We encourage groups to come together and welcome a refugee family to our Country.
What is Community Sponsorship?
Community Sponsorship Ireland (CSI) is a structured and responsible initiative, supported by the Government, that enables local communities to directly assist in the resettlement of refugees fleeing conflict. Led by the Irish Red Cross, CSI operates in partnership with Nasc, the Irish Refugee Council, and Doras, with support from the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) under the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (DOJHAM). The programme is funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027).
As a key initiative under the IRPP, Community Sponsorship Ireland empowers groups of friends, colleagues, and neighbors to welcome refugee families into their communities. Through this locally driven approach, ordinary people can play a vital role in helping refugees rebuild their lives in Ireland.
By fostering meaningful connections between refugees and their host communities, CSI promotes positive, long-lasting integration. Community Sponsorship Groups (CSGs) provide practical support and a warm welcome, ensuring that refugee families feel at home in their new environment.
Who are we?
With the serious escalation in hostilities in Lebanon, these families are being displaced again and are struggling to access their most basic needs – food, shelter and clean water. We are keen to mobilise as many Irish communities as possible to step forward and offer their support. Now, more than ever, the need for safe and welcoming environments is critical.
Community Sponsorship Ireland exemplifies the best of what Ireland has to offer, compassion; community; and our commitment to supporting those who’ve had to leave everything behind to find safety. We are proud to be a partner in this vital work and to continue to support incredible local volunteers and communities who can ensure refugees not only find safety but also a true sense of belonging in their new homes. Fiona Hurley, CEO of Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre.
We are deeply grateful to the communities and refugee families who have been at the heart of the Community Sponsorship Ireland Programme over the past five years. We are continually inspired by the resilience and commitment of groups and families, especially given the challenges of the past few years.
We are united in wanting to offer refugees the opportunity to rebuild their lives in welcoming communities and we’re excited to work closely with new groups across Ireland to provide the support and friendship that makes integration successful and so enriches Irish society.
