Dublin 8 Refugee Community Sponsorship

Follow the progress of the Dublin 8 Refugee Community Sponsorship group here.

Dublin 8 Refugee Community Sponsorship (D8RCS) is a voluntary group of local residents in Dublin 8 who are preparing to welcome a refugee family and to support them to build a new life in Ireland. The first steps in the process are raising awareness, drawing together a team to provide a welcome, and raising an initial €10,000 to provide for the family’s immediate needs when they first arrive.

As part of the Dublin 8 community, Christ Church Cathedral organised a socially-distanced sponsored walk, which took place on 26 September 2020 and raised just over €1300.

We created a short collection of prayers and reflections following the route of the walk.

Take a look at this video reflection created around the route of the walk

More about D8RCS and Community Sponsorship

Community Sponsorship is an alternative to the traditional state-centred model of resettlement, by enabling communities to come together and play an active role in the reception and integration of families resettling in Ireland.

Community Sponsorship is carried out by a core Community Sponsor Group, like D8RCS, who organise to provide both financial and in-kind support, as well as social, orientation and administrative support as needed, to people being resettled in the local community. Supports include meeting people at the airport, providing a warm welcome and cultural orientation, organising housing for at least a year and half, supporting access to medical, social and other mainstream services, English language tuition, gaining employment and ultimately independence and self-sufficiency.

The Irish Refugee Council, which our dioceses have previously supported through the ‘A Place to Call Home’ appeal, is acting as the ‘Regional Support Organisation’ for the Dublin 8 Refugee Community Sponsorship voluntary group. IRC will be providing guidance, training and support throughout the process.