Contents UL as a University of Sanctuary ............................................................................. 3

Overview of UL’s University of Sanctuary Committee Members ....................... 4

Activities 2017-2018 ............................................................................................... 5

Sanctuary Scholarship scheme 2017/2018 ............................................................ 5

University of Limerick celebrates Sanctuary Week ............................................... 6

Community engagement and outreach ............................................................... 8

Community Engagement Projects in Focus: ....................................................... 10

Health Hub Sanctuary ................................................................................... 10

Irish World Music Café ................................................................................... 12

World Carnival ............................................................................................... 13

Singing and Social Inclusion Research Group ................................................. 14

Migration and Integration Research Cluster ................................................... 15

Sanctuary Research Dissemination 2017-18 ....................................................... 16

Conference Presentations: ............................................................................ 16

Selected 2017-18 publications include: ........................................................... 16

Dissemination ................................................................................................... 17

Appendix: Images of UL Sanctuary Community enagement and dissemination

activities ........................................................................................................... 19

UL as a University of Sanctuary The current refugee crisis tests the inner strength of the academic space. At the

University of Limerick we firmly believe that a University education should be a

possibility for all. We have been committed to providing access to our University for

people from all backgrounds. It is within this spirit of Welcome that we sought

recognition as a University of Sanctuary. The designation is built on an existing

history of engagement with refuges and asylum seekers in a number of programmes

of education and research. For example, many refugees and asylum seekers have

been involved in programmes captured under the UL Engage umbrella and this

designation is a more formal commitment to enhancing access to a University

education for refugees and asylum seekers.

As a University of Sanctuary we focus on enabling access to third level through a

number of financial support plans and programmes to aid with the transition to

University. We also recognise that as an academic institution we provide a safe space

in which issues which are directly impacting on the lives of refugees and asylum

seekers can be discussed.

Figure 1: Pictured at the launch of UL as a University of Sanctuary: Dr Máiréad Moriarty, Chair UL’s

Sanctuary Committee, Tiffy Allen, Coordinator Places of Sanctuary Ireland, President Desmond

Fitzgerald and Donnah Vumma, scholarship recipient. © True Media

The designation commits the University to a three year action plan with a focus on

encouraging, promoting and enabling refugees and asylum seekers to access third-

level education through various activities and Scholarship programmes. The

University of Limerick will also become a key driver in raising awareness of particular

issues impacting on the lives of refugees and asylum seekers as well as promoting a

spirit of inclusion and welcome in the University, the city of Limerick and beyond. This

is a commitment by the University of Limerick to a three-year action plan to promote

access to educational programmes/courses in third level for those from refugee and

asylum-seeking backgrounds and to contribute to the promotion of their integration

in Ireland. The 3-year action plan has six key drivers. They are:

Sanctuary scholarships to refugees and asylum seekers

Formation of the UL University of Sanctuary steering group

English Language provision to refugees and asylum seekers, including CV

planning and interview skills

Refugee Week events in the University

Establishing a regional HE (Higher Education) research network for refugees and

asylum seekers

To be the key driver in the movement to have Limerick City and Region designated

as a Place of Sanctuary

Dr Máiréad Moriarty/Dr John Lannon Co-Chairs, UL’s University of Sanctuary Committee June, 13th, 2018

Overview of UL’s University of Sanctuary Committee Members Co-Chair: Máiréad Moriarty

Co-Chair: John Lannon

Declan Ahern, Director UL

Counselling Service

Fr John Campion, Chaplin, UL

James Carr, Faculty of Arts,

Humanities and Social Sciences

Rep

Roberta Harrington, Welfare

Officer, UL SU

Grainne Hassett, Faculty of

Science and Engineering Rep

Patrick Hoey, Access Manager

Anca Minescu, Faculty of

Education and Health Sciences Rep

Jonathan Musiime, UL Student

Rep

Helen Phelan, Irish World

Academy of Music and Dance

Elaine Vaughan, Faculty of Arts,

Humanities and Social Sciences

Rep /English language programme

manager

Activities 2017-2018

Sanctuary Scholarship scheme 2017/2018

Overview - Mature Student Access Certificate programme – (MSAC) The Mature Student Access Certificate (MSAC) is a one-year full-time pre-degree

course designed for mature students who wish to develop key learning skills before

applying to a degree programme. The MSAC will facilitate students on the

programme to develop core skills, as well as giving them an opportunity to study a

specialist subject area such as Business, Engineering, Humanities or Science. It also

provides individuals with the opportunity to experience life on campus as full-time

students and to familiarize themselves with the many supports and services available

in The University of Limerick. The MSAC is organised and delivered by the Mature

Student Office, University of Limerick.

