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AN EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT THAT<br />
FAITH BASED ORGANISATIONS HAVE<br />
ON REFUGEE INTEGRATION IN SOUTHAMPTON,<br />
AND THE CONTINUED ROLE THAT LOCAL<br />
CHURCHES CAN PLAY IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE<br />
ARRIVING IN THE UK DUE TO OPPRESSION.<br />
AUTHORS:<br />
JEAN HIRST<br />
PROFESSOR KEITH BROWN
Contents<br />
Forewords 2<br />
Endorsements 8<br />
Executive Summary 12<br />
1) Introduction 17<br />
2) Who are asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants? 21<br />
3) The process of applying for asylum 29<br />
4) The challenges faced upon arrival in the UK 31<br />
5) The role of faith groups 37<br />
Why should faith groups respond? 37<br />
How should faith groups respond? 38<br />
6) Introduction to the evaluation 41<br />
Refugee and asylum seeker context in <strong>Southampton</strong> 42<br />
7) What response has there been in <strong>Southampton</strong>? 45<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> 45<br />
Advice Sessions 46<br />
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) 46<br />
This document can be downloaded for free from:<br />
www.profkeith.com<br />
8) The impact 57<br />
Immediate Support: Practical provision that impacts positively on health<br />
and wellbeing 57<br />
Reducing Social Isolation 58<br />
Advocacy and Signposting 59<br />
9) Conclusions 63<br />
10) Recommendations 67<br />
Works Cited 71<br />
Appendix A – Data Gathering 75<br />
Appendix B – Additional quotes from interviews 77<br />
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Foreword<br />
<strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> exists to represent the churches of <strong>Southampton</strong> and all they do to support,<br />
enrich and care for the local community of all faiths and none. I am privileged to be the independent<br />
Chair of <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> helping to make known all the amazing projects and acts of<br />
kindness that churches and church members are involved in within the city to support and protect<br />
some of the most vulnerable members of our society.<br />
Professor Keith Brown<br />
Independent Chair, <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
Following the publication of the research report,<br />
Food Poverty and Food Distribution: The<br />
role that Faith-based groups have in providing<br />
and caring for their communities, we wanted<br />
to highlight the impact that faith-based communities<br />
have on the integration of refugees<br />
into society. We therefore decided to commission<br />
an impact evaluation of this area and this<br />
report is the conclusion of a 9 month research<br />
project which I was delighted to lead.<br />
Once again we commissioned Jean Hirst to<br />
undertake the data collection and to conduct<br />
interviews with organisations and individuals<br />
working in this area, and with individuals<br />
with personal experience of being a refugee.<br />
Through this rich depth of information and<br />
case study material we are able to not only<br />
demonstrate how churches in <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
make a real and significant difference to<br />
the lives of refugees, but also to explain the<br />
journey and story of what it’s like to be a refugee.<br />
In particular we wanted to demystify the<br />
complexity and the often ill-informed media<br />
reports regarding the scale and impact of asylum<br />
seekers in the UK.<br />
We also wanted to focus on the practical help<br />
that faith-based communities, and in particular<br />
churches, provide in supporting these<br />
people both in terms of immediate practical<br />
needs, and also and perhaps of more importance,<br />
helping them to integrate into society.<br />
We want to tell this story both to celebrate all<br />
that the churches have done in <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
but also to inspire other churches to do more<br />
to welcome the ‘stranger’ into their communities,<br />
as an expression of their faith in action.<br />
Jean and I could not have written this report<br />
without a great deal of help from others. In<br />
particular we want to express our sincere<br />
thanks to those who were willing to be interviewed<br />
and provided insight and comment on<br />
our work. In addition we express our grateful<br />
thanks to Paul Woodman, Pete White and Jill<br />
Brown who have helped us edit this work and<br />
have provided content and insight. Without<br />
this wider team this report would simply not<br />
have been possible.<br />
Finally, if you look at the details of migrants arriving<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> since 2001 (from a presentation<br />
by Dr Rachael Coker from South East<br />
Strategic Partnership for Migration), 44,050<br />
were from the EU with the legal right to live<br />
and work here, 1,067 were Hong Kong British<br />
Nationals, 395 were Ukrainians under the<br />
Homes for Ukraine scheme, 113 came via the<br />
Afghan resettlement scheme and there were<br />
346 others. These “others” are a very small<br />
percentage of the total number of people entering<br />
the UK via immigration routes. These<br />
people as we demonstrate are feeling oppression<br />
and injustice, seeking to build new<br />
