City of Sanctuary Glasgow world ceilidh

16 December 2011

An event focused on building a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary.

* Friday 16 December 2011, 12-4pm

* Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose Street, Glasgow G3 6RE

Includes:

* Discussion groups

* Storytelling

* Food

* Music

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FOOTNOTE

For more information, email: [email protected] (mailto: [email protected]).

City Of Sanctuary Hosting Scheme

Introduction – What do we mean by a “Hosting Scheme”?

Hosting Schemes are already established in a number of major cities, including London, Bradford, Sheffield and Bristol, and we are seeking to set up a similar scheme in Leicester.

The idea is simply for householders to offer a spare room in their home as temporary accommodation without charge to an individual referred and “approved” by a recognised refugee agency as being in urgent need at a crucial stage of their application to remain in this country.

Why is there a need for such a scheme?

The main aim of the scheme is to provide accommodation for destitute asylum seekers. This means individuals whose application for asylum in the UK has been turned down, who have no ongoing state entitlement to support or accommodation, and who are not allowed to work.

We may also be looking to assist some people, who have just been granted refugee status and who have not been able to find accommodation in the 28 days allowed before they have to leave their temporary accommodation provided by the UK Border Agency.

What happens next if I apply to become a host?

Anyone who expresses an interest in becoming a host would be contacted and visited by a member of our team for a more detailed chat about what’s involved in becoming a host. If you decide to continue with the idea we may ask you to provide two references and then we can start the process of matching you with a guest.

Will I need a CRB or any other security check before I can become a host?

No. Following a recent change in the regulations governing the requirement for a CRB check, this will not be necessary and all guests will in any case be 18 years of age or over.

Will I have any say about who comes to stay?

Yes, it is a fundamental principle of this type of scheme that hosts must have the final decision on whether and who they accept as guests in their own home. We will initially
match guests with hosts, and at this point we will give you information about the guest, their age, gender, country of origin and general background, and you will then let us know if you’d like to host that person and for how long.

How long is a guest placement?

The placement can be as little as one night in some urgent situations, but normally the limit would be 8 weeks at a time, unless there are good reasons for extending the stay and both host and guest are comfortable with an extended stay. As in the paragraph above the host has the final say in this matter.

What support will I receive as a host?

Before you accept your first guest you will always be given named contacts within the managing organisation, and we will arrange regular visits or contacts, probably at least fortnightly, during any period when you are acting as host. In this way we will hopefully pick up and deal promptly with any issues experienced by either host or guest.

How will guests be referred?

In Leicester we will take referrals mainly from two agencies, Refugee Action and British Red Cross, which are both major national charities with local bases, and both with a long track record of assisting asylum seekers and refugees in Leicester.

What facilities are required for my guest?

The basic requirement is a spare room with a bed and some storage space for personal belongings.

Do I need to provide any other support to my guest?

No. Your role is simply to offer a spare room and to be a host. The main aim of a hosting scheme is to make life easier for guests to access those services, which are available to them, to give guests a little “breathing space” while they try to sort out the next stage of their life. Obviously it is common for hosts and guests to become friends, but there is no expectation of emotional or financial support.

Am I expected to provide food as well as shelter?

Again no, although in reality we realise that this may happen, and this is entirely a private matter between host and guest. However, there should be access to cooking facilities for the guest if required, and any cooking should be by arrangement with the host, who may choose to provide and share meals. The best approach is to chat with your guest at the outset, and perhaps on a daily basis agree on the best arrangements for both parties.

Will my guest help around the house?

Guests are expected to do their own laundry and to keep their room generally clean and tidy. However, it is important that guests understand that they are not required to do chores in order to “earn their keep”.

What happens if the hosting arrangement/relationship breaks down?

In the case of any serious issue or misunderstanding arising in the arrangement and relationship between host and guest the managing agency has a responsibility to assist
and support both parties if necessary in resolving the issue to the benefit of all. Hosts must be clear, however, that the managing agency is only an “enabling agency” in setting up the arrangement and as such has no liability in the outcome.

Can I be a host if I am a tenant of my property?

Yes, this is not an issue in principle, but we recommend that you firstly check the position with your landlord unless you are quite sure that your tenancy agreement would not be invalidated by the proposed arrangement.

What about insurance?

We would recommend that you check details of your policies to make sure you did not declare in your initial proposal details that you would have no paying/other long-term guests. You should make it clear, however, that no payments would be involved and so the arrangement would not constitute a business or a tenancy. Most policies do allow for a small number of paying guests with no additional premium. Normally insurers exclude theft unless by forcible entry to the property.

If I am not in a position to act as a host, are there any other ways I could support this scheme?

Yes, there are several ways in which you could provide valuable support. If you would like to become involved in this way we will arrange to talk to you individually, but typical ways of supporting the scheme would be: donating items of unwanted furniture, donating food parcels, donating cash on a regular basis by standing order, or by fundraising.

RG/RG 05.10.10.

Leicester City of Sanctuary AGM and call for nominations

Dear Supporter,

Join our ‘Charity Pot’ challenge: 102!!

Hi all

Earlier this year we were contacted by high-street shop LUSH, who had heard about our work and were interested in getting involved in supporting us and local asylum seekers.

And so last Thursday Sophie and Jodie from the shop spent the afternoon at our drop-in giving hand and foot treatments and massages, with lots of goodies from the shop to give away to the satisfied customers including a soap that smelled of chocolate!  This went so well that they have agreed to come again in about 6 weeks, and this time they’ll be doing facials – more details nearer the time!

