Driving Licenses
Asylum Seekers can now apply for Driving Licenses - information the the link here -/>

FREE Bridging the Gap Course for Asylum Seekers in Benchspace
An open night to find out more about this is on this Wednesday 2nd February from 7pm - all welcome. Come to Benchspace Unit 15 Marine Commercial Park
Learn workshop safety & practice, how to use workshop machinery, how to do laser cutting especially if making jewellery/trinkets, how to start a maker business, introductions to local makers & free access to the workshop space.
Participants will be provided with laptops if they dont already have one.
For Male & Female asylum seekers (current & recent) and those living in Direct Provision Centers
Come along This Wednesday & Find Out More
More details on this website here />

As we come to the end of 2021, it looks like 2022 is going to be better for Asylum Seekers in Ireland. Here is an update on key issues as we understand them at this time:

UPDATE 18th December 2021
Asylum Seekers can now apply for driving licenses - more info here -/>

The Government (through the White Paper on International Protection), the Supreme Court, the Minister for Justice & the Minister for Transport have all agreed that Asylum Seekers should be allowed to have a driving license. For this to happen, the Minister for Transport has stated that an amendment to current legislation is required and he has undertaken to do this. However, for the time being nothing has changed.
We will advise you when there is any update.
In the meantime if you are being offered driving lessons, be sure to get a written guarantee that any lessons you do will be counted when you want to apply for a driving test.

When Asylum Seekers are trying to open a Bank Account, the Temporary Residence Certificate is now accepted as proof of ID and a letter from IPAS or IPO is accepted as proof of address.

For those newly entering the International Protection System as Asylum Seekers, the following should speed up the process from now on ~

• The IPO will be manned by more staff
• More staff will be able to do interviews & make recommendations
  
• A regional IPO Office in Cork will be opened
• For prioritised cases, interviews and decision making will be less intensive
• A target of an initial decision within 6 months is being aimed for
  

In the last few days, there has been an announcement of 500 extra temporary residency places for family members of Afghan nationals living in Ireland. Those who are successful will be given temporary residence in Ireland for 2 years.

• Applicants must be living legally in Ireland
• Must be able to demonstrate ability to support the new arrivals as well as  provide accommodation and pay for travel costs themselves
• Family members (there will be some flexibility on relationship) in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will be considered.
• Applications are open from 16h December and will remain open for 6 weeks ONLY
  
• There are NO fees for International Protection Applicants
• Full Details and Application Form HERE -/>

The Minister for Justice has announced that a Regularisation Scheme for Asylum Seekers will begin early in 2022. The full details of this scheme are not fully available at the moment. Much of the current discussion in the Media is about a similar scheme for Undocumented Immigrants. These are NOT Asylum Seekers as Asylum Seekers are DOCUMENTED. It is important to clarify between the two.
What is known of the Regularisation Scheme for Asylum Seekers (Documented) is as follows:

• Anyone who has been in the International Protection System in Ireland for 2 years or more when the scheme starts will be able to apply.
• Those who are on appeal or deportation orders will also be able to apply.
• Successful applicants will be granted a Stamp 4 permission giving access to the Labour Market, with ability to Travel but no immediate access to family unification. However, family reunification may be granted afterwards.
  
• There will be an appeals system for those who are unsuccessful in their 1st application.
  
• Those eligible will be able to apply without cost over a period of 6 months starting early in 2022.
  
• The exact date when the scheme will open is not yet known.
• Those who are awaiting the outcome of interviews already done should take advice from legal advisors as to whether they should apply or not.
  
• We will hope to have more detail and related advice to you as soon as possible and before the scheme opens.
  
  

All of the above should make life a little easier for Asylum Seekers in the year to come.

The right for Asylum Seekers to get Irish Driving licenses has moved a step closer.
In recent days, a case in the High Court was won with a judgement that Asylum Seekers are "ordinarily resident" in Ireland;- meaning that a previous related barrier could be removed.
It is not clear if new legislation is now required but either way, the Dept of Transport will require some time to adjust its systems to allow asylum applicants to take driving lessons and take the test. It is, therefore, NOT POSSIBLE yet BUT as long as there are no more legal challenges this should change very quickly now.
You can read more here -/>

BRIJ has not been able to find any Official announcement that this has changed.
It was announced in the White Paper on the asylum system that this would be changed last summer, but so far this has not happened. We have established that there has been some questions about it on the record of the Oireachtas (Parliament) but no legislation to change the situation has been passed by the Oireachtas or signed by the President as of yet. We will let you know as soon as we get any update on this.
In the meantime, this still means that asylum seekers cannot take driving lessons and if someone is offering you lessons be sure that they will be officially counted in order to get your license later. Until the law has changed, it is unlikely that they will be counted so be cautious that you are not being taken advantage of.

