‘Working together’ event for RCOs based in London 21 May 2008, 1.00 - 4.30pm
Workshops information
Session one: Employment and training
Facilitator: James Lee, Policy Adviser - Employment and training
This workshop looked at major changes in employment and training policy over the past 18 months:
- ESOL provision is still in transition - the latest proposal links delivery to local community cohesion priorities
- the new Equality and Human Rights Commission aims to take a more integrated approach to tackling discrimination
- the future of Job Centre Plus is uncertain, with changes to their services and growing competition from the private sector
- further education funding is increasingly linked to work-based training and individual ‘skills accounts’ for adult learners
- the Home Office is launching its national Refugee Integration and Employment Services.
It also looked at other policy issues, with a short overview of some of the key policy issues that Refugee Council has been seeking to influence.
Session two: Great expectations: refugee community roles in education in the UK
Facilitators: Dr Lisa Doyle and Dr.Megan McCorriston - Inclusive Secondary Schools project; Evis Read – Refugees into Teaching project
Participants were introduced to two education projects being delivered by the Refugee Council.
- The Inclusive Secondary Schools Project brings together refugee communities, parents/carers, young people and secondary schools to explore issues and develop collaborative ways of working.
- Refugees into Teaching is a national partnership project that supports suitably qualified refugees up to fully qualified teacher status. It encourages all refugee teachers to register on the National Refugee Teachers Database, and works to refer people to appropriate services. It also uses the data for statistical purposes to help identify and take forward related policy issues.
The workshop outlined effective practice to increase refugee community involvement in education, including obtaining work in schools, and invited participants to share their experiences and identify ways in which RCOs can be supported in engaging with teaching and learning, advising those who wish to work in schools, and accessing appropriate mainstream services.
Session three: Influencing the asylum process
Facilitators: Richard Lumley – Policy Adviser, Protection, Judith Dennis – Policy Adviser, Unaccompanied Children, Jane Allen, Parliamentary Consultant
This workshop looked at the ways in which the Refugee Council seeks to influence the development of asylum policy, using three specific examples:
(a) the Case Resolution Programme
(b) policies in relation to children
(c) our work trying to influence parliament.
a) The Case Resolution Programme: Richard Lumley gave an update on Case Resolution and his work to shape the process through the Case Resolution Stakeholders Group. RCOs were invited to share their own experiences and concerns regarding Case Resolution.
b) Policies in relation to children: Judith Dennis outlined her work as part of the Refugee Children’s Consortium (RCC) which seeks to influence all aspects of policy in relation to children. Working with other refugee and children’s agencies means we have a stronger voice and can provide more evidence to use in our work. Judith explained how we make best use of this in our attempts to influence policy at all stages of its development.
c) Influencing Parliament: Jane Allen works to ensure that the voice of the asylum seeker and the refugee is heard in every relevant debate and new piece of legislation in Parliament. Jane described the Refugee Council’s role on the Still Human Still Here campaign against destitution, focusing on how we tried to make changes to the law in the UK Borders Bill.
Session four: Accessing health care services and the new legislation
Facilitators: Hermela Chassme - Health Access and Development worker; Hannah Ward - National Media Officer
In April 2004 the government amended the National Health Service (charges to overseas visitors) Regulations 1989 to restrict access to secondary healthcare on the basis of an ability to pay. There are currently plans to introduce similar restrictions on primary care.
This workshop discussed the impact of the legislation on asylum seekers, in particular unsuccessful asylum seekers, and explored what Refugee Council and other organisations are doing to challenge the regulations. There was an opportunity to discuss the recent high court ruling and what it means for particular client groups. We also looked at health access issues in general.
Session five: Is the UK closed to refugees? - Why border controls matter.
Facilitator: Karl Torring - Policy and research assistant
In July 2007 the Home Office reported that new border controls at foreign airports had prevented 180, 000 people with inadequate documentation from boarding planes. This workshop outlined how the UK and the European Union secures its borders and the impact this has on individuals seeking protection. Border control technology and the EU’s joint border control operation were also discussed.
Participants heard about the Refugee Council’s ‘Protection-sensitive borders project’ which aims to highlight the impact of new border controls on asylum seekers. The project team are currently gathering evidence of the need for safeguards for individuals seeking asylum and welcomed contributions, including experiences and ways forward.
