Experiences, barriers and identity: the development of a workshop to promote understanding of and empathy for the migrant experience

This article explores the development of a workshop that was designed to provide participants with a safe space in which to explore and empathise with the experiences of migrants. In this case the Irish centenary commemorations (1916-2016) provided an opportunity to explore the links between the Irish experience with emigration in order to help the participants develop empathy for present-day migrants. The development of the workshop was based on a review and mapping exercise followed by focus groups which explored themes related to the experiences faced by migrants in Limerick, barriers to integration, and the role played by identity in framing perceptions for both migrants and the host community.