch below with Dr Lorna Gold, Dr Conor Mc Cabe & Sean Mc Cabe Wednesday 6th May, 7pm. Can be played above. Press play now to set a reminder 7pm Live streaming from Comhlámh YouTube Channel Subscribe to our channel here to get a reminder and notification […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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The Art of Listening

The Art of Listening In the first of two pieces reflecting on her time working with Comhlámh Hannah R a student from Maynooth University’s Youth and Community Work Programme, writes about the art of listening. Since the beginning of your time, you were listening, hearing. Hearing the murmurs of your mother’s voice through the thin […]

Development Organisations Applaud Government’s Strategic Alliance with World Health Organization

In times where we see a rise of nationalism and isolationism in many places, it is important to redouble our commitment and efforts around principles of international solidarity and cooperation. The idea and practices of the WHO are an integral part of those principles and play an invaluable role in helping peoples of the world face the shared multiple challenges ahead of us.”

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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My human library book experience with Comhlámh

My human library book experience with Comhlámh I had never heard of a ‘human library’ book and when the opportunity came to speak about my recent volunteering experience in this experimental event, I jumped at the chance! I volunteered as a human library book at International Volunteer Day and this was a very enjoyable and […]

Virtual #VolOps

Virtual #Volops Since the launch of VolOps at the Irish Aid Volunteering Fair in 2014, we have used the social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to post updates about international volunteering opportunities from the volunteer sending agencies in the Comhlámh code of good practice. We also post updates from International Non-Government Organisations (INGOs) […]

By Mark Malone

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Access to Medicines Livestream

Access to Medicines Conference Live-stream

Press Release: Defending the Public Interest in Vaccine and Medical Development

Press Release: Defending the Public Interest in Vaccine and Medical Development Access to Medicines Ireland are hosting a Web Conference here on Tuesday, 7th April, from 10am to 1pm, entitled: “Defending the Public Interest in Vaccine and Medical Development,” specifically focused on COVID-19. Leading international experts will explore how best to support research that ensures effective vaccines and medicines are developed rapidly […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Access to Medicines Web Conference Covid19 Coronavirus

Access to Medicines Ireland – LIVE Web Conference COVID-19 has shone a light on a fatal weakness in our health system: the profit-driven pharmaceutical innovation model that we rely upon to develop life-saving vaccines and medicines. This global health emergency should bring countries, international organizations, NGOs, investors and industry together to agree on a new social contract whereby industry serves the public interest […]

'The Global Thread'- A new radio series from Comhlámh

‘The Global Thread’- A new radio series from Comhlámh Comhlamh have a new 4 part radio series out next week. ‘The Global Thread’ will start broadcasting weekly on NearFM beginning on Tuesday 7th April at 7pm. Produced in partnership with Near FM, this series will focus on gender equality and reproductive rights; the global architecture of extraction […]

By Mark Malone

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International Volunteering and Covid-19

International volunteering has played a key role in working to address social injustice and building resilience in the face of multiple local and global challenges. We are now facing an unprecedented global challenge which requires true solidarity to make decisions in the best interests of all, but particularly for those who are most vulnerable. Many […]

Comhlámh call for immediate action to end Direct Provision

Comhlámh call for immediate action to end Direct Provision People that seek state protection in Ireland under international law should should not have to live in circumstances that contradict the government’s own health advice to people. Cramped overcrowding within direct provision is a long-standing and well publicised issue that remains a source of day-to-day indignity […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh condemns attacks on humanitarian workers in Greece; offers practical support in Ireland

Comhlámh condemns attacks on humanitarian workers in Greece; offers practical support in Ireland Comhlámh condemns the recent spike in attacks on humanitarian workers in Greece. We have witnessed volunteers attacked in their cars, solidarity support projects burned to the ground and organised intimidation of people assisting those arriving in Greece. This includes volunteers who are, […]

"Protect our laws and humanity!" – Open Letter by 152 Organisations.