LUSH sell a moisturiser called Charity Pot (www.lush.co.uk/shop/product/product/id/278/keyword/charity+pot/charity-pot) and the full sale price of every one sold throughout the year, minus the VAT, goes either into a fund which groups can apply to, or if sold as part of a Charity Pot Party in partnership with a local organisation proceeds go to that organisation, and LUSH have offered to hold a Charity Pot Party for us on:

Saturday 2nd July 2011, during the normal opening hours of 9.30am to 6.30pm!

Every full-size or trial-size pot of Charity Pot moisturiser sold that day will help raise money to support our work – so please put the date in your diary and treat yourself, treat a loved one, buy one if there is a birthday coming up, buy one and donate it to a worthy cause ….!!!

or if you can’t make it on that day but would like to pre-order your supplies through us please let me know!

And if you are wondering why ‘Charity Pot challenge: 102′ – well LUSH Gateshead currently hold the shop record of 101 pots sold in one day and with your help we want to beat them! www.lush.co.uk/articles/our-charity-support/charity-parties_106-10164_10.html

On the day we will also have a presence in the shop with some of our volunteers chatting to customers, handing out Leicester City of Sanctuary information, and keeping our ‘totaliser’ up-to-date!  – if you have a couple of hours free and would like to come and join us please get in touch.

Hope to see you there!

Gill
Development Worker
0116 2616222 / 07716 073403

[email protected]

www.cityofsanctuary.org/leicester

Interview with Leicester City of Sanctuary Chairperson

By Ambrose Musiyiwa

Pam Inder has been Chair of Leicester City of Sanctuary since August 2011. Before that, she had been volunteering with City of Sanctuary for a couple of years, mostly with the Voucher Exchange Scheme and then, later, as Volunteer Coordinator in which role she interviewed new volunteers and found them roles within the organisation.

In her working life, she was a museum curator for over 20 years and then a university lecturer before retiring in 2006.

Citizens’ Eye spoke to her about Leicester City of Sanctuary and the drop-in centre the organisation launched in May of this year:

Read more here

Seeking sanctuary

There are three narratives that dominate the discussion of refugees in the UK. On the right there are the self-contradicting narratives of the ‘scrounging layabout’ and the ‘job stealer’, while the left often succumbs to the liberal view of the ‘victim’ in need of charity.

Read more

Source: Red Pepper

Leicester City of Sanctuary

Dear Supporter of Leicester City of Sanctuary,

I am writing to you as chair of Leicester City of Sanctuary.  Our organisation is growing, with over five hundred members. More than seventy organisations have now signed our pledge of support. All our contacts with asylum seekers and refugees show us that it is essential that we continue our work of practical friendship with those seeking sanctuary in Leicester and Leicestershire.  Our new Drop-in Centre, which will open in the St Martins Centre in April, our programme of outings for families with children and our pilot Hosting Scheme are examples of new developments we have initiated.

The bad news is that our funding runs out in August. We need to raise at least £14,000 to continue our work to the end of this the year. And £24,000 each year after that. At our AGM we shall be considering whether it is appropriate to ask each supporting organisation and individual to pay a modest subscription. Of course, some of you are already very generous in your support and we are extremely grateful.  Meanwhile we are asking each of you, both as groups and as individuals, whether you could help by organising a fund-raising event to help City of Sanctuary keep going. I have attached some ideas of ways you might do this, but we are sure you will have ideas of your own.

We would be glad to help by sending along one of our speakers to your group to talk about the ways in which we can all make Leicester and the county a more welcoming place. We could also help by finding volunteers to help your fund raising efforts if you need more pairs of hands.

If you or your group feel it would be simpler just to donate to our cause, as some have already done, all donations should be made payable to Leicester City of Sanctuary, and now that we are a registered charity, we can claim Gift Aid on all donations.  Please use the attached form for your donation, which can, if you wish, remain anonymous.

With many thanks for your continued interest and support

Pamela M Inder

Chair of Leicester City of Sanctuary
0116 2616222 / 07716 073403

[email protected]

www.cityofsanctuary.org/leicester

‘Sleep-outs’ to end destitution – Student Amnesty and STAR

For the last five years Churches Action Against PovertyCAAP has been campaigning to end the destitution of people refused sanctuary. It is now handing on this campaigning work to others.

Last week it launched its new three-year campaign to Close the Gap between richest and poorest. To kickstart this new campaign CAAP is asking people to make a simple Pledge to Give, Act or Pray.

Work in support of destitute sanctuary seekers will contine with a new set of sleep-outs over the course of the week of 21-27 February, Amnesty International UK and Student Action for Refugees (STAR) are sleeping out in cities and towns all over Wales, Scotland and England. If there isn’t one already on the map then do make contact with one of the over 100 student Amnesty or STAR groups.

To find out more or for help contacting student groups, please contact:

James Fisher (020 7729 8880 ext.205) or Hannah Shaw(020 7033 1591)

Is the UK Still a Sanctuary for Refugees?

Sanctuary is commonly known as asylum: the protection given by a country to a refugee fleeing persecution in their own country.

The UK provides such protection under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. This UN Convention states that genuine refugees should not be penalised for entering, or being in, a country illegally – provided that they present themselves without delay to the authorities. The UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to seek asylum. This right is not conditional on being lawfully in a country or on having the correct documents.

Read more

Source: About Immigration

National Inter Faith Week 2010

• Resham Singh Sandhu, Chair of the Leicestershire Inter Faith Forum
• Pam Inder, Chair of Leicester – City of Sanctuary
• Barbara Butler from Christians Aware (Leicester)
• Catherine Stevenson from the British Red Cross (Leicester)
• Salma Ravat from the Islamic Society of Britain (Leicester)
• Dave Smith from the The Boaz Project (Manchester)

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