To celebrate World Refugee Week, The Community Foundation for Ireland would like to highlight some of the great work that our donors have made possible. Working with marginalised groups, including refugees has always been a strong focus for The Community Foundation for Ireland and our donors since we opened our doors in 2000. Focussing on social change and supporting those most at risk is core to our grant making objectives.
Social Change
We believe in an Ireland where everyone feels they belong. An Ireland where people are equal and communities thrive. Each year we aim to support valuable work addressing key issues through our own Social Change Grant Rounds. In 2018 we focussed on supporting organisations working to address Mental Health issues. The Refugees category saw just over €100,000 granted to projects that support the recovery of people suffering from mental health distress and promote their integration into the local community as well as projects that run targeted and culturally appropriate mental health promotion campaigns.
Impact Grants spotlighting inequality
As well as working to impact social change through our open grant rounds, The Community Foundation for Ireland often respond to more immediate or specialised needs through our Impact Grants. These grants support strategic initiatives which aim to achieve systemic change in key social issues. One such grant was to Craol, the umbrella body for community radios to train refugees based in direct provision centres on how to have their voices heard through community radio. Each participant received a level three qualification and put together local radio shows highlighting the issues facing those in Direct Provision centres. The programmes will be out soon but in the meantime watch the video below from Declan, CEO of Craol on the effect this grant has had so far.
Family Funds focussing on unheard voices
We are lucky to have some very generous, strategic and engaged donors within The Community Foundation for Ireland and helping address the migrant crisis in Ireland has been at the top of many donors’ priority lists. One example of strategic donor grant making was when an anonymous donor family decided to fund the The Irish Refugee Council with a grant of €30,000. The project increases access to education opportunities for people seeking asylum in Ireland and who are living in Direct Provision. Education is a key pathway to improving wellbeing, reducing or preventing mental health problems, skills regression. People in the asylum process, in Direct Provision, are supported through information provision, access to funding, group and one to one mentoring and advocacy.
Corporate donors for a more equal society
Another Donor Advised Fund that has made significant impact for refugees and migrants on a global level is SAP, the 2017 Corporate Philanthropist of the Year winner. SAP, who has worked with The Community Foundation since 2008, is leading Refugee Code Week, a follow on programme from Africa Code Week. Refugee Code Week is on a mission to help young people and their entire families to cope with their current challenges and build for the future. By setting up and multiplying coding curriculums for young people predominantly inside refugee camps, Refugee Code Week offers tangible and job relevant education for refugees. Refugee Code Week shows incredible foresight from SAP to meet the long-term needs of refugees worldwide and highlights how philanthropy can be used as a tool to foster the next generation. For more information on Refugee Code Week visit the website here.
What’s next?
In 2015, Ireland committed to welcome 4,000 refugees. Now, in 2019, new community members are still being resettled and are in need of our welcome and support. According to UNHCR on 30th May 2019: “Since the beginning of this year [2019], some 9,300 refugees and migrants have reached Greece by sea, while just 1,500 have arrived by sea in Italy.” So while the refugee crisis is no longer the front page news it once was, and according to some it is ‘over’, it is important not to lose momentum now. Those who have already been resettled in Ireland and those currently arriving, still require our support and the strategic response.
We have seen a phenomenal response from our donors so far and we know that through engaged philanthropists and The Community Foundation for Ireland’s leadership, we can make a difference.
To see more examples of our Donor Advised Funds or to find out how to set up a donor advised fund click here.