Community Sponsorship Ireland

National Support Organisation July 2024 – December 2027

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

The unique features of Community Sponsorship are the promotion of inclusivity and provision of a holistic welcome into Ireland for Programme Refugees.

Community Sponsorship Ireland empowers a group to engage locally within their own community, taking responsibility for providing a range of integration supports to an invited refugee family, along with offering a warm welcome into their new home and community here.

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—ordinary individuals making an extraordinary impact on the lives of families. A Community Sponsorship group can consist of neighbors, friends, colleagues, or members of a hobby group, existing community, or sporting 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!

Much of the sponsors’ feedback is extremely positive, highlighting the relationships with their sponsored families—how much they learn from them, as well as their intelligence, resilience, humility, and strength.

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, these families do not choose to leave their native countries or leave members of their families behind—they are forced to flee their homes to escape war or persecution. A welcoming smile can make a huge difference in their long and difficult resettlement journey.

Ideally, your group formation should define each member’s responsibilities and ensure that all important aspects are covered:

Primary Sponsor
Secondary Sponsor
Housing Coordinator, and Property Manager
Accounts Coordinator
Communications Coordinator
Language Coordinator, and Interpreter
Fundraising Coordinator
Educations & Employment Coordinator
Health & Welfare Coordinator, Appointment Accompaniment, and Cultural/Social Coordinator

One of the families welcomed to Ireland through Community Sponsorship Ireland

All Community Sponsorship Groups (CSG) will receive support, advice and training throughout the whole journey from the National Support Organisation (comprising of the experienced organisations Irish Red Cross, Irish Refugee Council, Doras and, Nasc).

Community Sponsorship Ireland provides an opportunity for the public to become directly involved in supporting a dignified resettlement period.

The National Support Organisation upholds the continuing aims:

Enhance Ireland’s long humanitarian tradition with forcibly displaced and persecuted people
Involve a wider set of the public, 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

Community Sponsorship Group Journey

The programme journey begins with team building and training, followed by fundraising and communication efforts. Then comes the settlement plan, and accommodation is secured. Finally, the focus shifts to welcoming the family and supporting their integration into the community.

Fundraise a minimum of €10,000 for supports for the inbound family
Source accommodation with a 2-year lease
Complete a Settlement Plan, which details all the aspects of the resettlement process from welcome to ongoing support and integration
Welcome and befriend a family
Implement your Settlement Plan with the family; helping with language acquisition, education, helping them find work, helping with setting up their social protection entitlements, and social inclusion (sponsorship commitment is 18 months post family arrival)