St. Augustine’s CentreVicky Ledwidge

Vicky.Ledwidge@staugustinescentrehalifax.org.uk

www.staugustinescentrehalifax.org.uk

Twitter - infostaugs

So what’s going on?

It’s complicated and the media aren’t helping

UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) say in 2015:•644,038 arrivals by sea•3150 dead or missing•84% of arrivals come from the world’s top 10 refugee-producing countries

•20% children, 15% women, 65% men

So what’s going on?

•Bottlenecks across migration routes•6000 now in the Jungle in Calais•Over 1 million displaced Syrians in refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan

•Groundswell of public interest – but the media aren’t helping…..

Is terminology important?

•It’s crucial

•Different rights for different people depending on their status

•Terms are not interchangeable

•And – they’re people first and foremost!

Third country national

EEA national

Asylum seeker

Refugee

Undocumented migrant

•A person from outside the European Economic Area

•A person from a member state of the European Economic Area

•A person who has applied for protection from persecution under the UN Convention and is awaiting a decision from the Home Office on this application

•A person given permission to stay in the UK as a result of a process which began with a claim and/or assessment for protection under the UN Convention

•A person who does not have permission from the Home Office to be in the UK

The Asylum Process

• Who is a refugee?

Article 1A of the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (known as the Refugee Convention or Geneva Convention) states that a refugee is someone who has a well-founded fear of being persecuted for one of the following convention reasons race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a “particular social group” AND is outside their home country; AND the State is either unwilling or unable to protect them from the persecution.

• Who is an asylum seeker?

Someone who has applied for protection in another country for the reasons above, and has not yet been given a decision.

Asylum Support

• Bed in a room in a house

• They don’t get to choose where they live

• £5.27 a day on a pre-paid card

• No access to cash

• Heavily reliant on charities

• People can get stuck in the system for a long time

How do people end up on the streets?• Positive decision – can mean forced destitution:

• 28 days to leave their accommodation• Varying levels of support from local councils• Not enough time to sort out benefits, accommodation, and to become

self sufficient

• Negative decision – can mean forced destitution:• 21 days to leave their accommodation• No recourse to public funds• Not priority for nightshelters

• Language is the prime barrier to accessing support

So what can you do?

• Sadly, not a lot.

• Asylum seekers are likely to be linked to their local NACCOM charity if they are destitute OR will have a local G4S officer if they are still under their care.

• Refugees will be trying to navigate the system

• Educate yourselves on the situation in your local area, and link up to your local NACCOM project - http://naccom.org.uk/ and national & regional agencies such as Refugee Action

• Read, read and read some more from reputable sources• UNCHR• Red Cross• BBC & Guardian (sometimes!)

What shouldn’t you do?

•Nobody should give immigration advice to migrants unless they are qualified and registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)

•Some migrants suffer from poor advice giving (even if well-intentioned)

•Start up any kind of outreach or projects without contacting your local ‘expert’ agencies

•Assume people are the same