Funding of €120K awarded to help support Ukrainians in Cavan

Three Cavan groups are to share in €5.2 million awarded in grants from The Ireland for Ukraine Fund announced last week.

The vital funding will help meet the needs of those seeking safety in Ireland as well as men, women and children living in Ukraine in the shadow of the war.

Started by Irish media organisations - including The Anglo-Celt - in response to the humanitarian crisis the fund has rallied support from local clubs, schools and communities, along with significant support from Government. The awareness generated by the campaign has provided a total of €7 Million in support both in direct donations and from donors to The Community Foundation for Ireland. The fund is supported by a €5 million donation from Government provided through the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Cavan County Local Development received the maximum grant of €100,000. The money will be used to increase the supports for the Ukrainian Community including a well-being programme, after school programme, a Ukrainian school, intensive one to one supports including counselling, employment supports, community awareness and local integration events.

Teach Oscail Family Resource Centre meanwhile have received €15,000 in funding to provide childcare assistance for Ukraine families by funding two part-time childcare workers.

Finally, a sum of €5,000 is going to Focus Family Resource Centre CLG to support the new Ukraine families with their needs and provide activities to help integrate them into the Cavan community.

Welcoming the funding, Hazel Leahy of Cavan County Local Development (CCLD) explained they had applied alongside other groups to The Community Foundation for Ireland: “The project will focus on wellbeing and counselling programmes for Ukrainian adults and children (one to one and group sessions), after school support services and a Saturday school for Ukrainian children. The project will also address integration, alongside educational and employment supports for Ukrainian people with physical and intellectual disabilities. We aim to develop and roll out a local anti racism and anti discrimination programme focused particularly on the displaced Ukrainian people in the locality.”

Hazel said she hoped the funding would “ultimately provide a safe and supportive environment to the Ukrainian refugees in Cavan”.

“We hope that the funding will support the refugees in recovery of trauma exposure through our mental health aspect of the project. We want to use the funding so that the Ukrainian refugees in Cavan will feel safe and supported, materially and psychologically. We aim to use the funding to support adults, parents and children to foster healing and resilience, to participate in education to support their integration and to prevent underachievement and early school leaving.”