Migrant Action

Empowerment Advocacy Justice

Helping EU Migrants navigate uncertainty in the wake of Brexit

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Migrant Action is seeing first-hand the increased vulnerability faced by EU migrants who have settled in the UK. Many have lived here for years and to some the UK is ‘home’ but many EU citizens are anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding their status and rights to stay in the UK after BREXIT. This uncertainty is causing emotional distress and in some cases exacerbating poor physical health. Many more are victims of bad legal advice and financial exploitation in their pursuit of securing their legal status in the country. 

Migrant Action is assisting EU migrants to navigate the uncertainty and exploitation by offering advocacy support, information, advice and guidance as well as referrals to specialist advice. As part of our work we are forming partnerships with other organisations such as the 3Million-Yorkshire and InLimbo-Our Brexit Testimoniesto reach out to Eastern European citizens in need of support.  Through our services and working collaboratively with other agencies, we aim to provide practical support to all EU migrants to ensure that they engage with the EU Settlement Scheme. 

If you would like Migrant Action to help you with information and guidance please email us at info@migrantaction.org.uk

Caption: Katrine from Migrant Action meeting Vie ClercLusandu from the3MillionYorkshie and InLimbo-Our Brexit Testimonies. 

Supporting families with no recourse to public fund training

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Migrant Action in partnership with Project 17 Charity (London) will be hosting a training course for people supporting families with no recourse to public funds.

This is the second time Migrant Action is hosting the training as the first session was extremely popular and take up was high.  

The session will run from 10.30-4pm at Oak House, Waxwing Room Park Lane, LS3 1EL, Leeds on Wednesday 13th March

26 participants attended at the last training, 24 rated it excellent and 2 rated it good. Comments included: really useful training; excellent facilitation; a great session allowing me to really improve my knowledge; one of the best trainings I’ve ever participated in.

This is a more advanced course for those who have attended Project 17’s supporting families with no recourse to public fund training, or for those who regularly make Section 17 referrals. The course focuses on getting the best outcomes for families requesting support from local authorities. It helps advisers prepare clients for assessments, anticipate refusals, and challenge negative decisions.

Learning outcomes include:
• An understanding of the current of future legal framework for local authority support
• The ability to prepare effective referrals for support
• The ability to anticipate reasons for refusing support
• The confidence to challenge refusals of support
• Knowing when to refer clients to community care solicitors

The course will cover:
• Overview of the legal framework
• Common reasons for refusing support
• Preparing effective referrals to minimise refusals
• Responding to refusals and failures to assess
• Accessing legal advice and representation

To book on the course please send requests to: info@migrantaction.org.uk

DID YOU KNOW?

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Detention in the UK and closing pathways to detention

There are 10 detention centres in the UK holding 2-3,000 people at any one time. The UK detention estate is one of the largest in Europe.

In the year ending June 2017 27,819 people were held in UK immigration detained centres and 360 people were prison establishments for immigration offences. In the same year 48children were in the detention estate.

In the year ending June 2017, 12,542 people were removed involuntarily (enforced removals) from the UK. 1,970 out of the 12,542 people removed had previously sought asylum.

Also, in the same period, there was an increase of 4% from the previous year (44%) in the proportion of detainees being returned or ‘voluntarily’ departing from the UK on leaving detention.

In the year ending June 2017, there were 22,822voluntary returns not including returns from detention. For more information on this see the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned

Migrant Action: Closing pathways to detention 

By providing information, advice & guidance, advocacy and access to justice, Migrant Action is providing vital early interventions that help to prevent migrants from detention pathways.  Enabling social and economic integration of new migrants offer better alternatives to detention. We will also offer advocacy and practical support for people who are in detention (see Daniel’s story on our website). 

Migrant Action also engages in Direct Action, research and campaigning for policy and system change. In November 2018, Migrant Action in collaboration with Dr Jonathan Burnett of the University of Swansea gave evidence at the Permanent Peoples Tribunal in London:

Indictment London

Migrant Action has completed further research on detention, see our full report at: https://migrantaction.org.uk/migration-briefs/reports/

Migrant Action volunteers: Making a real difference

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Migrant Action volunteers: Making a real difference

At Migrant Action, we recognise the right, agency and desire that people have to participate in the life of their communities through volunteering. Volunteering is an instrument of solidarity and shared humanity. Migrant Action highly values immensely the diverse contribution volunteers make in every aspect of the organisation.

Migrant Action is committed in supporting, enabling, celebrating and increasing opportunities for volunteering. Volunteers are welcomed to apply their creative and diverse skills, knowledge and experiences to enhance the organisation’s work. Volunteers constitute a vital strategic partnership between Migrant Action and local community playing a central role in service delivery, fundraising, networking, communications and overall success.

Following a review of Migrant Action’s communication strategy, our volunteers are helping to set out and implement a new proactive communications and fundraising strategy for the organisation.

Migrant Action volunteers; Bailey, Megan, Lina, Celeste in strategy session with Julia (MA Trustee) & Fidelis.

Also, Harriet joined a team of volunteers in helping vulnerable migrants in the refugee/migrant camp in Calais.  Harriet and the team spent 2 days in Calais working with Help Refugees to provide basic humanitarian assistance to the refugees and vulnerable migrants. Through volunteering within the organisation, in the community or abroad, our volunteers put in action the values, goals and vision of Migrant Action. We appreciate and celebrate the fantastic work of all our volunteers.

Harriet and her team in the refugee/migrant camp in Calais. Listen to her inspirational podcast on our Facebook page linked below and support Migrant Action’s work.

 

Partnerships and improving advocacy for migrants

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Migrant Action is an advocacy and migrant rights based organisation. Our mission is to empower migrants and reduce vulnerability. Through our work we uphold migrant rights, aim to increase access to justice and enhance capacity for integration. We work to overcome the effects of government policies that create ‘hostility’ and foster vulnerability amongst migrants. Migrant Action advocates and seeks to ensure migrant justice.

Migrant Action continually seeks collaboration and partnerships with other organisations so as to adequately meet the needs of migrants and its wider objectives. As such, in August Migrant Actionand Rights to Remain charityestablished a new partnership as both seek to grow their organisational presence and provide support to various categories of migrants in the Leeds/Yorkshire.

In an increasingly complex migrant environment, Migrant Action is committed to a proactive and humane approach to responding to challenges faced by migrants in order to avert vulnerability and crisis oriented interventions. Therefore, as the direct implications of Brexit and the government’s new ‘compliance’ environment policy begin to unravel in relation to migrants, the new partnership will enhance Migrant Action’s commitment and capacity to provide migrants with appropriate support in terms of more awareness, impartial guidance and advice, advocacy support, access to justice and better integration.

We look forward to a great and mutually beneficial partnership with Rights to Remain!

 

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