The West Midlands One Stop Service provides a wide range of advice and information to refugees and asylum seekers, covering issues such as:
- Advice on asylum issues & the UKBA support system
- Assistance for clients at the end of the asylum process (regarding Section 4 and possible charitable support)
- Voluntary Returns
- Signposting to services such as housing, legal advice, education, training and health care
- 'Move on’ assistance for individuals granted leave to remain in the UK
- Giving talks to local statutory and voluntary groups on asylum issues.
- Advice for newly arrived destitute asylum seekers to access intial accommodation
- Help for separated children under 18 years old
Own-Language Telephone Advice Service (OLTAS)
The Refugee Council is now operating the free and confidential Own-Language Telephone Advice Service (OLTAS). We will no longer provide a ‘drop in’ service and our current telephone advice will be transferred to OLTAS. We will be unable to see refugees and asylum seekers who have not made an appointment through the telephone service.
To contact the telephone advice service, simply call the number below and follow the instructions to select the language required.
0808 808 2255
For people with a hearing impairment, a minicom / textphone service is available.
0808 808 2259
Calls from landline numbers and the main six UK mobile phone networks 3, Orange, Virgin, Vodafone, T-Mobile and O2 are free. Callers do not need to have any credit on their phone to contact us.
The Own-Language Telephone Advice Service opening hours are 9.30am – 1pm and 2pm - 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 2pm - 5pm on Wednesday.
Drop-in service in Stoke-on-Trent
We hold a weekly drop-in service is operated on Fridays at YMCA, Harding Road, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent between 10am and 4pm.
During 2005, 31,500 clients contacted our office or called our telephone advice line and over 11,000 advice sessions were delivered. Interpreters are available to assist people with little or no English. We employ three staff interpreters and work with around 30 sessional interpreters every month.
Other services
Destitution support
Financial assistance is available to help destitute clients and hundreds of individuals have benefited from the ‘hardship’ fund to date. In addition, we are currently working closely with a local ‘Destitution Working Group’ to assist clients facing destitution at the beginning or end of their asylum claims.
Outreach Surgery in Stoke-on-Trent
We also provide an outreach surgery for refugees and asylum seekers in Stoke-on-Trent. This service is on Tuesdays and is held from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. at the YMCA, Edinburgh house, Harding Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3AE. This is currently a drop-in service.
Wraparound service
Through our 'Wraparound Service' we offer advice and support to newly arrived people seeking asylum residing in Initial Accommodation Sites. Find out more about the sessions we provide for clients on orientation, accommodation, dispersal and the asylum process:
Wraparound service information
Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES)
RIES is a new service funded by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). Refugee Council are providing this service as the lead contractor in the West Midlands. The service aims to help and support newly-recognised refugees to integrate smoothly and quickly into UK society.
More information on RIES
Volunteering
There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer at our West Midlands office. Go to our Volunteering section to find out more.