“Protect our laws and humanity!” – Open Letter by 152 Organisations about the situation in Greece. Comhlamh co-signs the following. To: Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli President of the European Council, Charles Michel President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen Athens, 6 March […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Young People Developing Collective Actions

Young People Developing Collective Actions At the end of February, we had the privilege of heading to Palermo, Sicily, to collaborate with more than 30 trainers and facilitators from around the world. As part of our E+ funded IC4LOP project, we organised a three-day training course for facilitators who are working with young people to […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and International Volunteering

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and International Volunteering Over the last few days we have received some enquiries around Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the related potential impacts and areas of consideration around international volunteering and travelling. We don’t provide specific advice around the COVID-19 virus, though there are several places we recommend you look, in order to best make […]

By Mark Malone

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Reflections on volunteering in two worlds

Reflections on volunteering in two worlds Ewnetu Ermias compares his volunteering in Ethiopia with the volunteering he does here in Dublin, and finds extraordinary similarities At the end of 2017, after over a decade of work in a fast-paced multinational IT company in Dublin, I hit the wall and felt burn out. Eventually, I took […]

Fifteen Children Killed in Haiti Orphanage Fire

Fifteen Children Killed in Haiti Orphanage Fire Comhlamh and its Orphanage Working Group were shocked and extremely saddened at the deaths of 15 children killed in a fire at an unlicensed orphanage in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Living conditions at the orphanage, operated by a US based Christian Group, were described as ‘truly, truly neglected’. The […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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"Reconciliation is dead": Wet’suwet’en peoples respond to Canadian military backing of pipelines

“Reconciliation is dead”: Wet’suwet’en peoples respond to Canadian military backing of pipelines As a wave of solidarity actions crossed Canada, James O Neill, has written this piece. James was a long term resident of Sinixt territory, British Columbia who recently returned to Ireland while remaining in contact with pipeline struggles “A huge militarised police raid […]

Comhlámh’s 2020 Outreach Programme

Comhlámh’s 2020 Outreach Programme Comhlámh’s 2020 Outreach Programme began on 16 January at the Volunteer Fair in NUI Galway. Comhlámh was one of 30 organisations showcasing their work to students, staff and lecturers in the James Hardiman Library, in Galway. It was a rainy day outside, but that didn’t prevent warm interactions between the participating […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Dympna Meaney Women’s Leadership Development Fund: 2020 Bursaries

Dympna Meaney Women’s Leadership Development Fund: 2020 Bursaries Each year the Dympna Meaney Women’s Leadership Development Fund* awards skills building bursaries to human rights activists in the global south. We are passionate about supporting grass roots women working to combat gender based violence among migrant, displaced or refugee populations. Since 2015 we’ve helped more than […]

Transforming care: Stopping the demand for orphanages

Transforming care: Stopping the demand for orphanages In this article written and published in Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) union magazine we outline the shift in policy and practice from supporting orphanages towards enabling family and community-based care Irish nurses and midwives have a proud and long-established tradition of international volunteering and contributing to […]

By Mark Malone

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Beyond Borders Navigating The Journey.

Caoimhe Butterly

Focus Podcast Visiting Achill Island, global health and growing inequality

Focus Podcast: Visiting Achill Island, global health and growing inequality Focus headed to Achill island for the the second International Health and Development Training for Healthcare Workers. Organised for people interested in volunteering or working in healthcare in less developed countries, this two day residential workshop of the west coast of Ireland looks at the […]

By Mark Malone

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Christmas Party 2019

Christmas Party 2019 Friends Members and Comrades – come along to our Christmas party We hope you can join us at our annual Comhlámh, Kimmage Alumni / Department of International Development Studies Maynooth University and VSI Christmas drinks. Come and see who you might meet up with. All welcome. From 6.30pm till late Platters of […]

