Cultivate Respect, Appreciate Inclusion across Cultures

We believe that a sound approach to wider cultural understanding is through thoughtful collaboration of diverse experiences of diverse people. We do this by delivering authentic and engaging learning experiences employing our diverse team of trainers.

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Want to create a welcoming, diverse environment for your organisation?

Whether you are a public or private institution, a proactive diversity strategy will equip your team with the knowledge, experience and skills to deal with understand cultural issues, improve communication and promote strong, inclusive growth.

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A selection of our past collaborations

Meet the Team

Eileen is the first ethnic minority born in NI to hold a public appointment. She served as Equality Commissioner from 2017 to 2020 and was nominated in supporting Human Resource Recruitment at Board level for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in 2020.

Eileen has worked for over 25 years in racial equality and specialises in
inclusion and diversity training and educational programmes. Eileen has a background in TQM, Production Management and Leadership.

In 2021, she delivered a talk for the TEDx Stormont series.

Key Interest areas: Cultural Awareness and Creativity, Race Equality

Since 2017, Jessica has worked with the Integrated Education Fund as Community Outreach Officer to promote integrated education in Northern Ireland as part of our society’s broader reconciliation process. Previous to this role, she worked with the Belfast Conflict Resolution Consortium (employed through Falls Community Council and Intercomm Ireland), a project focused on delivering peacebuilding, shared history, community safety and community development programmes within interface communities across Belfast. As part of the role with BCRC, Jessica co designed and delivered the project’s Anti-Sectarianism Toolkit and Training Programme.

Jessica completed a PhD at Queen’s University Belfast in 2013, researching the role of faith-based peacebuilding organisations. Prior to moving to Northern Ireland in 2005, she also completed Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees at Uppsala University in her native Sweden, primarily focusing on Peace and Conflict Studies, Politics, History, English and Development Studies.

Magdalena Houston is a global citizen with a passion for cultural awareness, diversity, and inclusion. Born and raised in France from French-Moroccan parents, she has lived in Montreal, Singapore, Dubai, and Belfast, experiencing their unique perspectives and connections.

With a desire to deepen her knowledge and experiences in these areas, Magdalena joined CRAICNI as a Cultural Cuisine trainer. She later became a Level 3 Delivering Cultural Awareness Trainer with Cast4Innovation. During her 15 years in Dubai, Magdalena trained as a Co-Active Coach, took a Transpersonal Psychology course, and became a Spontaneous Art Healing facilitator. She also volunteered at an art studio for young artists with disabilities and qualified as an OCN Level 4 Community Interpreter and Level 3 Delivering Cultural Awareness Trainer in Belfast.

Key interest areas:
Magdalena is interested in empowering people, active listening, and an inquisitive and humanist approach. Her personal interests include mindfulness meditation, world music, and embroidery.

Veera has been with CRAICNI since 2018, involved in project execution and strategy. He has a Masters degree in International relations from Queen’s University Belfast. He has a background in aerospace and programmme management. Veera is an Indian.

Key Interest Areas: Strategy, Best practices, Research and analysis

Michael has a Masters Degree in Advanced Migration Studies from the University of Copenhagen, writing his thesis on international solidarity between oppressed groups. Born in Belfast, he has lived in Denmark since 2016. Michael has 5 years experience in cultural awareness training, 10 years experience in language teaching and has worked with business and concept development for startups in both NI and Denmark.

With a bachelors degree in English and Spanish, Michael’s main areas of interest are language, communication and storytelling, and how they can be used to foster cultural awareness.

Key Interest Areas: Cultural Awareness, Language, Communication,
Solidarity

Ismaila is a psychology graduate with a deep understanding of human behavior and the mind. He is currently working remotely and utilizing his skills and knowledge to provide advice as a board member for CRAICNI.

Masako Carey was born in Tokyo, Japan. She was a kindergarten teacher at an international school in Japan. She then became an interpreter, where she met her County Antrim born husband through business and came to Northern Ireland 21 years ago.

Masako is a qualified OCN Level 4 Community Interpreter. She has also enjoyed sharing her Japanese culture through crafts, dance, cooking and workshops at schools and various communities throughout Northern Ireland. After acquiring the Level 3 Delivering Cultural Awareness Training certificate, Masako has become passionate about making people more culturally aware.

She is an international professional storyteller with a Level 2 Oral Storytelling certificate. She performs in various schools, communities, events, and festivals, sharing her culture in a fun and entertaining way.

Key Interest areas: Storytelling, Cultural Awareness, Interpreting and Crafting

Dermot Devlin is the founder of the pressure group My Way Access established in 2009. It grew out of his frustration at not accessing premises, due to poor planning. Rather than getting angry, he wanted to do something positive and create a disability awareness movement. My Way Access was born. Dermot has a rare disease called Mucopolysaccharides Morquio and is a wheelchair user. He describes himself as disabled and proud.

In 2020, he was awarded the Bravery Award from Amnesty International UK Human Rights Defender for Northern Ireland in recognition of his campaigning for disabled people.

In 2015, Dermot spoke at TEDx Omagh. He is regularly featured on several TV channels and press across the island of Ireland and the UK, speaking publicly on disability related issues.

Key Interest areas: Disability Awareness and Good Practice, Inclusive Language, Equality

Dr. Edie Shillue holds a PHD in English from Queen’s University and advanced degrees from the University of Massachusetts. Edie has been providing Refugee / Asylum training sessions for professionals and community groups in Ireland since 2013.

From 2020 she began providing open learning courses about migration and asylum matters for community volunteers at Queen’s University Open Learning.

She has developed cultural awareness and migration training courses in the Open College Network/NI. She is an OCN level 4 qualified Mandarin-English interpreter.

Key Interest areas: Migration issues, Cultural Awareness and Creativity

Jeremy is a highly commended, motivated and respected Subject Matter Expert in Policing, Community Safety, Community Development and Diversity with over 35 years professional experience in policing and security gained in operational and non-operational roles across Europe, Middle East and the United States.

Jeremy now works in an independent advisory capacity at local neighbourhood, national and international levels.

He has been involved with the Special Olympics movement for over 25 years and was the European Coordinator on the International Executive Council of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

Key Interest areas: Policing, Community Development, Hate Crime

Find out more

Diversity, inclusion and cultural awareness are complex areas that are a vital part of creating a fairer, more equitable world.

Our training is as diverse as our team. Every organisation is unique and therefore requires a tailored approach. We work with you every step of the way to ensure that you have the perfect roadmap to advance in your diversity and inclusion journey.

Book a call with us to:

  • Get an overview of our training systems
  • Discuss your goals with an expert
  • Learn how we can work together to help you establish a happier, more creative, more productive environment