Support for Ukrainian Refugees

Staff from Gilead Sciences who volunteered their time to help with the processing of registrations of refugees in IRD Duhallow with Maura Walsh CEO IRD Duhallow

With the influx of Ukrainian refugees, the Minister of State for Rural and Community Development, Joe O Brien, tasked Local Development Companies to co-ordinate the voluntary activities focused on supporting new arrivals from Ukraine in our respective regions. IRD Duhallow aware of one major hub being established at that time, prepared for those arriving. Then we became aware of a second hub so staff within the company were redeployed to help coordinate and deliver a range of supports.

Cork Ladies Fundraising Lunch; Attending on the day were Aisling Kelleher (Ernst & Young), Aileen Daly (Tax Partner EY), Maura Walsh (CEO IRD Duhallow) Geraldine O’Leary (IRD Duhallow Board), Sarah McGrath (Director EY). Photo by Colm Lougheed We started with a strategy to cover the basics for a start and with other supports to roll out once the refugees got settled in. We put a plan in place while waiting for the first group of refugees to arrive working closely with local schools, childcare services and GP practices to establish their capacity for new students and patients.

Easter weekend saw the first groups of refugees arrive in Duhallow. Exhausted and traumatised but safe they were all relieved to have somewhere to rest. We have now welcomed over 500 refugees into the rest centres in Banteer, Millstreet and in host accommodation across Duhallow. This is a large number for a rural region with over 350 in the town of Millstreet with a population of just over 800 people. We recognised that we needed to ensure we achieved a regional response to this initiative and not just the town of Millstreet as such numbers are too high for any town of a similar size to integrate.

Members of Rockchapel community with Louise Bourke of IRD Duhallow transporting the donations collected locally for the Ukrainian Appeal

To ensure we could support refugees with their needs we developed and worked from a three-pronged approach. Firstly, we focused on Humanitarian supports and put out a call to our communities for

A day out at Fota - Free access was generously given by Fota Wildlife Park and transport sponsored by Ernst and Young for Ukrainian families in the region and residents of Drishane Castle. donations. We purchased large quantities of toiletries and personal items as the turnover of Refugees moving on and being replaced needed to be addressed weekly, some of our SICAP budget was diverted to assist with these costs. We

Celestine McCoy, Renate Murphy of Cameo and Rhona Abbey organised the Ukrainian Ladies Lunch Fundraiser

worked closely with St Vincent de Paul Kanturk, in the coordination of this and soon, with the volumes of donations, required and arriving we rented a large marquee at the James O’Keeffe Complex and purchased clothes racks and storage containers to sort and redistribute all donations, thereby setting up a regional hub. We put out a call for laptops and phones to assist young people with online learning. We sought and got terrific volunteers, who had already settled in Duhallow, to assist with translation. Through our community groups and Macra na Feirme we recruited volunteers who are working tirelessly with us in sorting donations. We organised emergency dental and doctors ’ appointments and worked with Cancer Care Connect for transport needed for treatment in Cork cancer units. Local Link Cork came on board and provided transport to social welfare appointments for refugees also.

We are providing job seeking support, cv workshops and have undertaken a skills audit, lined up with employers in the region to identify vacant positions and have undertaken a training needs analysis with the refugees. A Start Your Own Business Course has commenced for Ukrainians funded by Duhallow Skillnet.

Victoria Zhavoronkova and her son Vladyslav receiving a laptop from Helen O’Sullivan of IRD Duhallow to help with his online studies. These laptops were donated to the company for refugees who need them for work/study. Our Social Inclusion Supports included a family fun integration day in Millstreet as the town has a population of well over 250 Asylum Seekers as well as the 355 Ukrainians. Local clubs and organisations have welcomed those interested in taking part in local sports. We have worked closely with Cork ETB where they are delivering English language classes in the locality also.

The HSE provided funding for a Ukrainian support worker who also assists in translations for the HSE inreach team.

We have been working with the Irish Red Cross and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to find other suitable local accommodation.

Philanthropy/Fundraising

As a company with charitable status, we are extremely grateful to companies who have financially donated to IRD Duhallow for our Ukrainian Appeal. Similarly, some amazing fundraising has been undertaken by individuals and groups to aid of our work with the Ukrainians in the region. All of this will go towards our future work on the ground in supporting displaced refugees in Duhallow.

Going Forward

We are hopeful that funding will be allocated to IRD Duhallow under the SICAP Programme reflective of the needs of the 630 plus we are catering for. Once we receive this funding, we have already developed a plan of supports and activities ready to roll out for all refugees to avail of.

Participants of the Start Your Own Business Training Programme which was delivered by Ruth Cosgrave of Via Lutea through Skills Connect.