Fracking, Neocolonialism and International Resistance

Fracking, Neocolonialism and International Resistance Fracking gas has been banned in Ireland. So why is the government driving through plans to build a fracked gas refinery plant in Shannon? What does this mean for communities still fighting to defeat fracking in their communities and country? And what does that international resistance look like? These are […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh Drivetime interview calls for an end to volunteering in orphanages

Comhlámh Drivetime interview calls for an end to volunteering in orphanages

Focus Podcast: The Cambodia-Ireland Changemaker Network

Focus Podcast: The Cambodia-Ireland Changemaker Network Focus dropped into Donabate-Portrane Educate Together National School (DPETNS) and PEPY Empowering Youth during an exchange visit to speak about the work of the Cambodia Ireland Changemaker Network. The network has developed from 2013, when four young Irish teachers from Dublin travelled to Cambodia seeking to establish an educational […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Frontline Witness: Refugee Search & Rescue in the Mediterranean

Live recording of

Umbrella Foundation Ball

Umbrella Foundation Ball Our collegues at The Umbrella Foundation are holding a fundraising ball to assist with their organisation transistion as it phases out its work in Nepal. Heres Umbrella in their own words: Umbrella will phase out its work in Nepal, having succeeded in our original mission of supporting 411 vulnerable children, enabling them […]

VIDEO: Heineken in Africa : #FirstWeds Conversation with Olivier van Beemen

VIDEO: Heineken in Africa : #FirstWeds Conversation with Olivier van Beemen For our November #FirstWeds we were delighted to have Investigative journalist Olivier van Beemen to talked to Patrick Marren from the Department of International Development at Maynooth University, about his book “Heineken in Africa” For Heineken, ‘rising Africa’ is already a reality: the profits […]

Search and Rescue activists drop into Comhlámh ahead of Frontline Witness event.

Search and Rescue activists drop into Comhlámh ahead of Frontline Witness event. Comhlámh staff were only to pleased to take the opportunity to show solidarity with search and rescue activists, ahead of the Frontline Witness event this week. We were joined over lunchtime by Anabel Montes from Open Arms and Joby Fox from from Refugee […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Focus Podcast: Rethinking the divide between international and community development

Focus Podcast: Rethinking the divide between International and Community Development Focus has a chat with Dr Eilish Dillon, exploring some of the ideas, assumptions and practices underpinning much of the work of the international development sector in Ireland and elsewhere. We explore the problematic and artificial divide between community and international development that has evolved […]

Comhlámh shortlisted for a Good Governance Award

Comhlámh shortlisted for a Good Governance Award We are delighted to be nominated for a Good Governance Award connected for our 2019 Annual Report. Our strategic plan 2018-2021 laid out our values and one of these was Legitimacy: “At a time of great questioning of the legitimacy and credibility of not-for-profit organisations, we re-commit ourselves […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Extinction Rebellion, Civil Disobedience & Social Change

Extinction Rebellion, Civil Disobedience & Social Change Subscribe To Focus Podcast: Android | RSS ¦ Apple Podcast Show Info: “Civil Disobedience and Social Change” took place in the Teacher Club in Dublin a few weeks ago. While the discussion looks at civil disobedience in the general sense, a lot of the conversation revolved around challenging preconceptions of the term as […]

Focus Podcast: Ending Volunteering in Orphanages

Focus Podcast: Ending Volunteering in Orphanages It is estimated that around 80% of children and young people living in orphanages and other institutional settings, have at least one parent alive. It is known now that institutional living is really damaging for children and young people. They are more vulnerable to abuse and very often forced […]

By Mark Malone

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Blocking of Opposition Bills is troubling

Blocking of Opposition Bills is troubling This letter appeared in the Irish Times on Monday 7th October. Did you know that 8 million children live in orphanages today? And that over 80 per cent are not orphans, but have at least one living parent. Take a look at our Volunteering in Orphanages campaign today.

