Scottish Refugee Council. Services & Consultancy to Local Authorities Involved in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme

Transcription

1 Scottish Refugee Council Services & Consultancy to Local Authorities Involved in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme

2 Introduction Scottish Refugee Council is Scotland s leading independent refugee-assisting charity with over 30 years experience of working for and alongside refugees. Scottish Refugee Council can offer the following services and consultancy to Local Authorities involved in the Syrian humanitarian admission scheme (VPR): a range of advice and advocacy services supporting refugees, (families, children and adults); training; working with refugee communities and developing community capacity; policy consultancy; media and communications consultancy; and arts and cultural activities and consultancy; We can work with individual local authorities or consortia. We can provide these services in your local authority area or offer a consultancy role to help you to apply these tried and tested services and models. In 2015 Scottish Refugee Council will celebrate 30 years of working to ensure that all refugees in Scotland are treated fairly, with dignity and that their human rights are respected. Our vision is for a Scotland in which all people seeking refugee protection are welcome. 2

3 Advice and Advocacy Services to Refugees Refugee Integration Service We offer specialist casework advice and advocacy for up to a one-year period enabling all refugees recently granted Leave to Remain through the asylum process by the Home Office to learn about and access their rights, entitlements and options. A similar approach has been adopted in Sheffield and the Yorkshire and Humber area to support refugees resettled through the UK Government s Gateway scheme and identified as best practice 1. This model would also be appropriate for refugees who are being resettled in Scotland under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. We adopt a case management approach to work with new refugees and refugee families to enable them access their benefit entitlement, access suitable and stable housing and identify any health issues that may impact on the type of benefits they access and their longer term integration aspirations. Caseworkers conduct an initial assessment of each refugee to recognise the scale of their resilience or vulnerability. Such an approach allows resources to be most appropriately targeted and individualised. Our experienced advisers work with refugees to develop a Holistic Integration Plan to cover issues such as housing, benefit and financial stability, education and training including ESOL, employability, health and well-being and developing social connections. Individualised plans are based on assessment of needs and abilities taking into consideration refugees current situation and long term aspirations and goals. The plan is a dynamic and live document and draws pathways to achieve refugee s goals and identify actions and responsibilities to take them forward. Our advisers provide expertise in housing, welfare rights, employability and encourage people to actively participate in their communities and wider society. Key benefits for refugees are: Provided with timely, accurate and appropriate information and advice; Actively involved in decisions affecting their lives; Benefit from the caseworkers advocating on their behalf when appropriate; Benefit from better coordination of services, through caseworker intervention; Provided with the appropriate level of psycho-social and practical support; and Enabled to move on and build upon their own self agency. 1 International Catholic Migration Commission & Sheffield City Council (no date) Welcome to Sheffield: Reflections on 8 years experience of receiving resettled refugees at the local level, Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2015] 3

4 Advice and Advocacy Services to Refugees Other advice services Scottish Refugee Council has experience in providing orientation services to newly-arrived asylum seekers and resettled refugees. Expertise from our model of providing key work support to newly-arrived families in the asylum process to engage with local services (children 0-8) can also be drawn on. We also have experience of assisting refugees to apply for travel documents and providing paralegal advice on the family reunion process to refugees. Scottish Guardianship Service The Scottish Guardianship Service is an award-winning service 2 funded by the Scottish Government and already works with local authorities across Scotland supporting them to meet their statutory obligations to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and trafficked young people. 2 In 2013, the service won the Partnership Award at Scottish Charity Awards and the Young People s Project of the Year Award at the Herald Society Awards. 4

