Our services Minority communities REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT LOCATION: Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland Extern’s Refugee Support Service is a dedicated service for individuals and families who have been granted refugee status and who have been given leave to remain in the UK. The team work intensively with refugees during the 28-day notice period given to move out of NASS accommodation and provide medium to long term specialist and practical support and advice to resettle in the community. This ongoing intensive, comprehensive one-to-one support includes but is not limited to: housing, benefits/financial and budgetary management, health, education, legal status, training and employment, family reunification and community integration. The service aims to prevent homelessness and to maintain tenancies by directly supporting individuals who have housing issues and practical problems settling in the local community. Extern’s Refugee Support Service works across the community and has existing networks with a range of other refugee support organisations. The team active participates in the Migrant Forum, Refugee and Asylum Forum and the Northern Ireland Asylum Stakeholder’s Forum. NI Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme In 2015, Extern was approached to provide support as a Delivery Partner to Syrian refugees as part of Northern Ireland’s participation in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, based on the organisation’s history and expertise in delivering a high standard of specialist professional assessment and support to refugees and more broadly, to those who are vulnerable, across a wide range of ages and complexity of need. The Extern Syrian VPR Resettlement Support Service provides key workers to support individuals and families arriving under the NI Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. Staff work intensively with individuals and families from point of arrival, providing holistic assessment of needs, practical support and link-up with statutory services to help families resettle in NI. This service is provided in partnership with Barnardo’s NI, Bryson Intercultural and the Red Cross. To date, over 1,200 people have been resettled across Northern Ireland under the programme. RoI Refugee Resettlement Programme In 2017, Extern began providing resettlement support for UNHCR programme refugees arriving in Ireland under this Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP)-administered programme in the Republic of Ireland. Currently this programme operates in Co Meath. This project is co-financed by the European Commission under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 and is supported by the Department of Justice and Equality. Extern’s model of support is needs-led and rights based, focusing on empowering individuals, families and host communities to integrate positively, live independently and fulfil their unique potential. All our staff are professionally qualified with experience of supporting vulnerable individuals and families, and are supported by a management team who have expertise in refugee resettlement. Extern are the lead agency supporting the resettlement of programme refugees in Meath. The resettlement is steered and monitored by a local interagency working group that includes representatives from statutory agencies and other stakeholders, of which Extern is a member. The objective is to ensure that refugees are welcomed into the community, that they receive their rights and entitlements in an appropriate manner and that they learn to live independently in Irish society. Our team put in place a range of tailored supports, aimed at building capacity in both the refugee population and in the local authority service providers through education, representation, advocacy, professional support and practical experience. Staff work with host communities to link families into existing networks and establish community-based befriending groups to facilitate the longer-term integration and support of refugees. Currently Extern are providing support to 76 individuals in County Meath. SUPPORTING: Communities HOW DO I ACCESS THIS SERVICE? Referrals to this service are made via the UK and Irish governments, who decide which families are to be resettled CONTACT: Northern Ireland:Extern118-122 Royal AvenueBelfastBT1 1DLTel: 028 9027 8424 Email: [email protected] Republic of Ireland:89 Church Street,Cavan,Co CavanTel: 00 353 (8) 6383 1898Email: [email protected] Read Mohammed's Story Read Amanda's Story