Heineken in Africa: Nov #FirstWeds

Heineken in Africa: Our November First Weds We are delighted to have investigative journalist Olivier van Beemen to speak about his book “Heineken in Africa” for our November #FirstWeds Where: Teachers Club, 12 Parnell Square West When: 6th Nov. 7-8.30pm Facebook event here. For Heineken, ‘rising Africa’ is already a reality: the profits it extracts […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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‘Where do I start?’ online course

Dates: Thursday 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th November 2019 Are you thinking about volunteering internationally? Are you unsure about where to start? Are you wondering about whether it is a good thing to do? Or maybe you are preparing volunteer internationally, but feel you’re missing something in terms of preparation? If you’re answering yes to […]

Our new online course on ethical communication is almost here!

Our new online course on ethical communication is almost here! Thinking about or preparing to volunteer internationally? Interested in reading (and communicating) our increasingly image and news saturated world more skilfully? We’re delighted to say that our new E-TICK e-learning platform on ethical communication is almost here! A collaborative effort between Društvo Humanitas (Slovenia), Zavod […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Psychosocial resilience: sustainable activism and building resilience

Psychosocial resilience: sustainable activism and building resilience In May, I took part in a 10-day training up the Pyrenees Mountains in Catalonia. The training was called ‘Regenerative Activism.’ A new partner of Comhlámh called Ulex ran it. Ulex is the Latin for gorse. A thorny evergreen shrub that is extremely adaptive and resilient. It cannot […]

FirstWeds: Civil Disobedience and Social Change.

FirstWeds: Civil Disobedience and Social Change In a society and world of overlapping crisis, ecological and political, what role does civil disobedience have to play? With increasing numbers of people feeling that formal politics is exacerbating growing inequality and injustice, can civil disobedience be harnessed as collective action? We are kicking off a new season […]

By Mark Malone

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New Erasmus+ project starts this October

New Erasmus+ project starts this October We’re excited to announce a new project that’s starting this October, which will enable Comhlámh to develop our work with civil society organisations who are supporting migrants arriving in crisis situations in Europe. Funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme, the project involves organisations from Greece, Italy […]

Comhlámh’s Access to Medicines: Corbyns proposals “major moment in a wave of reform”

Comhlámh’s Access to Medicines: Corbyns proposals “major moment in a wave of reform” Comhlámh member group ‘Access To Medicines’ have welcomed proposals set out by the UK Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. At the annual party conference Corbyn launched Labour’s plans to “public health before private profit” aiming to challenge rampant profiteering and inequality around […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Focus Podcast: Ethical Living and Social Change

Focus Podcast: Ethical Living and Social Change If you want to keep up to date with Focus podcasts, be sure and subscribe via you favourite podcast app. Please share and like to. Give us a rating and some comments if you really like (or maybe not) what we are covering on Focus. It helps others […]

Culture Night 2019

Culture Night 2019 Ireland Says Welcome @ Comhlámh “Following the great success of the human library and music from Kaleidoscope Collective at Culture Night last year we are delighted to announce our entertainment for Culture Night 2019! We look forward to welcoming both return visitors and new faces to Culture Night at Comhlamh, Parliament St, […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Nepal Day 2019

Nepal Day 2019 Comhlamh attended Nepal Day over the weekend just past. This from Ruth Powell. Check out our Volunteering Options page for more information and resources about responsible volunteering

Project Officer, Sustaining Civic Responses to Migration (Erasmus+)

Project Officer, Sustaining Civic Responses to Migration (Erasmus+) Job Description Job Title: Sustaining Civic Responses to Migration – Project Officer Reports to: Programme Manager Location: 12 Parliament Street, Dublin 2 Comhlámh is a member organisation that works to mobilise for an equitable and sustainable world. As the Irish association of development workers and volunteers, Comhlámh promotes […]

By Mark Malone

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IC4LOP Launch

IC4LOP Launch On June 21st, we held the launch event for our latest Erasmus+ funded project, ‘International Citizens for Local Perspectives’ (IC4LOP). We were delighted to host over 50 representatives of migrant support organisations, volunteer sending agencies, and other national organisations in Wood Quay for a very engaged programme. The project aims to create innovative […]

Irish Aid Volunteering Fair 2019

Dates for the Irish Aid Volunteering Fair 2019 have been confirmed When: Saturday 9th November 2019. 11am-4pm Where: Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle Come along if you would like to meet returned volunteers and staff from more than 35 volunteer sending agencies. Come along if you would like to participate in interactive workshops and hear from people […]

By Mark Malone

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Massive Attack Remix for Extinction Rebellion short.

