This year we are hoping to become part of the Schools of Sanctuary Ireland initiative.
“The Schools of Sanctuary is an initiative to celebrate the good practice of schools that welcome asylum seeking and refugee families into their school community and foster a culture of welcome and inclusion for all. Schools of Sanctuary offers a way to engage sanctuary seekers and families with their local communities and educate children and teachers about the human right to sanctuary. The aim is to create a safe environment that includes everybody in a school, regardless of people’s background, ethnicity, faith or gender.
CMMG is committed to be a safe and welcoming space for all. It is a school demonstrating a whole-school approach to support and understand those who may be seeking sanctuary. A School of Sanctuary is a school helping its students, staff and wider community understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary and to extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued members of the school community. It is a school that is proud to be a place of safety and inclusion for all. In order to be awarded School of Sanctuary status we must present a portfolio of activities / events that we do during the year.”
Home - Schools of Sanctuary Ireland (cityofsanctuary.org)
There are 3 principles to the School of Sanctuary.
- We have to Learn what it means to be seeking sanctuary.
- We have to take Action to show our support for sanctuary seekers and newcomers in our school
- We have to Share our learning and action with our wider community and network.