lives away from conflict or persecution, and to<br />
this end I want to thank very sincerely all the<br />
churches and Christians in <strong>Southampton</strong> who<br />
have stood up to offer real and significant assistance<br />
and help to these vulnerable human<br />
beings who have moved into our community.<br />
You are an inspiration to us all in the way you<br />
have cared for these people - thank you.<br />
Professor Keith Brown<br />
Independent Chair, <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
www.profkeith.com<br />
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Foreword<br />
Since 2012, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society has drawn parliamentarians<br />
together to support the contributions of faith groups and faith-based organisations to their communities.<br />
We aim to draw attention to their achievements and - where we can - to help remove<br />
the hurdles which sometimes unnecessarily hold them back.<br />
The pandemic was the catalyst for a dramatic<br />
surge, right across the country, of co-operation<br />
between faith groups and local Councils.<br />
In lockdowns, it turned out that faith groups<br />
uniquely had the motivation and the capacity<br />
to deliver help at scale to people facing hardship.<br />
They also had the contacts with people<br />
needing help, and were trusted.<br />
<strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> has been a very good example<br />
of this kind of partnership, with an excellent<br />
working relationship between <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
City Council and the churches and<br />
other faith groups. One uncertainty about<br />
the partnerships established during the Covid<br />
lockdowns was whether - as we hoped - they<br />
would endure after the pandemic. <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
continues to thrive, helping residents<br />
deal with the cost of living crisis.<br />
I hope as well that the kind of initiative described<br />
here - marked by kindness and compassion<br />
rather than officiousness, and offering<br />
hope for the future - will be increasingly prominent<br />
in our national life, and, in due course,<br />
help to renew our politics and our democracy.<br />
Rt. Hon. Sir Stephen Timms MP<br />
This impressive report profiles work in <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
which started in 2001, to support new<br />
migrants to the city. It explains that the beneficiaries<br />
- offered minimal support elsewhere<br />
- have often “endured unimaginable horrors”,<br />
and need “a compassionate and supportive<br />
environment for processing and healing from<br />
their experiences”. They have found that in<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong>’s churches.<br />
I commend this work in <strong>Southampton</strong>, and the<br />
efforts of everyone involved. Like the report’s<br />
authors, I hope this example will inspire and<br />
encourage others to consider how they might<br />
provide support in their own communities.<br />
More of those newly arrived in the country,<br />
disorientated and confronted by seemingly insurmountable<br />
challenges, will then be able to<br />
say, like one of those quoted here, “I realised<br />
I’m settled … and want to stay”.<br />
Rt. Hon. Sir Stephen Timms MP<br />
Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society<br />
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Foreword<br />
I am very pleased to commend this report<br />
which provides powerful evidence of the work<br />
of churches in <strong>Southampton</strong> to welcome and<br />
support vulnerable people who arrive in our<br />
city.<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> has a long history of migration<br />
and our population and culture have constantly<br />
evolved as diverse people groups have arrived<br />
and settled. Romans, Saxons, Vikings,<br />
Normans, those escaping persecution or war,<br />
those seeking a better life - all these arrivals<br />
have made the city what it is today, but they<br />
may also present us with financial and social<br />
challenges.<br />
What this report demonstrates is that whilst<br />
the City Council has an important part to play<br />
in welcoming and supporting asylum seekers,<br />
faith-based communities can provide an enormous<br />
amount of complementary services and<br />
support that make a huge difference to people<br />
in need, not only of practical help, but also human<br />
connection and a sense of belonging.<br />
I am grateful to <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> for representing<br />
the churches and for their long-term<br />
commitment to welcoming and supporting vulnerable<br />
new arrivals to our city which is evidenced<br />
in detail in this report. Indeed, without<br />
the churches’ commitment to supporting these<br />
asylum seekers our community would be much<br />
more impoverished.<br />
Finally, I wish to express my sincere thanks<br />
to Professor Keith Brown, Jean Hirst and the<br />
members of the research team who have diligently<br />
undertaken this research to bring this<br />
work to our attention in such a powerful way.<br />
Cllr Lorna Fielker<br />
Cllr Lorna Fielker<br />
Leader of <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> is proud to be a City of Sanctuary<br />