The Deliberate Rebellion is a short film commissioned by Extinction Rebellion UK and made by All Hands On. The film examines Extinction Rebellion’s demand that Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice. The film is directed and produced by ex-Reuters reporter Patrick Chalmers. Music […]

Supporting Returned Volunteers and Young Migrants to Work for Global Justice: Cork

Comhlámh would like to invite you to an information day about our new Erasmus+ funded project, ‘International Citizens for Local Perspectives’.Join us to: Examine how we can develop connections between young return international volunteers and young migrants from the global south to develop global justice action projects; Learn more about a new app that’s mapping integration […]

By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh Global Trade Justice Course 2019

When : Thursday evenings 18:30 – 21:30pm 16th Sep – 24th Oct 2019 Where: Comhlámh offices, 12 Parliament Street, Dublin 2. This course is open to anyone interested in learning about the impact of international trade on the global economy. Are you interested in finding out how trade structures affect your life and those in […]

Supporting Returned Volunteers and Young Migrants to Work for Global Justice

Comhlámh would like to invite you to an information day about our new Erasmus+ funded project, ‘International Citizens for Local Perspectives’.Join us to: Examine how we can develop connections between young return international volunteers and young migrants from the global south to develop global justice action projects; Learn more about a new app that’s mapping integration […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh’s friend Maurice Hurley is looking for fellow cyclists to join him on a fundraising cycle.

“Myself and some friends in ATD Ireland (All Together in Dignity) are organising the Dublin to Paris cycle for a few reasons. Officially we are raising awareness about the SDG’s or as I prefer to call them “The 17 Global Goals” which basically aim to eradicate extreme poverty everywhere, make the world a fairer place […]

Three events tomorrow night you should know about!

Three events on Wednesday 17th July that our members and supporters might be interested in. In our own offices, MASI – Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland are hosting an open conference planning meeting. MASI are having its first conference in Liberty Hall on Saturday 5th October “marking five years since we first came together in […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Direct Provision Explainer: The journey of people seeking asylum in Ireland

To coincide with World Refugee Day 2019 Comhlámh’s ‘Ireland Says Welcome’ group would like to share this Direct Provision Explainer to highlight some of the continuing issues with Ireland’s system for accommodating people seeking asylum in this country. This one page graphic is a resource to help people fill in any gaps they may have […]

SUBMISSION TO OIREACHTAS JOINT COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE & EQUALITY DIRECT PROVISION & THE INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION PROCESS

The purpose of this submission is to express our conviction that DP is not an adequate system and should be ended – and to make recommendations for improvements which would be led by the rights of the asylum-seeker rather than the economics of the state. Ireland Says Welcome submission paper. May 2019 In May past […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Comhlámh’s 2018 Annual Report

Previous Annual Reports can be found in our About Us section here

An evening with Séan Ó Tuathaigh

On the 27 June, author Séan Ó Tuathaigh will be here in the Comhlámh offices for an evening of questions and answers about his new book “Outlanders: Stories of the displaced”. Beforehand we caught up with him to ask him a few questions about his book. Can you tell us what the book is about […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Julius Arega: Volunteering in Orphanages in Kenya.

