Information webinar on hosting Ukrainian refugees

Kerry Community Response Forum organised a Webinar in May 2022 to provide information to households hosting Ukrainian refugees and households considering becoming a host about the services and supports available in Kerry for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland.

If you missed it, don’t worry, you can find access to the full Webinar recording and the FAQ sheet here.

• Webinar Recording
• FAQ Sheet
• Irish Red Cross – Pledging Accommodation through the Irish Red Cross

Speakers & Panellists include The Irish Red Cross, Tralee International Resource Centre (TIRC), NASC – the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre, Kerry Immigrant Support Centre (KASI), Kerry Health Service Executive (HSE), Kerry Education Training Board (KETB), Department of Employment and Social Protection (DEASP), North East West Kerry Development (NEWKD), and South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP).

The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is deteriorating rapidly with millions of people already displaced and in desperate need of aid. Irish charities, community groups and NGOs are working both in Ireland and abroad to assist people affected by the crisis.

The best way to help those fleeing the war and the people of Ukraine is to support registered charities. Dóchas is maintaining a list of Irish charities assisting people in Ukraine: https://www.dochas.ie/whats-new/ukraine-how-you-can-help/

Here is a list of resources that may be of use to anyone who is in contact with people arriving from Ukraine.

General information

The Government has created a one-stop online portal at www.gov.ie/ukraine  which outlines the various supports available to people arriving from the conflict in Ukraine. The portal is also available in Ukranian and Russian.

Citizens Information has created a comprehensive guide for people coming to Ireland from

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, created the https://www.unhcr.org/en-ie/ for refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons in Ireland. The website is also available in Ukrainian here: https://help.unhcr.org/ireland/uk/

Accommodation

The Irish Red Cross is coordinating a register of private accommodation for refugees. You can pledge a vacant property or spare room at https://registerofpledges.redcross.ie/#/

People seeking international protection who are already in Ireland and have nowhere to stay can email the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) at [email protected].

Access to Health Services

Ukrainian nationals arriving in Ireland will be able to get health care services from the HSE, including access to GPs, community care and hospital or emergency care. See www.hse.ie/Ukraine.

Supporting Children and Young People

Barnardos has published a short guide on how to talk to children about war. See: https://www.barnardos.ie/news/2022/february/talking-to-children-about-war

Volunteering

Kerry Volunteer Centre is the designated agency for persons wishing to volunteer their services to assist the refugees. This group are part of the Local Community Forum and members of the public who wish to volunteer can register their interest in doing so at any time via www.volunteerkerry.ie

In addition, the St Vincent de Paul Society locally has been working very closely with the arriving refugees to provide much needed assistance and have asked for targeted assistance in this regard: www.svp.ie

The three Local Development Companies in Kerry, South Kerry Development Partnership (SKDP), North West East Kerry (NEWKD) and IRD Duhallow have been asked by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) to coordinate activities to support new arrivals from Ukraine, after they have been processed at the point of entry and arrive in locations across the County. The work of the Local Development Companies is supported by organisations working with refugees in the county including the Killarney Immigrant Support Centre and the Tralee International Resource Centre.