5 Advice and Advocacy Services to Refugees The service, delivered in partnership between Aberlour Child Care Trust and Scottish Refugee Council, provides children and young people who arrive in Scotland unaccompanied and separated from their families with an independent guardian. A guardian is someone who accompanies children and young people when they claim asylum or are trafficked and are cared for by health, education and welfare services. A guardian will help a child or young person to be actively involved in decisions that affect their life and to get the help they need, when they need it. A guardian is on the child s side, can explain what is happening to them, will listen to their views and experiences and speak up for them when needed. A guardian will also help a child or young person to plan their future. Whilst separated children are now unlikely to feature prominently in the profile of those coming through the Syrian VPR scheme, we are happy to discuss with Local Authorities who may be involved with resettling separated children how the Scottish Guardianship Service can be extended to support them in relation to reception and integration. More information on the Scottish Guardianship Service can be found in the service evaluation: Crawley, H. & Kholi, R. (2013) She Endures With Me: An Evaluation of the Scottish Guardianship Service Pilot. Available at: Refugee Services Contact Wafa Shaheen Head of Refugee Services wafa.shaheen@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Scottish Guardianship Service Graham O Neill Policy Officer graham.o neill@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 5

6 Training Training Scottish Refugee Council has a comprehensive training programme that covers all aspects of working with and delivering services to refugees and asylum seekers. We have trained statutory, voluntary and community-based organisations across Scotland. Our standard courses which include An Introduction to Working with Refugees; Working with Interpreters, Supporting Refugee Women can be adapted to your situation and participants to equip local staff, statutory and voluntary agencies with the knowledge and skills to work with newlyarrived refugees through the VPR programme. Other skills-based courses developed through our experiences and expertise of working and engaging with refugees include: Quality Consultation using Participatory Methods, Facilitating Events with Interpreters and Engaging Hard to Reach Groups. Training contact Martha Harding Training Officer martha.harding@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 6

7 Working with Receiving & Refugee Communities Community preparation Scottish Refugee Council has experience of running community events to inform and prepare communities to receive refugees and creating space for issues of concern to be raised and responded to. Drawing on our expertise in participatory methods of engagement and facilitation, knowledge of the situations refugees are fleeing and experiences of community tensions we are able to help develop welcoming and safe communities. Community development Scottish Refugee Council has expertise and a strong track record of supporting refugee communities to organise and to develop a voice on the issues affecting their lives in Scotland. We have supported groups to challenge and tackle the inequalities affecting their lives, working with communities to identify their needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities, and to plan and take action on a range of issues. Examples of this work include current work with resettled refugees in North Lanarkshire involving running workshops to upskill the groups committee members from organisational and committee skills to public speaking. We also support the Refugee Women s Strategy Group, a representative group of refugee women to engage with policy-makers on issues affecting them. Working with Communities Contact: Gary Christie Head of Policy & Communications gary.christie@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 7

8 Policy, Media & Communications Policy Scottish Refugee Council has extensive knowledge and expertise of international, EU and domestic legislation and policy regarding refugees. We have conducted research into differing aspects of refugees experiences from family reunion and integration to Female Genital Mutilation and access to and experiences of maternity services. We have developed specific expertise in relation to refugee integration, women, equality groups and children. We are active members of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles and the EU network on resettlement and have excellent networks and relationships with government at EU, UK and Scottish levels and across sectors, such as health, police, Violence Against Women and housing. We are: widely respected as a leading source of credible and trusted evidence and analysis on refugees in Scotland and play an important role in representing the views and interests of refugees at the Scottish, UK and EU levels, very often as the only Scottish organisation at the table 3. We can assist you to ensure local services are planned and accessible, meet the immediate needs and long-term integration of newly-arrived refugees and follow international best practice. Media and Communications Scottish Refugee Council has 30 years experience of communicating to the general public and media about refugees and refugee issues. We are well linked into many of Scotland s broadcast and media organisations and with key individual journalists. We can advise on how to support proactive and reactive work with media outlets, develop your own communication tools and also support individuals appropriately in the development of case studies and individual stories to avoid pitfalls and bad publicity which may affect the reception and longterm integration of refugees in your community. 3 Cutler, S. & Kyambi, S. (2012) An evaluation of the influencing work of Scottish Refugee Council, , Available at: 8

9 Pic: Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards Policy, Media and Communications Contact Gary Christie Head of Policy & Communications