and the churches in the city have helped to<br />
make sanctuary a living reality for thousands<br />
of lonely and needy asylum seekers. Working<br />
in partnership with statutory services the<br />
churches in <strong>Southampton</strong> have contributed a<br />
huge amount to the social integration of asylum<br />
seekers within the city.<br />
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Endorsement<br />
I welcome this detailed account and evaluation<br />
of the work undertaken by the Faith Organisations<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> as an honest and truthful<br />
picture of the reality faced by increasing numbers<br />
of people seeking escape from oppression.<br />
Designated a dispersal city for Home Office<br />
Assisted Asylum Seekers since 2001 and recognised<br />
as a City of Sanctuary since 2017,<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong>’s Faith Community has worked<br />
with the Local Authority and other organisations<br />
to provide immediate practical support<br />
and enable longer term integration for those<br />
working through the trauma of being forced to<br />
leave their homes and seek a new life in a totally<br />
different country and society.<br />
Jean Hirst and Keith Brown have provided an<br />
honest, factual and inspirational report that is<br />
not confrontational or ‘anti – government’ but<br />
rather offers recommendations based on success<br />
stories that have emerged through years<br />
of service to the community in <strong>Southampton</strong>.<br />
This report offers us all a great deal to reflect<br />
on and to which we should be prayerfully responding.<br />
Bishop Geoff<br />
This report gives an in-depth analysis grounded<br />
in theology and especially Christian understanding.<br />
As St Mother Teresa of Calcutta<br />
once wrote:<br />
Geoff Annas<br />
Acting Bishop of <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
‘Christ Jesus,<br />
In Holy Communion I find you under the forms<br />
of bread and wine. In my everyday life I find<br />
you in all the people I meet, especially when<br />
they need help. For you said, anything you do<br />
for one of my sisters or brothers you do for me’<br />
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Endorsement<br />
“It feels like home.” These were the heart-warming words I heard from a young mum from Hong<br />
Kong, as we stood together in a park at a welcome festival put on by Christians in 2020. The United<br />
Kingdom had seen a spike in race-based hate crime towards people assumed to be Chinese,<br />
but in the park that day, new arrivals from Hong Kong were met by a wall of beautiful welcome<br />
messages written by members of a local church.<br />
For that young mum, the welcome festival offered<br />
not only an oasis of hope and welcome,<br />
but a poignant sense of connection with home.<br />
For me, that festival marked the beginning of<br />
an amazing three years where churches and<br />
Christians households put themselves at the<br />
forefront of offering welcome and support to<br />
those arriving in the UK from Hong Kong, Afghanistan<br />
and Ukraine.<br />
This powerful report offers us a deep dive into<br />
the huge positive impact that faith groups are<br />
having in <strong>Southampton</strong> by helping to meet<br />
both practical and pastoral needs of refugees<br />
and asylum seekers. It shows us what faith in<br />
practice looks like; the practical outworking of<br />
Jesus’ call to love God and love neighbour, a<br />
generous welcome that is offered freely without<br />
strings or compulsion, and making a huge<br />
difference in people’s lives.<br />
I have seen this replicated hundreds of times<br />
across the country. This report offers a snapshot<br />
of how faith groups and civil society are<br />
working in close partnership with local and<br />
national government all over the UK. This is a<br />
winning combination that can ensure everyone<br />
gets the welcome and support they need.<br />
This report provides empirical evidence that<br />
should ensure this approach has a long and<br />
positive future, and should be read widely.<br />
Dr Krish Kandiah OBE<br />
Director, Sanctuary Foundation<br />
Dr Krish Kandiah OBE<br />
Director, Sanctuary Foundation<br />
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Executive Summary<br />
This impact evaluation demonstrates the crucial<br />
and continued role of faith-based organisations,<br />
particularly local churches, in supporting<br />
refugees, asylum seekers and migrants arriving<br />
in local communities. By demonstrating the<br />
impact of the services provided by some of<br />
the organisations represented by <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
this evaluation evidences that it is<br />
possible to make a great difference against a<br />
landscape of minimal other support and seeks<br />
to encourage other Christian communities in<br />
how they can practically support those having<br />
to start a new life in their area. Overall, the<br />
report argues that faith-based organisations<br />
play a vital role in providing immediate practical<br />
provision as well as longer-term impact<br />
through opening up opportunities for community<br />
relationship building, access to education,<br />
housing, health and employment, which have a<br />
longer-term impact on refugee integration.<br />