The BRIJ website is updated regularly with new and useful information. A Search box is now available at the top of pages to search for specific information on that page or the search box on the home page will search the whole site.
If you want to receive notifications of information updates on the site please complete the form below:

We at BRIJ want you to be able to find your way around the BRIJ website and know where everything that will be of use to you is - SO..........

....... a box of chocolates will be presented to the 1st person who posts in the comments below the answer to the following question. The answer is information on this website and as a clue;- it was just posted this week and is in a file you can download.
There is only 1 prize and it is for the 1st person to comment with the FULL correct answer below. You will be able to post your answer as a comment until Midnight on Thursday 16th September (next Thursday)

BRIJ Volunteers are resuming regular visits to outside centres from now on.

Volunteers will be outside:

• Glenvera from 12:30PM Wednesdays

and outside

• Travelodge from 2PM Wednesdays
  
• Volunteers also routinely visit Ashbourne.

If you have anything we might be able to help you find the solution for, please come and meet us.
Please continue to wear a mask.
If you need to contact BRIJ at any other time, then you can email us at brjijcork@gmail.com

For matters to do with training & employment, you should make contact at any time directly with any of the people from the Cork City Partnership listed regularly on our website here

We look forward to meeting you

Noreen says she is "Feeling good and looking forward to the time when we can meet again"

Marie is looking forward to everyone being vaccinated so that we can all safely meet again.

Maria mentions the fire of Uisneach ("Ishnok") in her message, you can find out more by clicking on the image below:

On Wednesday morning last, 31st March 2021, I got an early Easter present....

I was called for my first Covid vaccine 😄. It was all so easy and only took 20 minutes in all. Getting the injection really didn't hurt. I was a bit tired after it and my arm was sore for a day or so but I am feeling fine since. And it is all free.
I am feeling very lucky as this will protect me from getting very sick from Covid......or much worse!

For explanations about the COVID vaccine from a Doctor & in your own language -see the videos on this website here -/>

On behalf all of the volunteers who make up the group we call BRIJ, I want to say a warm Hallo to you all.
We are living through strange and difficult times.
I am sure many of you are feeling very isolated and are missing the social interactions we all took for granted until this pandemic came along and changed everything. I want to reassure you that we are still thinking you, whether you are  living in one of the Direct Provision Centres or have moved out into the Community to live. None of the restrictions are easy to maintain. They are not easy for anyone. There are many people who live alone in the Community who are unable to meet up with neighbours or friends. It feels unnatural. It is not easy to keep a distance between ourselves and others. Nothing about this COVID-19 Virus is easy. Simple day to day activities are dominated by the COVID restrictions. Some of us have become ill with COVID and that is frightening as it effects people differently and there is no way of knowing how we will/would be effected. To any of you who are ill with COVID we wish a quick and full recovery.
We are living through strange and difficult times indeed but we are living through them together. 
And the end is in sight.
This time will pass.
The vaccine will sort this out for us. It will take time to get everyone vaccinated but it will happen. Normality will return. As soon as the Virus is brought under control we will all be able to get back to an interconnected way of living our lives. For you that will mean getting back to attending courses, furthering your education, finding jobs, developing new interests, exploring the environment you are living in, pursuing new interests and building new lives.
And we, as the members of BRIJ, will be there to help you.
Mind yourselves and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Maria Magee
(Chairperson of BRIJ)

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE AISLING RE YOUR HOUSING NEEDS
Peter McVerry Trust will be in Glenvera on Wednesday at 2pm. We can support you with housing queries and sourcing accommodation but you must make an appointment. Please contact Aisling by call, text or WhatsApp on the below number.
Any questions regarding housing, renting accommodation and the HAP Scheme are welcome
Contact :- Aisling Canniffe
087 445 9846 or acanniffe@pmvtrust.ie

Susan Long has been successfully helping asylum seekers with career  profiling, CV completion and access to training and education for some time now. She was a regular and popular visitor to Glenvera before the COVID-19 lockdown occurred where she connected with and helped a large number of residents.

Though working from home and unable to visit Centres, Susan continued to connect with asylum seekers. including those newly arrived to the Travelodge, during the lockdown period. Her weekly Jobs list has proven very popular and it can be found on our website here

Susan advises us that she will resume operations from her office shortly and she continues to be available at: 086 0562160 or by email at slong@partnershipcork.ie

We thank Susan for her very competent & capable assistance & look forward to even more cooperation in the future.

It is very difficult for us to assist and connect you to employment & training information during the Corona Virus restrictions as we used to do.

