Background
SECAD has become increasingly proactive and targeted in supporting New Communities as we have progressed through our SICAP strategic plan 2018-22. Starting in 2017, SECAD began supporting New Communities by facilitating a series of annual food events under the banner of SECAD Celebrating Multiculturalism through Food. These annual events have taken place in Macroom and Midleton alike, with each location respectively bringing together in excess of 20 nationalities to produce food from their countries of origin. This has not only proven to a celebration of cultures, but beyond that it has provided multiple opportunities for local people to engage with settled migrants and sample an assortment of multi-cultural traditional food.
This engagement work has been borne out by a steady increase in our target group ratios year on year from 2018, with an increase from 6% in 2018 to 13% in 2020, further caveated by the fact that we have approached this area of work primarily from a group work perspective in the earlier months and years, with a view to building a strong and sustainable relationship with the key stakeholder groups.
Having invested massively in celebrating diversity through food and specific food events through 2017-19, we found we had a strong enough platform to continue our engagement work through 2020 and 2021 in the midst of full pandemic restrictions. This body of work has evolved into a comprehensive suite of supports and interventions for different groupings including Syrian populations, Somali women’s groups, and many other ethnicities.
On building this strong platform, our SICAP community team felt equipped to go a step further by starting to work with the Emergency Accommodation Centre in Macroom (Riverside) in 2019. We began by actively participating on a dynamic inter-agency group set up to help with the coordination of supports to New Communities (approximately 100 residents) at the Accommodation Centre. We collaborated effectively with the HSE to maximise these interventions. This has led to further leads in working directly with another key Direct Provision centre in Glounthaune (in our Lot area).
Laying the groundwork
2019 saw the opening of an Emergency Accommodation Centre in Macroom. This centre was located on the site previously known as The Riverside Hotel. A local group called Macroom Friends of Asylum Seekers was set up to support the centre and its 100 residents, half of which are children. SECAD was one of many organisations who offered to support residents at this early stage and residents were encouraged to participate in the Macroom Food Festival.
As more families entered residence at the Riverside Emergency Accommodation Centre, SICAP Community officers represented SECAD at a new formed Interagency Group facilitated by the HSE. The group comprised of agencies who could support incoming families and included the manager of Riverside, representatives from schools, HSE, Macroom Family Resource Centre and Gardaí.
By the end of 2019, engagement with residents increased and the individual needs of residents were discussed. It was agreed in collaboration with the assigned HSE Community Development worker and the Riverside Manager, that supports offered by the SECAD SICAP programme could effectively address many of the issues emerging. At this point a strategy was put in place to address the extremely diverse needs of the residents and begin their support journey.
Information gathering sessions in 2020
“One older lady from Somalia had no spoken English. She was a farmer all her life and loved her cows and had never been to school. I found this out by speaking to other residents who would speak on her behalf, while she stood there quietly. Her needs were evident, learning English was to be her starting point.”
SICAP Community Officer
In February 2020, SECAD SICAP Employment and Community officers arranged an evening Information event. This took place in Riverside Emergency Accommodation Centre, in the residents’ community room. The purpose of this event was to determine with the residents which supports offered through SICAP might be of more immediate value and benefit.
An expression of interest form was presented by the Community officers to all in attendance. The evening session drew in 21 separate forms highlighting interests in a variety of activities, the main being employment, CV/interview supports and career guidance, followed by training, upskilling, health, wellbeing and biodiversity.
Following the information session, residents who registered their interest were contacted individually by SICAP Employment officers. It became clear that needs within the centre were extremely diverse. Some residents were educated to degree level, had excellent spoken and written English, held residency and work permits but were employed in low skill/low paid positions in the Cork area. Other residents were unskilled with very poor spoken English.
SICAP Community officers determined that another visit to the centre was necessary as it was becoming evident that simple everyday tasks like making phone calls and appointment setting were beyond the capacity of some of the residents. The second session took place on 12th March 2020, the day the country was forced to close all schools, days before the national lockdown and the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 was clearly unexpected, but it did not disrupt contact with the residents to any large degree, as all SICAP staff continued to work from home remotely and individual engagement with the residents continued online via zoom. As the year progressed however, attempts to engage directly with some residents was proving a challenge coupled with the disappointment of needing to cancel or defer face-to-face group events which had been planned. The local Multicultural food festival was cancelled along with other SICAP supports around wellbeing and biodiversity. Engagement online was proving very difficult for some; this was mostly due to language issues with some technical related problems.
SICAP Community officers continued engagement with other support organisations, tirelessly exploring other avenues of opportunity for the residents. Collaboration with the HSE Community Development officer who was assigned to the Accommodation Centre went from strength to strength, which served to confirm the need for need for engagement with the Somali residents. They were struggling more than others and kept to themselves. It became clear two issues needed addressing; the lack of conversational English; and limited understanding of living in Ireland and all that entails.
