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Community Integration Forum - CIF

In 2022, Community Response Forums commenced supporting a direct Local Authority response to the Ukraine Crisis. These Forums enabled all those involved at a local level to work together to support the integration of Ukrainian refugees (BoTP – Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection) into local communities under the stewardship of the local authority through the Ukrainian Response Officer.

The integration remit of the Community Response Forums was extended by the LGMA in 2024 to include International Protection (IP) applicants, Those with Status (TwS), and where applicable the IRP (Irish Refugee Protection) programme, and the Community Integration Forum (CIF) was formed as a subgroup. 

This expansion was rolled out in line with the implementation of the LAIT (Local Authority Integration Team) which were assigned to each local authority in early 2024. The remit of the LAIT is to empower refugees and international protection applicants to integrate into Ireland and their new communities by providing information, guidance, and connections to services, aiming to assist them to gain independence and participate in Irish life.

Recognising the work of agencies, public bodies, and the community and voluntary sector in this area, the Forum provides a space for collaboration and engagement.  

Purpose of the Community Integration Forum:

  • Focusing on a longer term and more sustainable structure, the Forum will coordinate and provide collaboration across mainstream services, NGOs, and statutory, community, and voluntary organisations for the specified cohorts - IP, BoTP, TwS and IRPP 
  • Agree the scope and support provided by each agency represented on the forum  
  • Brief members on new accommodation centres opening in the city  
  • Provide oversight across the sector and troubleshoot issues 
  • To create working groups, where needed, that will focus on collaborative project work to problem solve and deliver results 
  • Act as a conduit to avoid duplication of services and encourage partnership working 
  • Harness and manage offers of assistance from enterprises/businesses/volunteers, as well as community goodwill, by encouraging any additional local supports that can be provided 
  • Facilitate information sharing between existing community services and supports and publications 
  • Escalate any issues identified via the appropriate Community Integration Forum member to the relevant agency or Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 
  • Have a diverse membership of agencies in order to bring awareness of the perspectives and needs of people seeking protection 

Contact

Local Authority Integration Team

Email: integration@corkcity.ie