Julius Arega is chair of a community based organisation in Ngong, Kenya called Rays of Hope. Rays of Hope works to support proper family and community based care for children. He speaks about the situation in Kenya, and his input was part of the launch of ‘Children First: A Global Perspective on Volunteering in Orphanages […]

Focus: Action for Global Justice, Issue 104

Climate justice, Independent Living Movement Ireland, volunteering and orphanages, Direct Provision, the housing crisis and much more You can read or download Focus 104 below. The editorial team would like to thank all our contributors: In this issue we have WILLIAM HEDERMAN on the states attempt to import hydraulically fracked gas from outside the country […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Children First : A Global Perspective on Volunteering In Orphanages and Transforming Care.

Children First : A Global Perspective on Volunteering In Orphanages and Transforming Care. This report was produced by Comhlámh and the Volunteering and Orphanages Working Group (OWG ) The OWG was set up in 2016 by Comhlámh and a number of Volunteer Sending Agencies party to Comhlámh’s Code of Good Practice who were concerned at […]

Cracking Video from Access to Medicines on Price Transparency.

Stand up for making medicines accessible & affordable! @AccessToMedsIRL & @MSF_Ireland are calling on @LeoVaradkar to support the #TransparencyResolution at #WHA72 which will help countries get a fairer deal for patients & health systems RT & help put #LivesOverProfit Share it out with the links below

Comhlámh AGM Thursday, 23rd May 2019

Comhlámh AGM Thursday 23rd May 2019 Carmelite Community Centre, Whitefriar Street, Dublin 6pm – registration and refreshments (sandwiches and tea/coffee) 6.30pm-8.30pm – Meeting Are you a returned development worker or volunteer who has spent time in the Global South? Are you interested in global justice issues, and in linking the local and the global dimensions […]

Community Sponsorship Ireland programme: A callout from Cork

Last week Comhlámh had a great meeting with the Red Cross about the new Community Based Refugee Sponsorship Programmes and Comhlámh’s new European project supporting returned international volunteers and newly arrived migrants to work towards social justice Comhlámh has always been about solidarity. Here is a great opportunity for people in Cork to get involved […]

By Mark Malone

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‘Meet – Play – Move: One woman’s take on the UCDVO/Comhlamh Skills in Development Education course’

Finding just and compassionate solutions: Comhlámh’s Skills in Development Education course 2019 As a lifelong local community volunteer who, on a regular basis, facilitates groups as part of the ‘day’ job, I was delighted to be offered a place on the Spring 2019 UCDVO Skills in Development Education Course. I looked forward to the programme, […]

Ask The Candidates! #EUelections2019

The upcoming European and Local elections on Friday, May 24th are an important one. People will be canvassing for your votes, and so we have pulled together some key questions around particular themes that our members have been working on. These cover areas of human rights and anti-racism; international trade deals and Palestinian solidarity along […]

By Mark Malone

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By Mark Malone

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Trade Unionism & Working for Development #FirstWeds

To mark Mayday 2019, this month #FirstWeds will explore some of the themes and issues of trade unionism and working in the local and global community and development sectors. From a global perspective, we can clearly see those trade unionists, and others involved in collective struggles against inequality and injustices, are specifically targeted because of […]

The Comhlámh Coming Home Weekend – ‘Sustaining Our Work’

‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.’ Audre Lorde Comhlámh is delighted to announce that our next Coming Home Weekend will take place in Django Hostel in Cloughjordan eco-village on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June. This two-day residential retreat will give you time to […]

By Mark Malone

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Cultivate’s new Elements of Change Festival

Unveiling Cultivate’s new Elements of Change Festival, June 29th: “Celebrating what a ‘sustainable community’ is and exploring what actually sustains community. Many movements are calling for change – let’s come together to rethink what these diverse elements of change can look like. From scheduled workshops to Open Space, from walks and talks to collaboratively walking our talk and […]

Dr Ciara Conlon: Access to Medicines Podcast

Last weekend, Ciara Conlon from Access to Medicines appeared on The Echo Chamber Podcast ahead of the Access to Medicines conference this month. You can listen in full below. Irish patients have access to fewer new medicines than those in other EU countries and have to wait longer to get them. Some of the issues […]

