Aims and Objectives

Overall Aims

To empower and support migrants particularly those who are most vulnerable, so that they feel safe and confident to navigate the complex migration challenges, maximise opportunities and fulfil their full potential.
To promote migrant rights and strengthen social cohesion in Leeds.
To challenge and reduce the effects of policies that create a hostile environment for migrants and advocate policies and practice that promote rights, safety, equality and dignity of migrants.
Help other organisations/services/groups to enhance understanding of migration issues so as to better meet the needs of migrants.

OBJECTIVES

To help migrants make informed positive choices through the provision of information,
guidance and support.
Improve access to Justice through signposting and referrals to legal/immigration services and casework support.
Provide advocacy support for migrants especially for the most vulnerable to ensure their rights are protected.
Facilitate access to mainstream provision including healthcare, employment etc.
Reduce the effects of poverty, destitution and social exclusion among vulnerable migrants by support access to provision and humanitarian assistance.
Raise awareness and develop understanding of migration issues so as to build a society where services are knowledgeable and competent in meeting the needs of migrants.

Who we are

Service provision for non-asylum seekers is undefined and limited. In Leeds, migrants seeking information, guidance, advice, advocacy and integration support struggle to find where to go to for help. Many vulnerable migrants are confined to the ‘edges’ of society and face daily, the real risk of exploitation, destitution, child poverty, detention, forced removal and deportations without access to justice. Vulnerable migrants with entrenched complex needs encounter restricted access to service provision which has far reaching implications for their health and well being.

Migrant Action is set up in response to this gap in service provision working with other vulnerable migrants who are not asylum seekers.Migrant Action is an Advocacy and Rights based organisation providing information, guidance, advocacy support and direct practical assistance to vulnerable migrants. Our work is primarily focused on migrants who do not fit into the ‘neat’ categories of migration including those who have fallen through the cracks of the system. Through our work, we create a safe space and enabling environment for new and vulnerable migrants to explore their issues and options in order to make informed choices.

By delivering early and proactive interventions, we aim to reduce vulnerability across categories of migrants and navigate positive pathways to integration. Through the support we offer, we mitigate the impact of the government’s ‘hostile environment’ policies on vulnerable migrants.
We do not work with asylum seekers and refugees but signpost them to the appropriate agencies.

Working in partnership with other agencies, Migrant Action facilitates access to justice, social integration and contributes to wider migration advocacy and policy change.

How do we do this?

We adopt an early intervention, prevention and proactive in our work with migrants.

Provide a welcoming and safe space
Provide information and guidance to help migrants make informed choices
Help migrants to navigate and access good legal/immigration services
Provide advocacy support and facilitate access to mainstream services
Support integration- help migrants navigate community and social networks, training, volunteering, employment and other pathways for social integration
Activism- Working with other agencies to advocate and influence policy and social change

Who we work with

Migrant Action is set up to work with Migrants who are NOT asylum seekers.

Vulnerable migrants (trafficked victims, unaccompanied minors, refused asylum seekers, irregular migrants and others who do not fit into the neat migration categories)
New migrants ( EU and Non-EU migrants)