Community Sponsorship Ireland

Funded by European Union Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Community Sponsorship Ireland (CSI) was established in 2018 under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), as a complementary integration and resettlement stream, to the traditional state-centred model.

The unique features of Community Sponsorship are that it promotes inclusivity and provides a holistic welcome into Ireland for refugees.

Community Sponsorship Ireland empowers a willing group to engage locally, assuming responsibility for providing a range of integration supports to an invited refugee family, in addition to a warm welcome into their new home and community.

Core Principles of Community Sponsorship Ireland

Engagement
Enhancement
Protection
Partnership
Empowerment

Who can get involved and how?

Community Sponsorship can be achieved by any group of people – it’s ordinary people, making an extraordinary impact on family’s lives. A Community Sponsorship group can be made up of neighbours, friends, colleagues, or members of a hobby group or other existing community group.

Talk to people within your current community circle, to mobilise a compassionate group (5 – 12 people).

Motivations will vary, but the ability to help is simple – if you live in Ireland, you know how to live in Ireland, and can share knowledge on our systems, our sense of humour and Irish-isms!

Many sponsors’ feedback is extremely positive and highlights the relationship with their sponsored family- how much they learn from them, their intelligence, resilience, humility, strength and gratitude.

If you are interested in starting this meaningful journey, contact us now: communitysponsorship@redcross.ie

Why get involved?

There are many reasons to get involved, but most importantly, is that these families don’t choose to leave their native countries or choose to leave members of their family behind – they are forced to flee their homes to escape war or persecution. A welcoming smile will make a huge difference in this long and tough resettlement journey.

Ideally, your group formation will define each member’s responsibilities and ensure all important aspects are covered.

All Community Sponsorship Groups (CSG) will receive support, advice and training throughout the whole journey from one of the four Regional Support Organisations (Irish Red Cross, Irish Refugee Council, Doras and Nasc) in addition to resources available from the National Support Organisation, The Open Community.

The Irish Red Cross supports Community Sponsorship in the following counties: Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, Longford, Mayo, Galway

Community Sponsorship Ireland provides an opportunity for all residents to become directly involved in supporting a dignified resettlement period. The Irish Red Cross supports Community Sponsorship Ireland with the continuing aims:

Enhance Ireland’s long humanitarian tradition with forcibly displaced and persecuted people
Involve a wider set of Irish individuals, civil society organisations, and community actors in refugee protection and integration
Maintain a human rights-based approach to protection, resettlement, and the well-being and security of refugees and Irish communities

Our Partners

Community Sponsorship Group Journey

Fundraise min €10,000
Source accommodation with a 2-year lease
Complete Settlement Plan, detailing all aspects of the resettlement process from welcome to ongoing support and integration
Welcome, befriend, and implement Settlement Plan; language acquisition, education, employment, social protection, and social inclusion (sponsorship commitment is 18 months post family arrival)
Empower independence and sustainability for the family’s safe future in Ireland