By Mark Malone

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Volunteering and the SDGs

Mark Cumming, the Head of Comhlámh reflects on deliberations at our event looking at Volunteering and the SDGs. We were delighted to host UNV in Dublin on 12th March last. There was an excellent line up in the room with representatives from the United Nations Volunteer programme along with Volunteer Ireland. Participants straddled those involved […]

Conversations with volunteers: Eilís McDonald

Continuing our series of interviews with development workers and volunteers, retired teacher and long term volunteer Eilís McDonald writes for us below reflecting on her many years volunteering experiences in Malawi, Uganda and Kenya. ” Things do go wrong sometimes. Mostly something that seems perfectly ok on paper, doesn’t translate the way we expect. This […]

A Twitter thread on African ‘tragedies’

In a powerful thread in Twitter, writer Zoé Samudzi set out some thoughts about how western media reports invariably omits or renders invisible African responses of solidarity in crisis, and are infused with a sense of inevitability, rather than examining real causes and dynamics or the social, political and ecological forces at play. You can […]

Volunteer with Comhlámh at concerts and support our member groups

It’s that time of year again and Comhlámh are delighted to announce our call-out for concert volunteers for Summer 2019. As a festival volunteer, you will be helping raise funds exclusively for the use of Comhlámh member groups. Volunteering with us means helping run the bars along with other campaign groups and the Workers Beers […]

By Mark Malone

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No to any new TTIP: Contact your MEP’s

The Comhlámh Trade Justice group sent the following letter to all sitting Irish MEPs around the upcoming vote regarding fresh talks around a new US EU trade deal. Given the disaster for people and environment that was proposed in the original TTIP agreement, we call on our sitting MEPs to vote against the opening of […]

Conversations with volunteers: Dominic Hannigan

Comhlámh’s information and support officer Ruth Powell will have a number of conversations with volunteers about their unique experiences of international volunteering over the coming months. Here is the second conversation, with Dominic Hannigan Why did you decide to volunteer internationally? I was always interested in international volunteering, and this opportunity was right for me. […]

Volunteering and the Sustainable Development Goals

Comhlámh is delighted to host the United Nations Volunteer programme in Dublin for a dialogue on on Volunteering and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, encouraging the participation and integration of all people — including youth, […]

Ruth Powell reviews “Learning Service: The Essential Guide to Volunteering Abroad”

The first thing you notice about “Learning Service: The Essential Guide to Volunteering Abroad” is that it comes highly recommended by Noam Chomsky who states that it is “an extraordinary contribution” and “a manifesto for doing good well”. The second thing you notice is the sheer size of the work. This guidebook has more than […]

By Mark Malone

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More than 1,600 people died in the attempt to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in the months up to September 2018.

Sir, – Ireland is failing in its responsibility to migrants seeking asylum in European countries. More than 1,600 people died in the attempt to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in the months up to September 2018. There is little evidence that European ministers for justice, including Charlie Flanagan, have done much to ensure the safety […]

Conversations With Volunteers. Ewnetu Ermias

Over the next few months, Comhlámh’s information and support officer Ruth Powell will have a number of conversations with volunteers about their unique experiences of international volunteering. First up, a conversation with Ewnetu Ermias who is currently volunteering at Salale University in Fitche, central Ethiopia. What is your name? My name is Ewnetu Ermias. I […]

E-tick: A new project on ethical communications for young volunteers

Communicating Volunteering Comhlámh is happy to announce the start of a new Erasmus+ funded project that will focus on the complex and frequently contentious topic of how volunteers communicate about their international placements and experiences in the Global South. Using global education methodologies, the project will support volunteers to develop skills around critical self-reflection and […]

Irish Primary School Children Strike For Climate Action

School children mobilised across several schools on Dublin for a demonstration outside the Dail. It was part of the first primary school strikes highlighting the lack of government action on Climate Change. The call for a strike by school children around climate action arose from the the 6th year class taught by Jenny Stanley at […]

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