With the UK witnessing an influx of asylum applications<br />
(173,000 new asylum and humanitarian<br />
route applications between July 2022<br />
and June 2023)(Office for National Statistics,<br />
2023) there is a continued need for support<br />
to successfully integrate people into communities.<br />
The evaluation draws attention to the<br />
distinct differences between refugees and<br />
asylum seekers and how these differences impact<br />
the levels of support needed upon arrival<br />
in the UK and on the integration journey.<br />
The evaluation suggests that support and aid<br />
is needed in two categories. The pressing immediate<br />
practical support needed for immediate<br />
housing, food, legal support with asylum<br />
claims; and the medium to longer term integration<br />
support such as access to employment,<br />
community connection, access to education<br />
etc. Asylum seekers are reliant upon government<br />
support to initially meet their immediate<br />
needs upon arrival in the UK, however the<br />
support offered is not comprehensive enough;<br />
leaving them to live in conditions that have an<br />
impact upon their physical and mental health.<br />
The report outlines several challenges faced<br />
by refugees and asylum seekers, including the<br />
prolonged waiting period for asylum decisions,<br />
the impact of previous trauma, language barriers,<br />
housing issues, digital exclusion and the<br />
inability to work during the asylum application<br />
process. It also highlights the difficulties in<br />
navigating complex legal processes, the lack<br />
of stable and good quality living conditions,<br />
and the disruption caused by the dispersal<br />
process.<br />
Additionally, the report emphasises the vulnerability<br />
and emotional toll experienced by<br />
refugees as they recount traumatic experiences<br />
during the asylum application process.<br />
Overall, the challenges faced by refugees and<br />
asylum seekers encompass physical, mental<br />
and emotional aspects, as well as difficulties in<br />
integrating into a new society and establishing<br />
a sense of stability and community. They have<br />
been categorised as:<br />
• The temporal<br />
• The technical<br />
• The trauma<br />
• Housing and location<br />
• Employment<br />
• Language barriers<br />
• Access to legal and other advice<br />
Over a period of 6 months and using a combination<br />
of research papers, desktop data and<br />
over 30 interviews, the findings of this evaluation<br />
highlight the impact that faith-based<br />
organisations have had in <strong>Southampton</strong> specifically.<br />
We use a mixed methods approach<br />
to emphasise the scale of the interventions<br />
provided and the depth of impact through listening<br />
first hand to learners, clients and community<br />
partners. While Christian organisations<br />
are not the only ones to provide support in this<br />
space, the outcomes of the interviews (and<br />
the commission of the evaluation itself) highlight<br />
the leading presence that they have in<br />
providing support in the third sector.<br />
Christian-based organisation, <strong>CLEAR</strong> has provided<br />
support to refugees and asylum seekers<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> for 23 years. Its key outputs<br />
are listed below:<br />
• £4.23 million raised since 2001 for<br />
the purpose of supporting refugees<br />
• 1,038 is the average number of<br />
people helped each year since<br />
2001<br />
• 40,000 advice sessions to 9,439<br />
clients over the last 20 years<br />
• Over 192,000 individual language<br />
classes offered in the last<br />
20 years (given that each ESOL<br />
course runs for 32 weeks)<br />
The impact of Christians in <strong>Southampton</strong>, particularly<br />
through faith-based organisations<br />
and local churches, has been substantial.<br />
They have provided life-changing support to<br />
refugees and asylum seekers, including mentoring,<br />
employment advice, English language<br />
support, housing, food, welcome programmes,<br />
legal casework advice sessions and advocacy.<br />
These interventions have contributed to<br />
the physical and mental wellbeing of refugees,<br />
enabling them to recover from trauma and see<br />
the possibility of integrating into UK society.<br />
There are three key impacts arising from the<br />
interviews which are as follows:<br />
1. Immediate support:<br />
Practical provision that<br />
impacts positively on<br />
health and wellbeing<br />
Through interviews, it became evident that essential<br />
provisions such as food, clothing, furniture<br />
and even housing significantly alleviated<br />
the hardships faced by these individuals. Particularly<br />
during the initial accommodation period,<br />
receiving food aid was crucial in addressing<br />
hunger and ensuring physical wellbeing.<br />
When government support was not sufficient<br />
in ensuring sufficient resources for food and<br />
preparation for asylum claims, and the housing<br />
provided was substandard, interventions and<br />
provisions from local faith-based communities<br />
played an invaluable role in sustaining these<br />
individuals. Without such support, many interviewees<br />
expressed uncertainty about survival<br />
and providing for their families, hindering their<br />
