07.04.2017
Diocesan Refugee Housing Appeal
Dublin & Glendalough plans to raise €300,000 over three years to support the Irish Refugee Council’s Transitional Housing Project. The project provides homes for people who have received refugee status to enable them to transition from Direct Provision. Equally importantly, the project provides support to people moving from Direct Provision. Parishes and organisations throughout the dioceses have been fundraising for the project. Details of how to contribute are below. In this article the Irish Refugee Council gives an update on progress so far.
“Since getting this house I have felt free. In the hostel I was not free. My children are now very happy. We can cook our own food. The fear and anxiety of the hostel are now gone.”
These are the words of Annet Mphahlele (pictured), a mother of two who is a beneficiary of the Irish Refugee Council’s Transitional Housing Pilot. Annet and her two children received their refugee status in July 2016 but continued to live in the State run reception centres, more widely known as Direct Provision, due to the current housing shortage and the barriers that come with trying to secure rental accommodation after years spent in the asylum process. Just before Christmas, Annet and her family moved into their first home in Ireland. It is one of the properties under this Pilot.
To date the Irish Refugee Council has assisted 14 people to move out of Direct Provision and into their own homes, something they hope to build on in the coming months. Since the New Year the Refugee Council has begun the process of acquiring eight additional houses. Some of these properties need extensive work before meeting the standards that a home should meet which, with the support of various congregations, this is thankfully already underway.
The process of moving a family into a new home requires some preparatory work, not only with the house itself but also with the community, local schools, employers and support services. The Irish Refugee Council engages with these stakeholders to mutually support the needs of the people involved in the Pilot.
“It is very much a holistic approach based around the particular personal needs of people. Some of the needs are English language classes, access to psychological services, education access, employability skills and legal and translation services among others,” said Rory O’Neill, Housing and Employment Officer with the Irish Refugee Council.
Rory went on to say, “The length of time spent waiting in Direct Provision while an asylum application is processed can have lasting and damaging effects. While in this process people do not have the right to work and have very limited access to education. This forced idleness can be demoralising and people often become deskilled as years are lost to them.”
Last year the Irish Refugee Council worked on employment pilots and preparatory courses to ensure that people are properly supported when trying to access the labour market. One such project was done in partnership with the National Learning Network and involved peer to peer support and training developed to assist people to progress towards being job ready, building their confidence and upskilling where needed. A second one involved working with the Beacon Hospital and resulted in eight people progressing on to either paid employment or a traineeship in the hospital or with other agencies that the hospital works with. The people who applied to this were given peer support to develop their resumes and interview skills before the recruitment process began. It is hoped that both can be replicated this year and built on through further partnerships with different innovative employers operating in Ireland that see the value and benefit that people from a refugee background can contribute both socially and economically.
These projects are viewed as both complimentary and vital to the Transitional Housing Pilot as for the Refugee Council housing is a first priority, but further support is needed to work towards effective and meaningful integration for the people being accommodated through it.
Navigating access to social services and housing for people exiting Direct Provision can be a difficult journey and will continue to be. The Irish Refugee Council’s housing initiative will allow them to share the learning and knowledge they are acquiring with other stakeholders working in this area and with the wider asylum and refugee community that engage with their services. It will also allow them to inform policy and affect social change.
Annet went on to say, “I would encourage people to support this project however they can to ensure that more families and people like me can be helped to move on with their lives here in Ireland.”
Note:
The Irish Refugee Council are advocating for an alternative to the Direct Provision system. One that is operated on a not for profit basis, as they believe that reception should have the care and wellbeing of people as its heart rather than profit. With any reception system, people should have the option to move to completely independent living within six months.
To contribute to the appeal monies can be forwarded by cheque to: the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, Church House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 (marked Housing Appeal). Donations can also be lodged directly to: DIOCESAN FUNDS OF DUBLIN AND GLENDALOUGH, Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin 2, BIC: BOFIIE2D, IBAN: IE50 BOFI 9000 1769 3548 78, Reference: Housing appeal. Donations may attract a tax rebate.