The New Beginnings project is funded through the RTE Toy Show Appeal and the Community Foundation.
The project began in July 2021 and works with children and families who are beginning new phases of their lives in Cork. This includes children and families who are leaving direct provision and moving into accommodation in the community as well as refugee children reuniting with their families in Ireland under family reunification.
Families who speak little English and have limited or no computer literacy skills struggle to navigate an increasingly online world. That has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, where more and more services have moved online and it’s increasingly difficult to get in-person appointments. Our experience has been that people can find that it takes weeks to get a PPS number which in turn impacts on their ability to do essential things like register with a GP or open a bank account. Our support worker, Eilís, provides hands-on support in dealing with bureaucracy from applying for PPS numbers to registering with a GP as well as more practical supports for children starting school for the first time.
Independent research commissioned and published by Nasc in 2020, Invisible People: The Integration Support Needs of Refugee Families Reunified in Ireland, highlighted the need for post-arrival orientation and integration supports for refugee families and we’re delighted that this project will help address that need.
This support aims to reduce the stress on families at what should be a joyful time in their lives.
For more information about the project contact Eilis at [email protected].