“….one lady from Nigeria who had a pharmaceutical degree was a lone parent with two boys. She had permission to work in Ireland and held residency status. She found low paid labouring work in a factory several miles away, but on occasion worked late into the night on shifts. She wanted to work in her chosen profession but did not have the knowledge of how to go about this in Ireland”. SECAD Employment Officer
Living in Ireland through English
SECAD SICAP Community officers developed a pilot programme in 2019 for Syrian families who came to Ireland through the Resettlement Programme and the Community Settlement Ireland programme. This programme involved a series of sessions which focused on Life in Ireland through English. It was delivered by a native Arabic speaker who herself came through the Direct Provision system. Each week an Irish related topic was presented, this included subjects like local transport, making hospital and other appointments, shopping, social welfare, housing, schooling, banking, and Irish culture.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, SECAD steadfastly continued the delivery of this valued programme, through an online platform via zoom. COVID-19 was included in the programme and covered topics like, new rules and regulations, hygiene, masks, social distancing and more importantly how to purchase items online on Irish websites.
It was becomingly increasingly evident, this programme would hugely benefit the Somali residents in Riverside and from previous experience, the key to the success was identifying a leader in the Somali community who could present the programme. With the help of the residents and the HSE Community Development officer, a local champion was identified. She also had come through the Direct Provision System and was very aware of their situation. A new programme, focusing on the needs of the Riverside residents was developed and six sessions were delivered online via zoom during March 2021. These sessions proved very popular, again topics included correspondence, making appointments, housing, transport, banking, social welfare etc. Approximately, ten Somali individuals attended each zoom class.
Following these sessions, our Somali tutor was employed on several occasions to translate for those Somali residents who were either seeking employment or were struggling with mental health issues. This service meant that SICAP Employment officers could continue with progressing individuals during the various lockdowns.
Moving to the outdoor classroom at Riverside and beyond
As lockdown measures subsided and summer 2021 approached, SICAP Community officers felt there was an increasing need to engage face to face with residents – it had after-all been a long 15 months on zoom. SECAD set up an outdoor information day paying due regard to all public health and safety protocols, which involved SICAP team, the Centre manager, as well as residents. It was anticipated that needs may have changed considerably since the last visit. This was held in July with the day proving a huge success, with many familiar faces in attendance.
Walk IT programme – moving for better health and wellbeing
In June 2021, SECAD delivered a new health and wellbeing programme under SICAP called Walk IT to Irish and new communities who settled in the Midleton area. This programme was developed by SICAP Community officers to address emerging mental health needs following the various lockdowns which ensued from the COVID-19 pandemic. Each week saw the active participation of Nigerian, Moroccan, Syrian and Irish participants with the group meeting for a walk and a health/wellbeing related topic discussed by a guest tutor. This all took place safely outdoors and included topics like healthy eating and the food pyramid, resilience and mindset, movement and the importance of walking, food foraging and the benefits of nature.
Walk IT programme for Riverside Emergency Accommodation residents
This programme was adapted for delivery to Riverside residents, with Walk IT Macroom taking place between July and August 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic had taken its toll on the mental health of Riverside residents and these sessions formed part of softer SICAP supports to the residents.
Throughout lockdown, one Somali lady would not emerge from her room to socialise or eat with the residents, she recently had a baby and was feeling very low. With encouragement from our Somali tutor, she came to the first Walk IT session and played football on the day. his was a massive step for her and proved to the development officers that these supports were vital at this emerging stage of the pandemic. Funding for the Walk IT programmes was sourced through SICAP and complemented by the Community Integration fund administered by the Department of Justice.
Collaborating with the HSE Resettlement programme – summer outings
During the summer months, SECAD collaborated with the HSE Resettlement programme to bring Syrian families a series of day trips. Our SICAP Community officer supported outings to Garyvoe beach as well as Fota Gardens. Many of the settled Syrian community in the East Cork area are supported by SICAP through wellbeing, employment and the Tús programme. The next collaborative event took place at Owenahincha beach proving to be a great success. The excursions were thoroughly enjoyed by all and importantly proved highly beneficial for their wellbeing in allowing them to get away from the Accommodation centre for the day.
A cross SICAP team approach
In June 2021, SECAD Employment officers held an online zoom employment event for the Syrian community in the East Cork area. It was decided that this event would also benefit the Somali community In Riverside. Some residents were still engaging with SECAD employment supports, but felt others in their community outside Riverside would also benefit from an employment support session.
At the time we did not realise how far out of Cork some of the Somali community resided. Two sessions were held in July and August 2021, with approximately 12 Somali individuals in attendance. SICAP officers discussed interview techniques, CV’s and the importance of learning English in seeking employment opportunities. These sessions were delivered online via zoom.