17 scholarships were made available to refugee and asylum-seeking students to

access the Mature Student Access Programme for the period 2017-2018. From 2018

students in second-level education who are refugees and asylum seekers will also be

eligible to apply for University of Sanctuary scholarships. The following quotes are

taken from a focus group which sought feedback from the participants from the first

year of our programme.

“It was a dream come true.”

“It provided an opportunity for progression to University/third level.”

“I felt I was making progress in life and not stagnating in the bleak provision of a DP (Direct Provision) centre.”

For further information on our ongoing Scholarship scheme contact:

ULSanctuary@ul.ie

University of Limerick celebrates Sanctuary Week

University of Limerick (UL) held its first Sanctuary Week from March 20th to 23rd. This

was undertaken as part of the ongoing University of Sanctuary programme, and it

main aim was to serve as a platform to raise awareness on issues facing refugees and

asylum seekers.

Figure 2: Combining musical culture at Sanctuary week © Maurice Gunning

Day 1 focused on the right to understanding, language, food and culture. The focal

point was an array of food prepared by University of Sanctuary students and others;

visitors who came along to enjoy this were also given the opportunity to take

information on relevant issues like direct provision.

The second day (Wednesday) coincided with International Day Against Racism.

Students from the International Society and visitors from Sports Against Racism

Ireland were joined by other students and staff in the UL Arena for friendly games of

football and basketball. Free refreshments and music were also provided, and the

slogan for the day was ‘Say no to hate and yes to being together!’

Figure 3: Siege of Ennis at Sanctuary Week © Maurice Gunning

Day 3 provided an opportunity for the university campus community to hear stories

of migration from those who have made the journey and those who have supported

people on the way. There was a screening of a number of short films by solidarity

activist Caoimhe Butterly who was joined by Zoe Lawlor to offer some reflections on

their time providing solidarity and support in Lesvos, Calais and elsewhere. This was

followed by a series of compelling testimonies and presentations from University of

Sanctuary student Sikhulekile Ruth Ndlovu, former asylum seeker and UL student

Jonathan Muhwezi, and Radwan Abo Hajar from the Syrian community in Portlaoise.

The final day of the week was a celebration of sanctuary through music and dance

hosted by UL’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. It included performances by

UL students and staff, the Elikya Congolese Ensemble, the World Carnival Ensemble

from Presentation Primary School, Armenian Music from the Mid-East Music

Ensemble, Hala Jaber with musicians and singers from Syria and Palestine, John

Nutekpor with music and dance from Ghana, Mary Adewunmi Abiodun Adetunji,

Mickey Dunne, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and more. The finale to the event and to

Sanctuary Week was a giant set-dance that captured the fun and diversity that the

University of Limerick is so proud of.

The UL Sanctuary Committee and indeed the entire campus is already looking

forward to Sanctuary Week 2019!

Community engagement and outreach 1. Participated in Places of Sanctuary Ireland network conference in Dublin on Jan

27th [Mairead, John, Jonathan]

2. Convened webinar on refugee and asylum seeker access to online education on

Feb 21st. This included presentations from Kiron on enabling access to higher

education and successful learning for refugees through digital solutions, the

Refugee OnLine Education ( ROLE) initiative from Athlone Institute of

Technology, and An Cosánon their Virtual Community College[John]

3. ENACTUS Re-stArtproject, co-lead by UoSstudent Sikhulekile Ruth

Ndlovu.Enactus is a global brand of social enterprise society and each of the 36

countries part of it have their own national branch. In Ireland, UL is one of nine

colleges who have Enactus teams. These enable third level students to create, and

implement, social entrepreneurial projects that positively impact on local and

global communities. The Re-stArtproject worked on integrating refugees and

asylum seekers into society through the Arts, as well as giving them opportunities

to grow their soft skills and language skills.

