On October 5-8, the RISE project team visited Dublin, Ireland. During the visit, discussions focused on community sponsorship initiatives, state sector involvement, and the role of local communities in creating more sustainable integration solutions. 

During the visit, the team met with representatives of IOM Ireland, the Irish Red Cross and the Irish Refugee Council to discuss community support practices in Ireland. The team gained knowledge and experience through meetings with the Irish Refugee Programme (IRPP), NASC, and Helping Irish Hosts (HIH), with whom they discussed the challenges of providing housing. The delegation also included Laura Perevičiūtė, a Head of the Foreigners’ Integration Group at the Ministry of Social Security and Labor of the Republic of Lithuania. 

These insights proved especially valuable for the Lithuanian context, offering practical examples and strategic considerations that can inform the further development of community sponsorship models in Lithuania, with particular attention to stakeholder engagement, and long-term impact.