Gibney Communications staff to walk VHI Women’s Mini Marathon for the Irish Refugee Council Education Fund

There are currently over 5,000 people in Direct Provision centres across Ireland. They stay in these centres for an average of three years while their applications for refugee status in Ireland are processed, with some staying for as long as 10 years.

Asylum seekers in Ireland are given a weekly allowance of €21.60 a week. By law, they cannot work in Ireland while their applications are being processed except for in very limited circumstances.

They are also unable to access state grants to fund higher education while they are in the Direct Provision centres.

The Irish Refugee Council has established an Education Access Fund that helps adults living in Direct Provision access higher education courses, allowing them to take part in training courses and further education and acting as a stepping stone to full integration into Irish society for when they achieve refugee status.

Gibney Communications has partnered with the Irish Refugee Council in raising money for this important educational endeavour.

Staff at Gibney Communications will be walking with members of the Irish Refugee Council and women from Direct Provision Centres across Ireland in the VHI Women's Mini Marathon on June 3rd, 2018 to raise money for the Irish Refugee Council Education Fund.

The Irish Refugee Council's Education Fund helps asylum seekers in Ireland access further education while they are in the asylum process.

The fund helps pay for annual course fees, travel and course materials, and the grants distributed range from €100 to €500 per person.

To date, many young and mature adults have been able to travel from their direct provision centres to attend courses ranging from accounting, law, business and office skills, to motor technology and nursing – all thanks to support from the Education Fund.

The money donated will go directly to the Irish Refugee Council for its Education Fund, and can make an immeasurable difference to people's lives.

You can learn more about how the fund has impacted the lives of asylum seekers in Ireland by reading Pride and Takondwa’s reflections on what education access meant for them.

To sponsor our walk in the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon and support the Irish Refugee Council Education Fund, you can donate through Facebook or send a cheque made out to the Irish Refugee Council Charity No. 10153 addressed to Irish Refugee Council Education Fund, c/o Gibney Communications Limited, 22-24 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.