ability to engage in activities essential for integration<br />
and progression.<br />
Physical attendance at English language classes,<br />
GPs, case worker meetings and advice<br />
sessions were facilitated by practical assistance,<br />
enabling individuals to pursue opportunities<br />
for a new life in <strong>Southampton</strong>. The acts<br />
of support themselves from members of the<br />
community fostered a sense of welcome and<br />
belonging, positively impacting mental health<br />
and further encouraging participation in communal<br />
endeavours.<br />
The provision of practical support not only<br />
addressed immediate physical needs but also<br />
facilitated integration, mental wellbeing and<br />
community engagement among refugees,<br />
asylum seekers and vulnerable individuals, ultimately<br />
contributing to their overall sense of<br />
personal security.<br />
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2. Reducing social isolation<br />
Secondly, through initiatives like English language<br />
cafes, welcome events and church services,<br />
individuals find opportunities to connect<br />
with others and build relationships. Many interviewees<br />
highlighted initial feelings of isolation<br />
and anxiety, which were alleviated by participating<br />
in community gatherings.<br />
Government funding primarily focuses on<br />
practical support such as housing and finance,<br />
leaving a gap in supporting overall wellbeing.<br />
Community events serve as more than just<br />
entertainment, providing platforms for sharing<br />
experiences, healing and social integration.<br />
Participants find solace in connecting with<br />
others who understand their journeys, leading<br />
to newfound confidence and engagement in<br />
community life.<br />
The regularity of events provides a sense of<br />
rhythm and hope amidst uncertainty, boosting<br />
confidence and fostering relationships. Community<br />
spaces not only unite individuals with<br />
shared experiences, but also contribute to the<br />
growth and unity of the wider community. By<br />
exchanging stories and cultures, these activities<br />
promote empathy and understanding<br />
within society.<br />
Without these spaces, individuals would remain<br />
isolated, hindering their integration into<br />
society. Local authorities lack the capacity to<br />
lead or support such initiatives, focusing primarily<br />
on practical assistance. Therefore, the<br />
involvement of Christian organisations and local<br />
communities is essential in creating safe,<br />
supportive environments and facilitating relationships<br />
that bridge the gap between vulnerable<br />
individuals and society at large.<br />
3. Advocacy<br />
and signposting<br />
Interviews from our community partners, including<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> City Council, demonstrate<br />
how the church has emerged as a<br />
powerful advocate, amplifying the voices of<br />
vulnerable groups and shedding light on their<br />
experiences and hardships. By representing<br />
these voices, they have raised awareness<br />
about pressing issues such as living conditions<br />
and housing requirements, fostering empathy<br />
and understanding within broader society.<br />
The depth of involvement exhibited by church<br />
communities sets them apart and acts as a<br />
powerful voice that can be trusted, as they<br />
are deeply invested in the lives of those they<br />
serve, offering sustained support and advocacy.<br />
Their engagement allows them to bear<br />
witness to the realities faced by refugees and<br />
asylum seekers, informing their advocacy efforts<br />
and ensuring tangible changes in policies<br />
and practices to address systemic challenges<br />
that are beyond even the control of local government<br />
who are themselves limited in how<br />
they can assist.<br />
The relationships between local government<br />
and other service providers have not only<br />
transformed lives, but have also strengthened<br />
communities by ensuring that the voices of<br />
the most vulnerable are heard and acted upon.<br />
This evaluation demonstrates how faith-based<br />
groups and local authorities can work effectively<br />
together in meeting the needs of their<br />
communities.<br />
Recommendations<br />
The report provides practical recommendations for individuals, churches and faith-based organisations<br />
to further support refugee integration. Whether you are able to volunteer to assist with<br />
a 32 week ESOL language class, or you are a church leader wanting to reach out to your local<br />
community, or you want to learn how you can make a difference to the lives of asylum seekers,<br />
these recommendations have come from the success stories of the example found through years<br />
of service in the community in <strong>Southampton</strong>.<br />
• Establish English language cafes<br />
to create safe spaces to ask questions,<br />
share experiences and build<br />
friendships while learning English.<br />
• Facilitate opportunities for building<br />
bridges between host communities<br />
and new arrivals to enable<br />
long-lasting connections which<br />
combat isolation and lead to<br />
greater participation in the community.<br />
• Provide essential practical support<br />
during critical stages (awaiting<br />
a decision) to have a transformative<br />
