Local volunteers sought by Irish Red Cross to welcome refugees to community

The Irish Red Cross (IRC) are looking for volunteers to get involved in welcoming new members to the local community.

The IRC has a mandate under the Geneva Conventions (which are this year celebrating 75 years in existence) of supporting refugees of war. In recent times in Ireland, the need this work has expanded and the IRC are expanding the volunteer team as a result.

To facilitate this work all across the midlands, the organisation will be holding a recruitment drive and information event in the Sheraton Athlone on Tuesday, Sepember 10 at 7pm. Anybody who is interested in hearing more is invited to attend.

IRC volunteers take on vital tasks such as property viewing and set-up, assistance with paperwork completion, transport, translation and integration support.

The work carried out by volunteers help allow the IRC to put to use generously donated properties from members of the public to provide vital accommodation, thereby greatly increasing integration outcomes and contributing to an estimated €383 milion annual saving to the exchequer, as set out in their Report to Oireachtas.

For more information or for a link to the registration page, please email locallinkproject@redcross.ie.

Testimonies from volunteers and caseworkers on the human impact of this work are available on the IRC's YouTube channel.