Refugee Resettlement Project

THIS project arises out of the Irish Governments commitment to admit refugees under the United Nations Resettlement Programme. A resettlement country provides the refugee with legal and physical protection, including access to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

Governments and non-governmental organisations provide services to facilitate integration, such as cultural orientation, language and vocational training as well as programmes to promote access to education and employment. Providing for their effective reception and integration is beneficial for both the resettled refugee and the receiving country. Ideally, resettled refugees should be facilitated to become naturalised citizens.

Resettled refugees are normally people who were first admitted to a safe country on a temporary basis, or whose specific needs could not be addressed in the country where they had initially sought protection These people are then assisted by UNHCR to move to a more appropriate country of permanent refuge like Ireland.

During 2016 Le Cheile FRC was contracted by Cork County Council and through agreement with the Dept. of Justice and Equality, to employ a Resettlement Support Worker and administrative support for the Resettlement Project in county Cork.

The main objective of this work is to support the refugee families resettle in the county through intensive support over a specific period of time. The work is supported through an interagency group, chaired by Cork County Council and also representative of: • Le Chéile FRC • Office for the Promotion of Migrant

Integration, (Dept. Justice and Equality) • Dept. of Social Protection • Tuath Housing Association • HSE Cork (South) • HSE Cork (North) • Cork Education and Training Board. • Cork County Childcare Committee • Cork City Childcare Committee • Gardai, Community Policing • Education and Welfare Services, TUSLA • NASC, Irish Immigrant Support Centre • Co-operative Housing Munster • Cluid Housing.