refugee action blog

Here at Refugee Action, we’ve recently been raising money for one of our most innovative projects – our Wellbeing Project in Manchester.  Our campaign got off to a flying start last week, when a group of our supporters raised more than £2000 with a fundraising night in Altrincham.  But just what is the Wellbeing Project, and why is everyone so keen to support it?

Jenny Loudon, a Development Worker on the project, says that its appeal stems from its creative and client-focused approach.  “The Wellbeing Project is able to plug the gaps between other services, such as Refugee Action’s One Stop Shop advice service and other local projects, because its aim is to look after people’s wellbeing in the broadest sense,” she says.  “This means that things which fall outside the normal remit of advice services – things like a refugee feeling anxious or alone, a person struggling with destitution, or an individual feeling nervous about accessing services – can all be addressed by the Wellbeing team.  The people who attend the project can be refugees or asylum seekers, but we don’t usually ask them to talk about their situation.  Instead, the project aims to empower them as individuals, helping them to feel more confident and in control of their lives”.

The Wellbeing Project runs a huge range of activities for its attendees.  Amunah, who’s been volunteering with the project since 2010, says she’s taken part in cycling, swimming, team games like basketball and football, and cookery.  Sessions are planned for both adults and youngsters, accommodating an age range of 6 months to 70 years.  Amunah recently took part in a cookery competition, and says, “It was an event that brought people from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds together, and everyone was happy and enjoying themselves”.  Some sessions have more than 70 participants, often from upwards of twenty different nationalities.  “Many of the clients comment on how long it’s been since they last played a particular sport or felt able to socialise safely with friends,” comments Jenny.  “The project gives them the chance to experience these things despite facing difficulties elsewhere in their lives.”

Also within the remit of the Wellbeing Project is emotional and personal support, provided by trained local volunteers.  The team offer a programme one-to-one support to vulnerable clients – helping them to access services in their local area of Manchester, accompanying them if they are feeling anxious about going to report, meeting them for coffee if they are feeling low, or helping them to prepare emotionally for what might happen in they are taken into detention.  Health advocacy is another key area, with volunteers often going on hospital or GP visits with clients, helping clients to make appointments or respond to health service letters, and liaising with GPs in the area to inform them about the specific issues facing refugees and asylum seekers.

The Wellbeing team also help in more practical ways, such as organising donations of clothes or baby items.  “One lady we worked with had a painful eye condition, and was wearing a pair of damaged sunglasses” says Jenny.  “After she came to the project, the Wellbeing team asked around their networks and a new pair of sunglasses was quickly donated”.  A current appeal is on the lookout for warm winter coats, and wet weather clothes for refugees volunteering on outdoor projects, such a community garden scheme.  Volunteering is big part of the project, as the team often help clients to find voluntary opportunities in their local area by offering assistance with research, applications and references.  Attendees can also volunteer within the Wellbeing Project itself, and the team strive to find entry-level positions that are appropriate to individual needs, helping people to become more involved at their own pace.

One of the project’s biggest successes is its bike recycling scheme, which collects second-hand or discarded bikes and gives them to a group of local partners to fix.  The bikes are then donated to local refugees and asylum seekers, giving them a cost-free means of travelling to appointments and a fun way to exercise and explore the city.  Groups of clients are taught cycling proficiency to enable them to get the most out of the donated bikes.  The bikes create real positive change in their owner’s lives; “I love my bike, I want to name it. My bike is with me, when I need it, it’s there. It’s better than a friend- it’s always available!” said one recipient.  Another added, “The bike gives me independence – I don’t have to worry about money for a bus ticket and it also improves my health.  When I feel stressed I get my bike and I go out and explore local areas that I haven’t been to before.  I just get lost, it’s great stress relief!”.

There’s much more that we could say about the Wellbeing Project, and we’ll be posting some more updates from the project on our Facebook page and Twitter over the next week.  It’s a project that we are very passionate about, so if you’d like to know more about it please feel free to ask!  To give your support to the project, you can make a donation today – visit our Latest Appeal page to find out more.