impact on the physical<br />
and mental wellbeing of asylum<br />
seekers as they undergo the asylum<br />
application process<br />
• Provide training and support to<br />
leaders and volunteer teams to<br />
ensure that there is greater availability<br />
of credible support that is<br />
sustainable.<br />
• Ensure your church meetings are<br />
accessible, welcoming and appropriate<br />
for people from all cultures<br />
and backgrounds, not just those<br />
you are most familiar with.<br />
• Train and empower church members<br />
to welcome, engage with and<br />
support those from different cultures<br />
and backgrounds.<br />
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1) Introduction<br />
Increasing numbers of people fleeing oppression,<br />
war and the threat on their lives are coming<br />
to the UK in the hope of safety and support.<br />
Between October 2022 and September<br />
2023 there were 75,340 new asylum applications<br />
(relating to 93,296 people) in the UK, and<br />
of these the most common nationalities were<br />
Afghan, Iranian, Albanian and Indian. Only 37%<br />
of asylum seekers arrived by small boat. Many<br />
others came to the UK via other means (e.g.<br />
plane) or were in the UK already and claimed<br />
asylum whilst here and 112,431 offers of a<br />
safe and legal route were made to come and<br />
remain in the UK.<br />
At the end of September 2023, there were<br />
125,173 applications waiting for an initial decision<br />
relating to 165,411 people, which was a<br />
7% fall since June 2023. Only 23 asylum seekers<br />
were moved from the UK back to countries<br />
they had travelled through.<br />
Between October 2022 and September 2023,<br />
41,858 asylum applications were decided<br />
which is 2.5 times as many as the previous<br />
year. 75% of initial decisions were positive - the<br />
highest rate since 1990 (Home Office, 2023).<br />
At the end of September 2023, 123,758 people<br />
were on asylum support - about 56,000 in hotels,<br />
63,000 in other asylum accommodation<br />
and 4,750 on subsistence only.<br />
Many people and families that arrived during<br />
a period of rapidly changing legislation face<br />
significant uncertainty as to their future and<br />
the likelihood of homelessness, destitution,<br />
deportation, exploitation, and deteriorating<br />
mental health as they undergo the journey of<br />
applying for asylum and integrating into life in<br />
the UK<br />
Following changes in the law, people seeking<br />
asylum in the UK now fall into four categories<br />
1. Legacy cases – applications prior to 28th<br />
June 2022. Additional resources at the Home<br />
Office, the use of questionnaires and the withdrawal<br />
of applications led to a reduction in the<br />
number of outstanding cases. Many of those<br />
whose cases were withdrawn (around 35,000)<br />
remain in the UK, and those granted refugee<br />
status only have 28 days to find alternative accommodation.<br />
2. Arrivals since 28th June 2022 and under<br />
the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The application<br />
backlog was 38,529 at the end of December<br />
2023.<br />
<strong>Impact</strong> of Legislation<br />
Number of people<br />
Figure 1<br />
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3. Arrivals between 7th March 2023 and 20th<br />
July 2023 under the Illegal Migration Bill. As of<br />
31st December 2023, this was 22,448 people<br />
(including around 500 children). No guidance<br />
has been published on their status.<br />
4. Arrivals since 21st July 2023 under the<br />
Illegal Migration Act. As of 28th December<br />
2023, this was 33,085 people, and growing.<br />
Over 18,000 arrived via the Channel during<br />
this period. The criteria for removal have been<br />
identified as; entering UK without permission,<br />
having travelled through a third country where<br />
they weren’t at risk, not having leave to enter<br />
or remain. No work is currently being done on<br />
this backlog and the legal framework is not in<br />
force. The Rwanda scheme is currently going<br />
through Parliament and if passed will only offer<br />
limited spaces.<br />
The total backlog as of 28th December 2023<br />
was 98,599 as shown in Figure 1.<br />
The system that is the gateway to starting a<br />
new life is also the limitation, often for months<br />
after a positive decision is made. While they<br />
wait for a decision, asylum seekers must navigate<br />
a complex process in a foreign language,<br />
are not allowed to work and are entitled to receive<br />
financial support of £49.18 per week if in<br />
dispersal accommodation or £8.86 per week<br />
for those in hotel accommodation. .<br />
Furthermore, the government offers to place<br />
asylum seekers who don’t have family or connections<br />
willing to house them, in both initial<br />
and dispersal accommodation ; however<br />
these provisions are often inadequate and<br />
unsafe, abandoning asylum seekers to poor<br />
living environments with overcrowding, lack<br />
of essential services such as clean water and<br />
heating and at risk of digital exclusion through<br />
lack of internet access, creating barriers to<br />
healthcare access and social connection.<br />
The length of time that refugees are made to<br />
wait is of particular concern. According to the<br />
Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and<br />
Immigration, 2021, refugees had to wait on<br />
average 449 days in 2020 before receiving a<br />
decision from the Home Office. The impact of<br />
these circumstances on the physical and mental<br />
health of individuals, and their ability to integrate<br />
within society cannot be ignored.<br />
Mobilised by the goal of helping some of the<br />
most vulnerable and needy people in <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
faith groups and community members<br />
have worked with the local authority to<br />
provide solutions that lead to lasting change.<br />
This collective effort demonstrates the transformative<br />
potential of community engagement<br />
in the face of systemic challenges. Without the<br />
lifechanging interventions of the church contributing<br />
to the support offered to communities<br />
these injustices will continue to be experienced<br />
as state provision fails to adequately<br />
meet even the most basic living conditions.<br />
Despite a major decrease in applications during<br />
the COVID-19 pandemic , and smaller<br />
numbers of people arriving via humanitarian<br />
routes, the number of asylum claims has been<br />
quickly increasing to pre-pandemic levels<br />
and even to the last peak in 2002 at 84,132<br />
applications . Therefore, local organisations<br />
are needed even more, not only to meet the<br />
needs of those who are awaiting an outcome<br />
and have started to integrate, but to continue<br />
to respond and intervene with compassion<br />
and practical support as the number of people<br />
claiming asylum and being granted protection<br />
increases.<br />
Public responses to the increasing numbers<br />
of asylum claims can vary, especially given<br />
the prominence and coverage in both national<br />
politics and the media. The influence of such<br />
can lead people to overestimate the number<br />
of refugees coming to the UK disproportionately<br />
in comparison to other migration groups;<br />
with the potential to increase fear and create<br />
resistance against a minority group of people<br />
arriving in the UK. However, out of the 1.18 million<br />
people entering the country in the year<br />
ending June 2023, only 9% (83,000) arrived<br />
on humanitarian routes , and only 7% (90,000)<br />
arrived for asylum (with 36% of the total number<br />
migrating due to work-related visas) . 33%<br />
(322,000) arrived on work related visas, 39%<br />
on study related visas (378,000), 7% on family<br />
related visas (70,000) and 5% arriving on other<br />
long-term visas (37,000).<br />
As people continue to arrive in the UK fleeing<br />
a myriad of atrocities and shocking circumstances<br />
the response and support that they<br />
receive from the community has profound implications,<br />
influencing not only our lives and<br />
society at large, but also presenting an opportunity<br />
to extend compassion and assistance<br />
to those who have already faced such severe<br />
hardships.<br />
However, amidst the narrative of challenges<br />
and hardships stemming from a seemingly unalterable<br />
system, a different possibility of real<br />
hope emerges. Over the past 20 years, community<br />
groups including churches have proactively<br />
responded to these tangible needs in<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong>, showcasing how communities<br />
can step in and provide lifechanging support.<br />
From mentoring, employment advice, and<br />
support with English language, to providing<br />
housing, food, welcome programmes and legal<br />
casework advice sessions; people have been<br />
stepping into the gaps with wide ranging holistic<br />
support.<br />
Reasons for entering the UK year ending June 2023<br />
Not only do these interventions help those<br />
arriving in the UK feel welcomed and safe,<br />
make a positive impact on physical and mental<br />
health and provide expert assistance with<br />
asylum claims, they enable individuals to begin<br />
to recover from their trauma and see the possibility<br />
of integrating into UK society.<br />
Figure 2<br />
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2) Who are asylum seekers,<br />
refugees, and migrants?<br />
People arriving in the UK can do so through<br />
different routes set out by the Home Office.<br />
They have faced different challenges and as<br />
a result they have different levels of need.<br />
Despite these differences, the importance of<br />
successful integration through the support of<br />
local communities remains the same.<br />
In providing definitions and an overview of the<br />
distinctions between refugees, asylum seekers,<br />
migrants and legal routes this evaluation<br />
aims to demonstrate how support should be<br />
tailored to the various stages and challenges<br />
faced by those on integration journeys.<br />
Often interpreted inter-changeably these<br />
terms combined with the role that the media<br />
plays in characterising refugees, feeds a cyclical<br />
relationship that contributes to the forming<br />
and shifting of national policy, public attitudes,<br />
and individual responses offered by members<br />
of society . Furthermore, research shows that<br />
public perceptions and attitudes towards refugees,<br />
asylum seekers and migrants impact<br />
how they are welcomed and integrated into<br />