4. Every Child is Your Child (ECIYC) event in Thomond Park organised by a UL staff

member [Finn Lannon] and UoS student [Donnah Vuma].ECIYC is a project to

establish an on-going fund to assist asylum seeker parents of school going aged

children living in Direct Provision. (Photos available).

5. Christmas phone appeal for people living in direct provision. Campus community

supported and gave generously, ensuring that every adult in the three direct

provision centres in/near Limerick received credit to phone their family and loved

ones in other parts of the world at Christmas.

6. War Torn Children exhibition in CB1 Gallery, Limerick in July was organised and

supported by UL staff members [John]. This exhibition of arpilleras, photographs

and posters highlighted the devastating impact of war on children, their families

and communities. See http://cain.ulster.ac.uk/conflicttextiles/search-

quilts/fullevent/?id=168.

7. Student engagement through first year undergraduate module BR4041 Social

Media for Social Good. A group of five students worked with Doras Luimni to

promote Africa Day.

8. Hosted Multicultural Limerick 2017 seminar on promoting the integration of

migrants in through active citizenship and volunteerism (October)

9. SAUL students designed and fabricated tables to host a Foods Event during

Sanctuary Week.

10. ESOL Provision for Refugees and Asylum Seekers- MA TESOL students designed

and delivered 3 separate English language courses to refugees and asylum seekers

in the wider Limerick region.

11. Saturday activities with Syrian and Iraqi refugee families resettled in Limerick;

These activities took place on 24th of March 2018; 21st of April 2018, 12 May 2018;

We included arts and crafts for the whole family, making dream catchers, bunnies

and hearts from different materials; and we had food, Arabic coffee and drinks,

chats as well as music and dance on each occasion. Face painting, nail painting and

henna were also included on the latter 2 events at the request of the families. On

average every one of the 3 activities was attended by over 25 members from the

resettled families and 25 volunteers.

Community Engagement Projects in Focus:

Health Hub Sanctuary The Health Hub Sanctuary Project, this is a collaboration led by the University of

Limerick with 3 community organizations: Doras Luimni, Limerick Mental Health

Association and PAUL Partnership. This group is committed to provide a range of

services to the communities of people with a refugee, asylum seeker or migration

background. So far, beginning in September 2017, we set up the group, launched on

the 24th of March 2018, during Refugee Week, and we ran several activities with the

communities as well as several training sessions. In the coming year, the Project will

grow by expanding its activities to the research as well as policy support, aiming to

become a “first stop” for the social integration of migrant communities and the

promotion of their well-being and general health. Please see the leaflet prepared for

the Launch for more details about the full portfolio of the Project.

Saturday activities with Syrian and Iraqi refugee families resettled in Limerick; These

activities took place on 24th of March 2018; 21st of April 2018, 12 May 2018; We

included arts and crafts for the whole family, making dream catchers, bunnies and

hearts from different materials; and we had food, Arabic coffee and drinks, chats as

well as music and dance on each occasion. Face painting, nail painting and henna were

also included on the latter 2 events at the request of the families. On average every

one of the 3 activities was attended by over 25 members from the resettled families

and 25 volunteers.

Figure 4: Health Hug Sanctuary Volunteers March 24th 2018 © Anca Minescu

Figure 5: University of Limerick student volunteers on 21st of April 2018 (© Anca Minescu)

Figure 6: Messages from the Participants on the 24th of March 2018 (© Anca Minescu)

Figure 7: Saturday activities for families living in Direct Provision in Limerick: 26 of May

2018

Irish World Music Café The Irish World Music Café (Figure 8) is a community-based project coordinated by the Singing & Social Inclusion Research Group at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL. The café provides an opportunity for newcomers to Limerick to meet once a month during the academic year for tea, sandwiches and music. It coincides with ‘English for Beginners’ classes offered by Doras Luimní and is hosted by the CB1 Community Gallery and Café on O’Connell Street, Limerick.

Figure 8: Irish World Music Café Performance ©Maurice Gunning

A special Irish World Music Café was hosted by the Irish World Academy as part of the Sanctuary Week celebrations on March 23rd and featured performances from the Elikya Congolese Ensemble, the Academy Hip-Hop dancers, the Presentation Primary School ‘World Carnival’ Ensemble and the Eastern Classical Music Ensemble. Guests performers also include singer Mary Adewunmi Abiodun Adetunji and poet Ruth Sikhulekile Ndlovu, both registered students on the UL Mature Student Access Programme, as well as PhD students John Nutekpor from Ghana and Hala Jaber from Palestine performing with guest singer Hanin Friha from Syria.

