covid-19

Covid-19: Not without food!

24th November 2020 by ficheb

Covid-19 has deepened poverty, deprivation and destitution in disadvantaged communities. Increasingly, Migrant Action is witnessing individuals who are struggling to adequately meet the basic needs of food, education and shelter.

For vulnerable migrants, the need is greater and the consequences of unmet needs are severe. The pandemic has exacerbated vulnerability for those living on the ‘hard edges’ of society, especially migrants who have no recourse to public funds and restricted access to services.

Our Response

Over the autumn half-term, Migrant Action partnered with Complete Woman and URP-Leeds ltd to deliver hot meals, sandwiches and snacks to over 75 children accompanied by their parents and carers.

The initiative was part of a Migrant Action’s Covid-19 relief in association with the wider community-led national campaign led by the Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford.

Our partnership worked in collaboration with other community stakeholders including Ethiopian restaurant Melkam and the Christ Temple of Worship church. Both provided access and trusted spaces for children, parents and carers to spend time together in a safe and relaxed environment.

More than Just Food

This initiative strengthened local partnerships, supported local business, enhanced social and cultural integration, reduced loneliness and isolation, built new relationships, identified new needs and increased community resilience.

These outcomes underpin Migrant Action’s ‘Strengthening Hands’ partnership, which aims to strengthen grassroots collaboration and tackle social justice and system change. These issues are rooted in the lived experience of migration, social and racial injustice.

Migrant Action is committed to alleviating the impact of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable. As the second wave of the pandemic takes hold, we anticipate an even more challenging winter, especially for the most vulnerable and destitute migrants.

Therefore, through our partnerships, we will continue to offer support to migrants and those with no recourse including food for children and their families.

“This is a real partnership and grassroots engagement with local communities and
supporting local business” ( Kidist- Project coordinator- URP Leeds ltd)

How can you support us?

You can support our Covid-19 relief and the wider work on migrant rights and justice by donating to Migrant Action via this link https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/migrant-action-donations?fbclid=IwAR3koPJeeVSMoUjmnQ5mEmgsA1LQQcravCOkce8CnLGqjk5cdLlFrINoLTc

If you are passionate about migrant rights and social justice and would like to volunteer, email: info@migrantaction.org.uk

‘I won’t be defined by my immigration status’

2nd November 2020 by ficheb

In our latest blog post, we discuss how Migrant Action have helped individuals during the COVID19 pandemic, and how they have successfully been able to get back in to further education.

I first contacted Migrant Action in 2019 and received a warm welcome by all. Migrant Action kept in contact with me and supported me with issues regarding university and immigration requirements.

During these unprecedented times, Migrant Action supported me and my family with food parcels and food vouchers during the COVID19 pandemic and continued to advise and support me which helped improve my mental well-being.

I have also participated in the Migrant Action leadership programme which has helped me identify my weaknesses and embrace them positively, and turn them into strengths. I have been able to expand my networking skills which have developed my confidence, which would not have been possible without this course.

After being out of education for nearly three years now, I applied for a scholarship which will allow me to start studying again. Migrant Action assured me that this will enhance my confidence and deepen my faith that education will further my development.

I did however encounter some difficulty with the Home Office, who stated that I could not study despite holding a sanctuary scholarship. In a country like the UK, it is a basic human right to be able to study and further my education. With the help of organisations like Migrant Action and my solicitor Richard Burgon MP, the decision that I could not study was overturned and I was finally able to return to my studying and start a new chapter in my life.

I don’t want to be defined by my immigration status. Migrant action has inspired me not to give up and to face challenges head-on with a smile. I will always rise above the challenges I face in society, and I will dream big, and be thankful for the support from Migrant Action.

Covid-19 relief: ‘No Child Left Behind’

3rd July 2020 by ficheb

Covid-19 has revealed the staggering inequality in our society reflected. According to research carried out by Sky news, during the lockdown, 43% of children from disadvantaged backgrounds study for 1 hour a day compared to 14% from more affluent backgrounds and 4% of children attending private schools.

Nearly two in three (64%) of secondary pupils in state schools from the richest households are offered some form of active help, compared with 47% from the poorest fifth of families, the study suggests. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52701850

82% of secondary school pupils attending private school are offered active help, with 79% being provided with online classes. https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/BN288-Learning-during-the-lockdown-1.pdf

The most deprived communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and the government’s lockdown measures including school closures. The experiences and impact of the lockdown will vary largely based on the child’s environment and the opportunities available to them.

