Mapping Belonging: How Young Migrants are Helping Shape Inclusive Communities in Cavan

Back in February, as part of the Crossroads project, we hosted a Community Mapping Clinic (CMC) with eight young people from migrant backgrounds living in Virginia, Co. Cavan.

Their goal wasn't just to map streets and landmarks, it was to map experiences. Together, we explored what it means to feel welcome, included, and supported in a community. The participants identified not only the places they use, but also the spaces where they feel safe, where they encounter challenges, and where they see opportunities for change.

What is community mapping?

Community mapping is a participatory approach that enables people to explore and document their environment through their own lens. It moves beyond geography to capture the social, emotional, and practical realities of a place. Through this process, participants can identify resources, gaps in services, and barriers to access—while also generating solutions.

Watch this video to learn more about Community Mapping: 

At our clinic, we used Google My Maps to build a digital version of the community as seen by young migrants. The resulting map reflects real issues and strengths from access to transport and language supports, to places for connection and belonging.

So, what did we actually map?

Using a structured Excel template, we worked with participants to identify and name key issues in their local area. Each issue was linked to broader themes such as healthcare, climate adaptation, inequalities, accessibility and barriers to inclusion, education access, environmental degradation, gender equality, migration, and safety.

We then categorised these under practical community-based headings: people, environment, community facilities, organisations and clubs, social and medical services, employment and industry, transport, and financial.

Beyond categories, we looked at the types of issues experienced: socio-economic or health inequalities, social or educational exclusion, gender-based violence, mobility and transport barriers, poor infrastructure, pollution hotspots, or environmental hazards. But it wasn't just about challenges, we also mapped community strengths: efforts around sustainability, climate action, inclusive education, safe spaces, and empowerment centres. Each point included a short description and GPS coordinates, allowing us to transfer everything into a digital community map.

Have a look at the elements we identified and chose to map:

While this activity was developed with young migrants, the tool itself is universal.

Community mapping can be used by anyone working on local issues. Whether addressing homelessness, addiction, education, inequality, or youth services, this method helps make sense of complex challenges. It's especially valuable for organisations and community groups looking to co-design solutions, visualise service networks, or highlight areas of need and opportunity.

We've created a short video that outlines how the community mapping process works from initial discussions to the creation of the digital map:
👉 Watch the Community Mapping Process

👉 Learn how to conduct your own Community Mapping Clinic here: 

The Crossroads project, co-funded by Erasmus+, brings together partners across Europe to promote intercultural solidarity, active citizenship, and inclusive local responses to global issues. Activities like this one aim to build community from the ground up through dialogue, participation, and shared learning.

If your organisation is working to welcome newcomers or tackle community challenges, we encourage you to explore this approach. A digital map is just a starting point, it's the conversations and collaboration that follow that truly make an impact.