Figure 9: Irish World Café performers pictured as, Sanctuary Week, UL ©Maurice Gunning

World Carnival World Carnival (See Figure 10) is a community-based project coordinated by the Singing & Social Inclusion Research Group at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL in partnership with Music Generation and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The project takes place at Presentation Primary School, one of the most multicultural primary schools in Limerick city. It includes a 12 week programme of learning songs from around the world, a ‘meet the musician day’ for the whole school and a final performance for families, friends and the wider community.

Figure 10: Facing Painting at the World Carnival Performance ©Maurice Gunning

Singing and Social Inclusion Research Group Singing & Social Inclusion group brings together researchers in community music, ethnomusicology, Irish traditional song, music education, music therapy, ritual studies and arts practice research to support interdisciplinary research around issues of singing & inclusivity. Recent events include a seminar on music and religion (October 11th, 2017) with guest speakers Dr. Carmen Kuhling (Senior Lecturer, Sociology, UL; author of Ireland’s New Religious Movements) Dr. Abel Ugba (Senior Lecturer,University of East London; author of Shades of Belonging: African Pentecostals in Twenty-First Century Ireland) and Hala Jaber (PhD Researcher and assistant coordinator of ‘The Irish World Music Café’) and the launch of Professor Helen Phelan’s new book Singing the Rite to Belong: Music, Ritual and the New Irish, Oxford University Press, at the Royal Irish Academy (October 17, 2017) by Professor Declan Kiberd. An interdisciplinary group of researchers from the Irish World Academy, Nursing and Midwifery and the Graduate Medical School are currently working on a research project on singing and migrant maternal mental health. The group also published a resource on current research for use by NGOs (Figure 11)

Figure 11: Publication of the Singing and Social Inclusion Research Group

Migration and Integration Research Cluster This research cluster is an interdisciplinary space for research around issues concerning migration and integration. There is research being carried out in this area in every faculty at the University of Limerick. The group launched a directory (Figure 12) of twenty-five such projects for use by NGOs and other research bodies in March, 2017 and is currently developing an on-line and revised version of the directory.

Figure 12: Migration and Integration Research Directory

Sanctuary Research Dissemination 2017-18

Conference Presentations: Moriarty, M. Semiotics of Absence: Voice and Agency in the Refugeescape. Invited Plenary, X-scapes Conference University of Bern, Switzerland, April 2018

Selected 2017-18 publications include: Moss, H., Lynch, J., & O'Donoghue, J. (2017) ‘Exploring the perceived health benefits of singing in a choir: an international cross-sectional mixed-methods study’, Perspectives in Public Health, doi: 10.1177/17579139177396523

Phelan, H. (2018) “Sonic Citizenship: Rites and Rights of Belonging in Ireland” in Ingalls, M., Swijghuisen, M. and Sherinian, Z. (eds.) Making Congregational Music Local in Christian Communities Worldwide. London and New York: Routledge.

Phelan, H., Chappell, D. Robert, A.N. and Hennelly, J. (2017) ‘The Irish World Music Café: Performing and Recording as Tools for Sustainable Social Integration’ Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 17.3 doi:10.15845/voices.v17i3.939.

Phelan, H. (2017) ‘The Untidy Playground: An Irish Congolese Case Study in Sonic Encounters with the Sacred Stranger’, Religions, 8.11 249.14.doi:10.3390/rel8110249.

Phelan, H. (2017) Singing the Rite to Belong: Music, Ritual and the New Irish Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Turner, K. (2017) ‘The Lines Between Us: Exploring the Identity of the Community Musician Through and Arts Practice Research Approach,’ Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy,

Special Issue: Performing Health, Identity, and Social Justice, Vol. 2 No. 3. Available at [https://voices.no/index.php/voices/article/ view/941/780]

Turner, K. (2017) The Lines Between Us, CD and digital release, produced by Wood, C.

