Drumming up anti-racism awareness

CULTURAL diversity was celebrated with drum-beat and good food at the National Training and Development Institute in Waterford yesterday.

Staff at the centre, which provides training programmes to people with intellectual disabilities and special needs, invited members of the locally-based African Cultural Awareness Project into class to meet and talk with some of the trainees.

The meeting was organised to raise awareness about racism and cultural difference, and the African guests played drums and cooked up an ethnic meal for the trainees.

“We wanted the trainees to have the experience of meeting someone from Africa without having any fear, as they wouldn’t really have an opportunity to do so otherwise,” Trish Quinn, catering instructor at the NTDI said. “We’ve had a number of experiences where trainees who are going into employment have not been comfortable working with people from other origins and countries, so this raises awareness about different cultures for them.”

The 48 trainees at the centre take part in a range of programmes aimed at helping them overcome their disabilities and secure employment. Programmes include catering, office skills and employment-based training.

One trainee, David Carroll, aged 27, enjoyed cooking with the visitors from Nigeria and explained how he’d learned a little about their way of life.

“I was helping them cook a bit and I learned that they like dancing and music,” he said. “I work with people from Africa and Asia in my job and it’s good. Their cultures are interesting and the way they do things is very different to Ireland.”