10 Volunteering for refugees and local communities Volunteering roles for refugees Volunteering provides marginalised individuals, such as refugees, the chance to build their confidence, employability, skills and social connections through helping others in a range of volunteering roles. With our expertise in understanding the motivations and barriers refugees face in engaging with volunteering and our experience, we can provide advice on developing specific volunteering programmes and mainstreaming refugees into existing local volunteering programmes. Peer Educators We have developed a successful model of peer education with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to improve the health and well-being of refugees. Volunteer refugees peer educators receive training in health services, health and well-being along with communication skills and facilitation skills. Peer Educators then recruit refugees to share their knowledge and develop strategies and plans for health and well-being. Key outcomes of this project have been increased knowledge of health services, health rights and healthy living; strengthened personal friendship networks and reported improved access to emotional support; increased participation in social activities and physical exercise; and improved their understanding of UK professional environments. Scottish Refugee Council is developing this model into other areas including employability. For more information, please see the evaluation of this model: Strang, A. (2015) Refugee Peer Education for Health and Well-Being Evaluation Report. Available at tion_pilot_project_evaluation_report Volunteering roles working with refugees Scottish Refugee Council has over 30 years experience of recruiting, training and developing meaningful opportunities for individuals to work directly with refugees as orientators, advisers and befrienders. We can assist in the development of volunteering programmes to harness the support of local communities and individuals to support newly-arrived refugees. Volunteering Contact Gün Orgun Volunteer Development Co-ordinator gun.orgun@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 10

11 Arts, Culture, Sport and Heritage Our work in the area of arts, culture, sports and heritage demonstrates the importance of language, culture and participation in integration, providing not only the opportunity for people to build social bonds and bridges but to express themselves, celebrate their own culture, that of their new home and challenge attitudes. Work in this area has been an important part of our work since the organisation began in Refugee Festival Scotland Each year Scottish Refugee Council leads and coordinates Refugee Festival Scotland in partnership with a range of agencies and groups. The Festival, now recognised as a fixture in Scotland s cultural calendar, culminates on World Refugee Day on 20 June every year. National agencies such as the National Theatre of Scotland and local arts and cultural organisations frequently programme and participate. During Refugee Festival 2015 over 100 events and celebrations took place in 10 local authority areas from Aberdeen and to the Isle of Skye. A key part of this is working with grassroots groups to hold community celebrations to share and shape the future of their communities. Pic: Unity League Tournament 2015 Culture, Sport and Heritage consultancy Throughout the year we aim to deliver one major project offering the opportunity for New Scots and others to participate either as volunteers or audiences. This year for example Lest We Forget explores the heritage of communities across Scotland s welcome to Belgian refugees in World War 1. As well as documenting this heritage through exhibition and film, this project will produce educational materials to involve and educate young people across Scotland. 11

12 Pic: Being Human Launch at the Arches Theatre, Refugee Festival Scotland 2015 We facilitate and broker ongoing creative exchanges for refugees and asylum seekers to access wider opportunities on an ongoing basis and have supported the careers of a number of award-winning photographers, designers & writers. We are happy to discuss with you how such work can be developed in your area as a way to facilitate integration and engage with the wider community. Arts, Culture, Sports & Heritage Contact Suzi Maciver Arts & Cultural Development Officer suzi.maciver@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 12

13 Contacts and information To discuss any aspects of the services and consultancy that we are able to provide please get in contact with the relevant individual; Refugee services Wafa Shaheen Head of Refugee Services Training Martha Harding Training Officer Scottish Guardianship Service Graham O Neill Policy Officer graham.o neill@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Working with Refugee Communities Gary Christie Head of Policy & Communications gary.christie@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Policy, Media and Communications Gary Christie Head of Policy & Communications gary.christie@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Arts, Culture and Refugee Festival Suzi Maciver Arts & Cultural Development Officer suzi.maciver@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Volunteering Gün Orgun Volunteer Development Co-ordinator gun.orgun@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk General enquiries Laura Wilkie laura.wilkie@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk 13

14 Scottish Refugee Council is an independent charity dedicated to providing advice and information for people who have fled horrific situations around the world. We have been advocating and campaigning for the rights of refugees since To find out more, sign up to our e-newsletter by going to our website: Join us on: Contact Details: Scottish Refugee Council 5 Cadogan Square (170 Blythswood Court) Glasgow G2 7PH T F E info@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk Charity Number: SC Company Number: SC