Dissemination 1. Inclusion of University of Sanctuary in KBS report to the United Nations Principles

for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative. PRME is a platform to

raise the profile of sustainability in schools around the world, and to equip today's

business students with the understanding and ability to deliver change tomorrow

2. Presentation to a group of 24 academics and practitioners from across the EU who

were visiting Ireland to share experiences on working on the integration of young

migrants (November). The visit was coordinated by Youth Work Ireland Tipperary.

3. Participation in and presentation to staff training week on ‘Integration of

Refugees: the role of Universities’ at Sapienza University, Rome in April [John].

The Staff Training Week was organised in the framework of the EU project

inHERE, aimed at strengthening knowledge sharing, peer-support and academic

partnership to facilitate integration and access of refugees in European Higher

Education Institutions.The main objective of the training was to provide university

actors with a set of instruments to enhance the role of European universities in the

integration and support of refugees. The training was aimed at academic and

administrative staff. See https://www.inhereproject.eu/training/staff-training-

week.

4. Presentation by UL architecture faculty of spatial practices issues related to

people migrating at Cambridge University geography dept, public lecture at

Design Museum London and to University of Sheffield architecture dept. The

Sheffield two days of presentations were organised by UL architecture faculty and

incorporated contributions on ethics, cultural theory, humanitarian practices,

philosophy and public figures including Guardian journalist and expert on

EU/Africa migration Daniel Trilling

5. Ongoing project to decolonise the curriculum saw joint UL/UK student groups field

trip to presentation by Forensic Architecture on their methods to document

human rights abuses in Syria, Gaza, Pakistan and Mexico.

6. Project member for REACT: A programme led by NOKUT to develop a European

toolkit for the recognition of prior learning amongst displaced persons.

7. Training sessions on Intercultural Awareness, and Needs of Displaced Children &

Families, Child Protection Training & new guidelines ran within the Health Hub

Sanctuary Project. Some of this training was offered via PAUL Partnership to 40

practitioners from schools and front line services (December 2017-March 2018, 2

sessions delivered separately to 2 groups, at an interval of 2 months). Other

training sessions were offered to around 25 volunteers for the Health Hub

Sanctuary Project: Intercultural training 6 April 2018; Child Protection Training on

the 13th of April 2018; Needs of displaced families on the 27th of April 2018.

8. 1st of December 2018 the Arts office of the University of Limerick launched and

hosted an arts Exhibition: Charon’s Boats, commemorating the 5000 lives lost in

the Mediterranean sea…

9. Children from the Catherine McAuley School designed posters and welcome to

Ireland signs for the children in the refugee families. This was coordinated by one

of the volunteers in the Health Hub Sanctuary Project, Susan Quin.

Appendix: Images of UL Sanctuary Community enagement

and dissemination activities

HEALTH HUB SANCTUARY PROJECT

Health Hub Sanctuary is led by the University of

Limerick in collaboration with Doras Luimni,

Limerick Mental Health Association and PAUL

Partnership. Contributions for our activities come

from researchers and psychologists, community

development workers, resettlement officers,

educational specialists, and various support

groups and volunteers, including UL students. We

provide:

Social-Psychological Support to Migrant Groups &

People Working with Migrant Communities We focus in

particular on those with a refugee & asylum seeker

background.

Training & Information Sessions about the social-

psycholocial, political profile and needs of various migrant

groups, and intercultural competence training for

professionals & volunteers working with migrant communities.

Research-based Policy & Consultancy for relevant public

bodies responsible for migrant integration, facilitated by the

Migration and Intergration Research Group, at the University of

Limerick.

All activities are based on research reviews, expert advice & best practice

brought together by the multidisciplinary inter-agency team of the

Health Hub Sanctuary Project.

I. Social-Psychological Support

Social Activities

* Play Groups for Children

* Cultural Exchanges

* Networking

Psychological Support

* Individual & Group Sessions

* Peer Support for Volunteers

__ II. Training

* Intercultural Competence for

Various Target Groups

* The Psychology of Migration &

Trauma

__ III. Policy & Advisory

* Provide a Research Base for Social

Interventions & Policy

* Document & Evaluate Current

Practice & Interventions

__

Programme available upon request

L o c a t i o n

H E A L T H H U B

Rutland Street, Limerick City

across from the Hunt Museum

For contact, information or if you

wish to join us, email: Health Hub

Sanctuary

hhubsanctuary@gmail.com