In the final chapter of Abbi’s Circle, the group of friends prepare for their school’s winter concert. The song they write together celebrates the fact that their diverse backgrounds form a strong unifying bond, but their performance hinges on the participation of Sanjay - whose family discovers they are at risk of becoming ‘undocumented’ and may be forced to leave the country.
It is, therefore, through young peoples eyes and their own sense of solidarity – what is fair and not fair – that the issue of 'Undocumented Migrants' is explored. A hugely complex area, to be sure, and one that is confusing at best for publics, as they try to make sense of the complicated policy and legal rhetoric surrounding the issue. Yet increasingly, it is children who are made most vulnerable when families either face the crisis of falling into irregular status or are living in an ‘undocumented’ – sans-papier, clandestine – state.
Building on case studies produced by our partner the Migrant Rights Centre, the film portrays the inflexibility of a bureaucratic system, and offers an image of how a new generation of young Irish children might inherit a shared legacy of diversity and inclusion.
The New Beginnings Film and Teaching Pack is a highly creative resource for teachers and an important, practical asset for intercultural education, one that promises to engage and captivate children.
New Beginnings is the final chapter of Abbi’s Circle, our three-part animation series on the topic of immigration in Ireland, with a particular focus on Family Reunification, which foregrounds the voices of children. Drawn from case studies produced by our partner the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, New Beginnings tackles the challenging issue of being undocumented in Ireland and explores how this affects the lives of families who fall out of regulated status through no fault of their own.
Practicing teachers, Liz Morris and Niamh McGuirk, have again written the accompanying Teaching Pack for New Beginnings with a specific focus on implementing the primary school curriculum. Building on the innovative approach established in both The Memory Box Teaching Pack and Team Spirit Teaching Pack, the individual chapters/inserts from this pack can be used in SPHE, History, Geography, Visual Arts, Mathematics and more. The topics covered include Undocumented Migrants, Discrimination, Newgrange, Festivals of Light, Ceremonial Fires, Winter Festival and the Pantomime, Exploring Language, Cityscapes, Religious Diversity, Faiths from around the World and Georgian Doorways.
Maureen O'Sullivan, Independent TD for Dublin Central and Teacher had the following to say about the pack:
“New Beginnings is a marvellous resource. I really like the material - the ideas, concepts, class plans, links with other sources and resources, graphics, and quotations. I particularly like the cross-curricular aspect, covering literature, history, art, religion, music, and media. I think it will be challenging and demanding to teach but also very enjoyable. I would love to be back in the classroom using New Beginnings with my students and recommend that it also be made available to youth clubs and youth projects”.
Please click resources for details on how to purchase this pack.