28.11.2017
Christ Church Concert Raises Funds and Awareness for Refugee Accommodation Programme
The soulful Discovery Gospel Choir and the inspirational High Hopes Choir entertained a packed Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday evening (November 27) for ‘A Place to Call Home’, a benefit concert for the Dublin & Glendalough Refugee Housing Appeal.
Organised by the Dean’s Vicar, the Revd Abigail Sines, the concert raised €1,831.57 for the appeal which supports the Irish Refugee Council’s pilot housing project. This project aims to help people who have been granted leave to remain in Ireland move from Direct Provision to independent living by providing transitional accommodation along with individually tailored support to help them find work and integrate in their local communities.
The project has the added benefit of diverting some of the pressure from State and non–governmental organisations dealing with homelessness by ensuring that less people coming from Direct Provision end up on their books.
CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, Nick Henderson, thanked everyone for supporting the concert and Abigail for organising it. He highlighted the increasingly challenging situation for the 450 people who are currently stuck in direct provision, unable to move on because of the challenge of finding accommodation.
Watch this video from the concert:
A Place to Call Home at Christ Church Cathedral Dublin from Dublin & Glendalough on Vimeo.
“We often use the analogy of climbing two mountains. The first mountain is getting out of the country in which you have been persecuted and getting to Ireland. The second mountain is getting recognised as a refugee in Ireland, which is a really tough process. A third mountain, which has got tougher in recent years, is getting out of direct provision,” he explained.
He described Direct Provision as “entirely inappropriate accommodation” which also has the effect of contributing to people losing the skills and resources that they have come to Ireland with. “The project aims to offer transitional housing. That housing has come from religious congregations or members of the public and people would live in that accommodation for a transitionary period. During that time they receive supports around education and employment. So they hopefully have the resources to move on and out and into the private rented market which is so vicious at the moment for everybody let alone for people who have come to Ireland, often with very little, whose baseline is so much lower than ours,” he added.
Nabil Allam from Syria spoke about life in Syria. He joined the Direct Provision but in order to get his qualifications as a plastic surgeon recognised in Ireland, he needed to improve his English. With the support of the Cappucin Friary and the Irish Refugee Council he moved to Dublin and after 10 months he finished the advanced certificate and is just a step away from achieving his goal. He acknowledged the support of all donors.
Dublin & Glendalough has pledged to raise €300,000 for the project over three years. To contribute to the appeal, cheques can be forwarded 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. Please use the reference: Housing appeal.