This week, Refugee Action hosted our first party conference fringe event, at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.  Our event, entitled “What’s Labour’s Policy on Refugees?”, was a collaboration with the Smith Institute and featured some fantastic speakers.  Carys Davis, our public affairs officer, was there – here’s her view on how it all went…

Bringing policy makers closer to refugees is something we at Refugee Action always strive to do. Whatever your opinion of politicians, the fact is they have the opportunity to make huge differences to our clients’ lives, and who better to tell them how? Of course, many MPs will meet asylum seekers and refugees at their weekly advice surgeries, but how often do refugees get to have their say on how the system as a whole could work better? Today we held a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference to do just that. Sysay Tedros spoke movingly about her experience as an asylum seeker, and now a refugee, having fled Ethiopia as a teenager and worked daily with destitute clients at the Rainbow Haven centre in Manchester. Shabana Mahmood, Shadow Immigration Minister, and our Chief Executive Dave Garratt listened to her story and her plea to the current government – and Labour in opposition – that the culture within the UK Border Agency should change to one that has more belief in those who seek sanctuary from persecution abroad.

Shabana told us about the many asylum seekers in her Birmingham constituency, describing the situation of being in limbo, awaiting the outcome of claims or fighting appeals, with those affected feeling like ‘spectators in their own lives’. She outlined the difficulties of arriving at an asylum policy that is both fair and effective, which understands public concerns without allowing the media to set the agenda. Dave and Sysay urged the party to look at a number of progressive policies, including the right to work for those asylum seekers who can do so, which would allow them to contribute to society and their communities rather than having to rely on the minimal financial support they currently receive. To round up, Dave encouraged the party to develop a coherent vision based on human rights and to stick to that vision, without allowing the right wing media to distract them in future. He argued that such a vision, with a strong moral foundation, will connect with the British people rather than alienating them. We ended with a firm commitment from Shabana to engage with our sector – while we might not always agree on everything, she said, she and her team are certainly willing to listen.

For more updates from Refugee Action at the party conferences this year, follow us on Twitter.

This week, two of our staff members went to see truth and reconciliation, a new production at the Royal Court theatre.  The play, written and directed by debbie tucker green, traverses the aftermath of five brutal conflicts – Rwanda, Bosnia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Northern Ireland  – to address themes of loss, justice and the search for the truth.  With such issues being close to the heart of our work, we awaited the play with anticipation – and it didn’t disappoint.

Here’s what Carys, our public affairs officer, thought of the production:

In only 65 minutes, truth and reconciliation spirits its audience away to South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Bosnia and finally Northern Ireland.  Its unnamed characters question and cross-question those responsible for the loss of their loved ones; the repetition of questions throughout builds the sense of frustration which drives the characters’ need for truth.  In only two of the stories is the truth revealed to the audience, as two ghosts reappear to their murderers; interestingly it is these scenes which provide the small moments of humour in the play.  I would have like to have seen this idea played out for all five narratives.  The acting is terrific, with strong female characters, who fill the perfectly small setting with ease and elegance.

The London Evening Standard also had many good things to say about the production, giving it a 4 star review.  The play is running until September 24th, but tickets are going fast, so be sure to book ahead if you’re hoping to see it.

Also on stage recently (this time at the Edinburgh Fringe) was Fit for Purpose, a new play about a mother and daughter’s experience of the UK asylum system.  We’re hoping that the play will transfer to London after its festival run, but until that happens, here’s a great review from Andrew Billen in the New Statesmen.

Finally, award-winning playwright Cora Bissett, whose production Roadkill won many plaudits at last year’s Fringe, is working on another new play – this time about how a community in Glasgow bands together to protect a group of asylum seekers.  Provisionally titled Glasgow Girls, there’s a brilliant article about the play’s development in this week’s Scottish Refugee Council blog. 

We’re looking forward to seeing all of these works, and we hope that they’ll contribute to the wider debate about asylum in the UK.  If you know of any other productions or arts events about refugees and asylum that are in the works, be sure to let us know.