HARP – Muhammad Nayyer
- New drop-in with Conversation Club at Mill Hill Unitarian Church
- Help ASR to access NHS services, Advocating around health charges. More details can be found here
- Info is now contained in all G4S welcome pack
- Ruth invited HARP to visit PAFRAS Drop-ins
- G4S offered to pass on details of people arriving in Leeds
Refugee Week – Ali Mahgoub
- 19 events – from Films to Cultural Events, Training, Football Tournament, Burmantofts Gala
- Not all of the events made the final programme
- Jon offered help to get the programme out 3 or 4 weeks in advance for 2017
Richmond Hill/Yorkshire Aid – Ali Mahgoub
- LRF have some money from Leeds Community Foundation 6 months development worker and trainee to
- Priorities will be to recruit more volunteers and getting clothing out to Leeds
- It’s hoped that Richmond Hill will be open 3 days a week
- Details of the depot can be found at yorkshireaid.org
- Please do not send people down directly
Brexit Briefing paper (can be found here) – Bill
- Nothing is changing for the time being: at least 2 years after Article 50 before any changes happen.
- Please look at the doc, especially the links
- Intelligence from South Yorkshire suggests abuse is not necessarily on the increase, but Brexit being cited as part of these attacks/incidents.
- G4S staff have been round to all asylum seeking tenants around Hate Crime
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – Bill
3 things are happening
- up to 1000 unaccompanied minors in Kent County Council’s care – A number of councils have voluntarily accepted some of these (inc Leeds) but there are still 800 in Kent.
- Govt have said they will try and house 3000 who are living in camps in Middle East and N Africa
- Govt have agreed to an unspecified number of children living in Leeds
All the councils in Yorkshire and Humber in the North have said they would like to help, and there will probably be a regional scheme within the next 18 months. Resettled children will not come through the Compass Programme, and will come via local authorities.
Migration Yorkshire: European Structural Investment Fund money – Bill
- Aim of the project is to develop a partnership assisting and helping marginalised people to find employment and get into work – not for asylum seekers or refused asylum seekers.
Northern Refugee Centre – Bill
- Following the demise of NRC, Migration Yorkshire want to know how they can support the voice of the voluntary sector to influence decision making and discussion forums at regional/National level
- Migration Yorkshire hope to call a meeting across the sector to improve this.
No further update on status of Waterside Court
Hate Crime
- Stop Hate – say it’s too early to comment on trends.
- Jon Beech find out what strapline the anti-social behaviour team use about hate crime, and circulate to those organisations wishing to adopt a common line on hate crime in Leeds.
Help through Crisis Grant – Ruth
- ASAP identified Yorkshire & Humberside have the highest proportion of unsuccessful asylum support applications appeals in Britain
- PAFRAS looking at West Yorkshire, British Red Cross in South Yorkshire
- Aimed at people living in destitution or at risk of destitution
- Holistic Advice – to be provided via the drop in and through 1:1 appointments
- Solace provide therapeutic services to destitute people over 5 years
- ASAP offering training to orgs to help build capacity
- Starts on 1st August
Updates
- Leeds Refugee Forum – Eid Celebration taking place https://www.leedsmultiagency.org.uk/eitd-community-celebration-8th-july-ramgharia-sports-centre/
- Solace -The Free Mental Health training previously advertised https://www.leedsmultiagency.org.uk/solace-get-funding-to-provide-mental-health-training-for-the-city/ is not quite as straightforward as it sounds. please contact [email protected] . Solace are also being funded to do some therapeutic services via Skype for people living in Barnsley.
- Leeds City Council – Sam Powell circulated Workplan https://www.leedsmultiagency.org.uk/leeds-migration-support-overview/
- Refugee Council – Duncan Wells new Regional Manager – soon to increase to Selby, Harrogate as well. https://www.leedsmultiagency.org.uk/leeds-migration-support-overview/; can also offer support to LCC staff and statutory.
- Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network – http://helpinleeds.com/ has launched – comprehensive list of all agencies working with; http://lel.help/ has already been updated although it has a few glitches.
- G4S
- doing some forecasting on numbers for the rest of 2016 – we’re anticipating an increase.
- Trying to find a more equitable dispersal of people across the region.
- Looking at former homeless provision and care homes – although some attendeed raised concerns about the suitability of shared living arrangements.
- Y&H increase of about 900 in the last year from about 4,000 – 731 in Leeds. Families are increasing
- Regional Asylum Activism
- Judicial review against Asylum Support Rates for children this week
- Review into 28 day Move On – DWP and Home Office to look into this together.
- Changes to access to Healthcare response
- 10 day engagement on behalf of York Street – CCG wanting to look at how RAS feel about the service on offer via York Street
Next Meeting on Monday October 3rd at 10am – 12am, Leeds Refugee Forum
notes by Jon Beech – please pass on any corrections
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