06/06/2026
Last week, Waterford New Communities Network (WNCN) hosted a small stakeholder event to share the findings of our Migrant Needs & Priorities Survey and to present our reflections on migrant representation in Waterford.
We invited a focused group of councillors, local authority representatives, community organisations, and service providers to discuss the experiences of migrants living in County Waterford and to explore what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice.
The survey gathered responses from 99 migrants representing 27 countries. While the findings highlighted challenges around housing, transport, employment, information, and discrimination, they also showed that integration is about much more than access to services. Feeling safe, welcomed, connected, and having a sense of belonging were among the strongest themes identified by respondents.
The event also gave us an opportunity to reflect on three years of volunteer-led work. Together, WNCN volunteers have organised events, built partnerships, represented migrant voices, carried out research, and created opportunities for connection and participation across Waterford.
We wanted to highlight both what can be achieved through volunteer commitment and the reality that migrant-led organisations continue to operate with very limited resources. We also highlighted the value of settled migrants as a community asset. Many bring extensive professional experience, lived experience, and knowledge of both their countries of origin and Irish society. This knowledge is an important resource that could be better recognised and utilised.
We were delighted by the positive feedback received and would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion.
We also shared our summer programme, which will continue until September. However, the event marked an important milestone for WNCN. After three years of volunteer-led work, we have reached the limits of what can be sustained without dedicated capacity and support. We will be exploring future options, including social enterprise development and partnership opportunities, to determine whether and how this work can continue. While the current model may be coming to an end, the need for migrant representation, community connection, and intercultural dialogue remains as important as ever.
We look forward to sharing the survey findings with a wider audience in the coming months and continuing the conversation about the future of migrant participation and inclusion in Waterford.
