UNHCR Supportive Spaces Project
UNHCR Supportive Spaces Project
Launched in November 2024, this initiative has been a vital collaboration between UNHCR, the European Commission, and Ireland’s International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. Its core mission was to build the capacity of staff within Ireland's international protection accommodation system to create supportive living environments by applying mental health and trauma-informed practices in their daily work with the aim of strengthening both resident and staff wellbeing.
UNHCR is proud to have played a leading role in establishing a strong foundation for embedding a trauma-informed approach to accommodation provision in Ireland as well as cultivating a close-knit network of partners dedicated to this essential work.
‘By embedding trauma-informed practice at every level — from frontline centre staff to IPAS officials — we are building a system that works better for residents and for the people who support them every day’ Sara Stevens, Principal Officer (Acting), IPAS
Why this matters: Since 2022, Ireland has seen a rapid growth in the number of people seeking asylum, reaching approximately 13,000 in 2025. As accommodation capacity expanded to meet this demand, a critical gap emerged in the provision of trauma-informed practice training for staff working in IPAS and over 300 accommodation centres across the country.
Supportive Spaces addressed this need by developing a comprehensive training programme for staff on how to embed a trauma informed approach to their daily work in the accommodation system. The training is grounded in international best practices and shaped by input from accommodation centre residents, staff, and other stakeholders. This initiative aligns with key policy commitments, including the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision (2021), the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (2024), the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, the recast Reception Conditions Directive (June 2026), and the EUAA guidance on Mental Health and Wellbeing (November 2024).
Support delivered In order to develop a tailored mental health and trauma-informed training curriculum UNHCR undertook:
- a series of consultations with staff and residents in accommodation centres, IPAS civil servants, health service providers, NGOs, academic experts and others;
- a review of existing training programmes; and
- a targeted review of existing literature.
UNCHR then:
- developed a training package comprised of a two-hour introductory self-directed e-learning course on trauma-informed practice and a skills-based in-person training day;
- trained an interagency panel of 22 trainers including nine IPAS civil servants and thirteen Local Authority Integration Team members;
- co-facilitated delivery of six pilot training for IPAS frontline staff and staff in three Dublin-based centres;
- and equipped the training panel to deliver the training across all 300+ international protection accommodation centres from May 2026-May 2027
Results
The project produced a complete set of core deliverables and supporting materials. These include the inception report, evidence review, stakeholder consultation report, e-learning course, in-person training package including facilitator guide and handouts, supplementary Resource Hub materials, and evaluation materials. A total of 22 training panel members completed the 3-day Training-of-Trainers and each facilitated at least one pilot training for either accommodation centre or IPAS staff. One hundred and five participants took part in pilot trainings.
Nationwide roll-out of the training commenced as planned in May 2026, with a total of 14 training sessions set throughout the month, reaching seven large centres, all remaining IPAS staff and up to 350 additional participants, bringing the total number of individuals trained during the lifetime of the project to approximately 450. Although the involvement of UNHCR in this phase of the project has now come to an end, training will continue to be delivered by the training panel under the leadership of IPAS from June 2026 onwards, with the intention of reaching over 3,000 working within the international protection accommodation system within 12 months.
The project also produced less tangible but important results. It created a shared language around trauma-informed practice with project stakeholders. It established a close-knit and invested training panel capable of continuing delivery beyond the project period. It generated relationships among IPAS, LAITs, UNHCR, Trinity College Dublin, advisory group members and external stakeholders. It also created an evidence review and consultation evidence base that can inform future policy and practice beyond the training itself.
Further Reading
Supportive Spaces Final Report
For queries on the Supportive Spaces project please contact: [email protected]
This project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by UNHCR, in cooperation with the European Commission Reform and Investment Taskforce. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.