While children from ‘better off’ backgrounds have access to online learning resources, equipment, school and parental support as well as a convenient learning environment, those who are poor and less well off lack these ‘privileges’ therefore disadvantaged in this ‘forced’ home learning environment. Covid-19 has exacerbated an entrenched tier education system whereby children from better-off families are racing faster to the top while those from poorer backgrounds are ‘left behind’ as they race to the bottom.

Through these interventions, Migrant Action is helping to prevent and transform inequalities and promoting social justice.

Transforming Inequalities

Migrant Action has supported some migrant families with IT equipment to help children access vital online learning resources including doing school home work.
Children has also received some study material (books, toys and pencils) to assist learning and development during lockdown
Migrant Action student volunteers have facilitated virtual interactive learning with children and their parents. These sessions also provide opportunities for informal conversations which help to reduce isolation and loneliness especially for new arrivals in Leeds who could feel ‘cut-off’ from society.
Our online family learning support provides a great opportunity for family bonding during these challenging times but also give the volunteers the opportunity to directly engage with migrants and share experiences. As such, the scheme has a broader outcome of mediating social and cultural integration.

Service-user feedback

“you have made her day, she is so pleased she doesn’t have to share my laptop with me” — Anonymous
“Thanks Migrant Action for the books, the kids are very happy today and very busy now [with the books]” — Anonymous

“The Right Thing To Do”; In light of the global pandemic, have the Conservatives finally learnt the true value of migrants to the UK?

11th June 2020 by ficheb

Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of migrant key workers, who make up 20% of the NHS workforce. The NHS surcharge is paid by migrants from outside the EEA, or anyone applying for a visa lasting for more than 6 months, which demands a yearly sum of £400 per person to use the health service. Boris Johnson initially rejected appeals to exclude migrant Covid-19 NHS workers from paying. However, on the 26th April, it was announced the surcharge was ‘under review’ and since, it has been agreed that those covered by the one-year free visa extension will be exempt from the charge. Furthermore, Health Secretary Priti Patel announced a Coronavirus (COVID-19) bereavement scheme to support the dependants of workers who have lost their lives due to the virus- controversially excluding many lower-paid NHS roles. Following backlash, the UK government has since made a U-turn by extending the provision of the scheme to cover all families of migrant social care workers, including hospital cleaners and porters. For some, the extension comes too late, with NHS staff fearful of losing their jobs as a result of visa complications.

Summary of U-Turns:

March 2020: Home Office announces an automatic renewal of visas for NHS overseas workers (limited to doctors, paramedics and nurses).

April 2020: Home Secretary Priti Patel confirms families and dependants of all NHS workers who have tragically lost their lives to the virus will be granted indefinite leave to remain.

Extends scheme to midwives, radiographers, and some social care workers
Those covered by the visa extension will now be exempt from the NHS surcharge
Applies to all visas expiring between 31 March – October 2020

The broader significance of this:

Despite these changes being a positive step by the government, they have highlighted the hostility inherent within the government’s immigration policies on the one hand and the importance of public scrutiny of these policies on the other. It also exposes the political economy of the government’s charging regimes whereby revenue extraction override compassion and humanity. It took immense pressure from the public, the Labour party and even Conservative MP’s for the government to lift the immigration health surcharge.

The fact it has taken a global pandemic and public outrage to shift government policy is indicative of the potency of public advocacy, however it is important that these are not reactive measures and short term gains but should translate into lasting policy changes. This also highlights the hypocrisy of the new skills-based migration system, which will further reduce low-wage and low-skilled EU migrants access to the UK. However, recognising the human value of migrants should not be dependent on their utility in a time of crisis.

Migrant Action- continuing to support migrants during the Covid-19 lockdown

28th April 2020 by ficheb

Last Saturday, 25th April Migrant Action was in the community (Leeds and Bradford) responding to the emergency needs of vulnerable and destitute migrants/families.

Working in accordance to social distancing guidelines, we handed food parcels and vouchers but more importantly, our physical presence conveyed our #solidarity and #commitment to support vulnerable migrants in need.

Migrant Action remains committed to proactively responding to the ongoing effects of the #Covid-19 #lockdown, and developing new methods to support migrants during this time.

The Lockdown measures continue to disproportionately impact the most disadvantaged groups in society- this includes migrant families, who have no recourse to public funds.

📣 Migrant Action would like to pay particular thanks to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for their ongoing support, which enables us to continue to respond to the needs of vulnerable migrants and work towards offsetting the social and economic inequalities made worse by the effects of the pandemic.

🗣⚠️ Migrant Action welcomes any donations of dried and long-life products, so that it can continue to support vulnerable persons during this time- drop-off will be arranged in a ‘socially-distanced’ manner.

🗣⚠️ Alternatively, if you know of anyone who may benefit from such support, please get in touch via the Facebook messenger feature or email info@migrantaction.org.uk