As many of you will know, Susan Long of Cork City Partnership was a regular visitor to Glenvera to help residents with their employment & training queries and requirements. In recent weeks, she has been providing regular updates on job vacancies through this website  here.

Susan has now also come up with a great idea to help with writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV) during the coming week 18th-22nd May.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to engage directly with Susan by phone and/or email to help you with your CV. If you have one already, you should use this opportunity to update it.

Susan has provided the tips you need to get started and they are here on this website

The best thing to do is to use the tips she has given to do your best on your own first and then make contact with Susan to let her help you finish it.

Don't let this opportunity pass. Get working now.

NB Susan is busy with other work this week so please wait until Monday 18th to start contacting her.

If you are in one of the Centres in the Cork City area and you were given a face mask (or masks) then those masks were made by residents of Ashbourne and Kinsale road Centres
In the two images below, they celebrate that 20 women with sewing machines, made 3,904 masks for 1,301 people over 4 weeks;- all made possible with many donations.
Feel free to thank them with a comment at the end of this post.

Face masks are not currently required as a part of the Irish Health Service recommendations to beat Corona Virus, however you are free to wear one if you wish and they maybe become a recommendation shortly. The main purpose of masks to prevent the speard of the virus from you to other people.
If you wear a face mask, it should only be where you are in close proximity to others
Remember :
1. It should cover your nose and go under your chin
2. You should not touch the outside of your mask when wearing it.
3. You should not drop it below your chin or pull it up onto your head when wearing it.
4. When taking it off, do so using the straps only.
5. Wash it after removal and swap for a clean one regularly.

THANK YOU LADIES

I wanted to make you aware that MABS continues to operate its service.  Should any of your clients have financial difficulties and need our help and support at this difficult time, we are contactable on the number below.
 
The current COVID-19 crisis is causing additional financial stress for many people. MABS is here to help. Our services are open to new and existing clients. Whilst we are unable to offer a face-to-face meeting currently, we are however providing money and debt advice and support via phone and email. The free, independent and confidential nature of our service remains and we have Money Advisers waiting to take your call on 086 0236930
If you need us to call you back, just send your first name and mobile number to the relevant email address or call and leave a message and we will call you back. MABS.ie contains a list of telephone numbers and email addresses for all MABS services country wide. It also has updated links and information regarding COVID-19.
In addition, the MABS Helpline is available from 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday by dialing 0761 07 2000 or you can email helpline@mabs.ie
For the latest information follow MABSinfo on Twitter (twitter.com/MABSinfo) and Facebook (facebook.com/MABSinfo).
Funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board 
 
Kind regards
 
Jessie Anthony
Money Advice Co-Ordinator.
South Munster MABS
Ground Floor, 101 North Main Street, Cork

Through the efforts of all living in Ireland, including those living in Direct Provision Centres, Ireland has done well in controlling the spread of the Corona Virus. But we have not won yet and it is not over!
All our efforts MUST be maintained for as long as we are being asked to do so by the experts.
The STAY AT HOME ORDER remains.

For those in Direct Provision Centres, this means:

• Remaining in and around the Centre every day all day
• Complying with personal hygiene requirements (hand washing and coughing/sneezing etiquette)
• Immediately self isolating, advising Centre Management and contacting a doctor if you have any symptoms of the virus
• Not interacting with anyone who is not staying/working at your Centre - this means not going to anyone else's home and not returning to your Centre if you do (unless you have very special permission from the Centre manager)
• Only going out to exercise within 2Km and for essential (once every few days or once a week) visits to shops/pharmacies/post office

These rules have not changed and will not be considered for change until the 5th of May.
We MUST all continue to comply with these rules as any success against the Corona Virus  can be very fragile and a set back at this point could mean another extension of lock down beyond the 5th May.

YOU CAN DO IT!

IN THE MEANTIME BE CREATIVE - MAKE A VIDEO
To help fill the time, we have started a "Brij Creativity Page" on this site. We want you to send us on a video or audio file of your creativity whatever that is;- all explained with examples already posted here
Send them on & we'll put them up!

This survey aims to collect information about the experience of people in Direct Provision during the Coronavirus crisis.

Information collected will be used to advocate for people and for conditions and treatment to be changed or improved. This data may be used in a public document.

We are trying to get the survey translated. In the meantime you can download the google translate extension (عربى, shqiptar, اردو, Kiswahili, ქართული) by clicking here: https://bit.ly/39B0Jj3 This will allow you to read and complete the survey in your language.

Please share with your friends and fellow residents.

Contact nick@irishrefugeecouncil.ie for information about the survey.

If you would like advice or help or want to raise a particular concern about Coronavirus please email nick@irishrefugeecouncil.ie and give your name and number and we will call you back.