Most of the attendees were Cork based, but some logged in from Sligo, Donegal, Waterford, and Dublin. All non-Cork based individuals were put in direct contact with their relevant Local Development Partnerships to continue employment supports in their areas. Some of the Somali Riverside residents continued with training after these sessions and completed certified Safe Pass and Manual handling courses.
Outcomes & Observations
Through 2020 and 2021, SECAD has supported the residents of Riverside Emergency Accommodation Centre through various SICAP supports and many lessons have been learnt along the way. At the beginning of September 2021, over half of Riverside residents moved on to more permanent housing and now reside in Donegal and Limerick. To date, 35 residents remain in the building. All residents who engaged with SICAP supports were put in touch with Local Development Companies in their new counties and they continue to receive support. It is anticipated more individuals will take up residency in Riverside as the year progresses.
Extract from Social Inclusion Analysis Report 2021 Lot 18-4
| New Communities supported (by source) | |
| Local Community Groups (LCGs) | 8 |
| Children & Family activities | 29 |
| LDC Collaborations | 3 |
| Individuals (supported) | 149 |
| Progression | |
| Participated in a course | 39% |
| Got a job | 18% |
| Set up a business | 2% |
Beyond the quantitative results and outputs, it is a lot more difficult to qualify the impact of the pre-development work and soft supports as a grounding force to enable engagement with this cohort to become effective. IRIS does not capture the hours and hours of work behind the scenes in setting up stakeholder meetings, the attempts to contact residents remotely (often futile), the technical calls to support online zoom sessions to run smoothly, the extra mile(s) to address language and communication challenges, as well as the personal progression stories.
Mentioned earlier are a number of key personalities involved in this process of engagement. They are peer champions who SECAD has worked with individually so they can themselves progress and also so they can provide a vital service to their own community, be it gentle encouragement, translation or interpreting supports, or as a role model having come through the Direct Provision system themselves.
SICAP officers across the Employment Support and Community teams who have engaged and worked with New Communities, in particular residents at Riverside, over the past two years would concur on the following observations:
- Needs within the centre are diverse, individual and complex.
- Engagement with a diversity of SICAP supports are necessary, e.g. employment, access to learning, community, wellbeing, health, etc.
- It takes time to build trust as many residents are suspicious of authority.
- Residents must be listened to and have a voice in the development of supports.
- Residents must be encouraged to map out their own future and in their own time.
- The poor level of English is a real barrier to many in the centre and must be addressed in a meaningful way.
“Do you know the difference between SECAD and other organisations? SECAD ask the residents what their needs are, and what supports they want. Other organisations come in here and telling them their needs, in a time and date that suits them. They rarely ask the residents for their input.”
HSE Community Development Officer
The statement above emerged from a recent conversation held with a HSE Community Development Officer and a SICAP officer. It serves to confirm that the approach taken by SECAD and support through SICAP is having a positive effect.
Moving forward and next steps
- SECAD will continue to support existing and new residents in Riverside Emergency Accommodation Centre. In this context, we will continue to tailor employment and enterprise supports to individual needs as well as offering softer SICAP supports to promote better mental health and wellbeing within the centre.
- We intend to build on our evolving repertoire of Health and Wellbeing support tools which act as an engagement hook for those particularly marginalised from mainstream services and supports. This area of expertise in using biodiversity, nature and the outdoors to engage and draw people has gone from strength to strength, further enhanced by a renewed appreciation of the great outdoors through the hard-felt restrictions necessitated by the pandemic.
- During October 2021, SECAD will bring two river art workshops to Riverside as a further engagement and activation channel. This is part funded by SICAP and the Community Waters Development Fund, administered by the Local Authorities Waters Programme.
- SECAD is set to deliver a manual handling course to residents of the Emergency Accommodation Centre in October 2021, fully funded by SICAP. This will complement existing training supports.
- Through our Wellbeing in the Community Action under SICAP, a six-week Healthy Food Made Easy course is set to commence in November 2021. This is supported by SICAP, the Community Integration Fund and by the HSE Community Dietician.
- SECAD will continue to put the spotlight on the need for additional English language supports at community level and as such raises this item as relevant at Adult Education Network meetings. These networks are supported through the SICAP gateway to learning action and are cross area, specifically in Macroom, Midleton, Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Cobh and Youghal.
- Ongoing collaboration between SECAD and the HSE in relation to supporting the Riverside Emergency Accommodation Centre residents as well as other migrant populations around the South and East Cork area has opened up an opportunity for SECAD to begin working in the Ashbourne House, Glounthaune Direct Provision Centre. SECAD is in the planning phase of setting up a series of softer supports including personal development, nature and wellness activities, working towards one to one training, employment and enterprise supports to the residents of this facility.
- SECAD is in the early stages of setting up a local East Cork Fáilte Isteach branch as an additional support for new Communities. Fáilte Isteach is a community project involving predominantly older volunteers welcoming migrants through conversational English classes. This has transitioned for the most part to an online setting due to the pandemic which has opened up access across a broader geographic base.