host communities.<br />
Therefore, by clarifying the drivers and differences<br />
between different stages and groups,<br />
this section seeks to dispel any potential misconceptions<br />
regarding the entitlements and<br />
lived experiences of those arriving seeking<br />
safety in this country, while demonstrating a<br />
need for tailored interventions according to<br />
specific circumstances if successful integration<br />
is to be achieved.<br />
ASYLUM SEEKER<br />
An asylum seeker is someone who has applied<br />
for refuge in a different country, fearing<br />
persecution in their country of origin. Asylum<br />
seekers become recognised as refugees having<br />
received a decision on their application for<br />
refugee status.<br />
In the UK a person can only apply for asylum<br />
when they are physically in the UK . It is not<br />
illegal to claim asylum, but it is illegal to enter<br />
and remain in the UK without official documents<br />
such as a visa or passport. Having<br />
submitted an asylum claim, a person is legally<br />
allowed to remain in the UK. While waiting for a<br />
decision from the Home Office asylum seekers<br />
can apply for support (under section 95 of the<br />
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999), however<br />
certain rights and the ability to work are temporarily<br />
restricted.<br />
REFUGEE<br />
A refugee, according to the 1951 United Nations<br />
Convention, is an individual with a<br />
“well-founded fear of persecution based on<br />
race, religion, nationality, membership of a<br />
particular social group, or political opinion” .<br />
In the UK, refugee status is confirmed by the<br />
Home Office following a successful asylum application<br />
where right to remain has been granted.<br />
For some who don’t qualify for refugee status<br />
Humanitarian Protection may be offered if<br />
it isn’t possible to return to their home country .<br />
Those granted refugee status have permission<br />
to remain in the UK for a minimum of 5 years,<br />
and they can work without any restrictions.<br />
MIGRANT<br />
A migrant, on the other hand, is someone who<br />
chooses to move to another country for various<br />
reasons, such as finding work, education,<br />
or rejoining family members . Unlike refugees,<br />
they are not forced to flee their country for<br />
fear of persecution.<br />
The process for arrival involves a visa application.<br />
The length of stay depends on the<br />
visa, but citizenship or indefinite leave remain<br />
as options for those who wish to live, work or<br />
study in the UK for an extended period.<br />
ECONOMIC MIGRANT/<br />
MIGRANT WORKER<br />
Someone who has moved for work purposes.<br />
They may be legally here as an EU citizen or a<br />
non-EU citizen on a work visa, or here working<br />
illegally with no permit. This is the largest<br />
group of people being granted permission to<br />
stay and work in the country, far more than the<br />
number of people coming to claim asylum or<br />
on humanitarian routes.<br />
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT<br />
Someone who is here with no visa granting the<br />
right to stay and who has not sought asylum,<br />
or someone who has overstayed their visa or<br />
gone underground after their asylum claim is<br />
refused.<br />
“FAILED”/REFUSED<br />
ASYLUM SEEKER<br />
Someone whose claim has been rejected.<br />
They have no recourse to public funds and are<br />
liable to be removed from the country.<br />
PRE-SETTLED STATUS<br />
Pre-settled status permits holders the rights<br />
to live, work and study in the UK, but is limited<br />
to a period of five years.<br />
SETTLED STATUS / INDEFI-<br />
NITE LEAVE TO REMAIN<br />
Indefinite leave to remain, often referred to as<br />
‘settlement,’ is where refugees are given permission<br />
for permanent residence in the UK.<br />
This status grants the freedom to reside, work,<br />
and pursue studies in the country indefinitely.<br />
Additionally, having indefinite leave to remain<br />
means that the holder is able to apply for British<br />
citizenship.<br />
OTHER SAFE AND LEGAL<br />
ROUTES<br />
In addition to those applying for asylum upon<br />
arrival, the UK offers a variety of other legal<br />
entry routes. While some schemes such as<br />
the UK Resettlement Scheme are global, others<br />
such as the Afghan Citizens Resettlement<br />
Scheme are in response to specific world<br />
events. Whereas anyone can apply for asylum,<br />
these other legal pathways prioritise people<br />
who meet the eligibility criteria. The Home<br />
Office works closely with the United Nations<br />
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on<br />
many schemes to set out which groups of individuals<br />
are recognised as refugees, the specific<br />
level of risk, and prioritise which groups<br />
get resettled using the following categories :<br />
• Legal and / or physical protection<br />
needs<br />
• Survivors of violence and / or<br />
torture<br />
• Medical needs<br />
• Women and girls at risk<br />
• Family reunification<br />
• Children and adolescents at risk<br />
• Lack of foreseeable alternative<br />
durable solutions<br />
RESETTLEMENT<br />
Resettlement refers to the global resettlement<br />
scheme launched in 2021 which sees people<br />
who have already been recognised as refugees<br />
by the UNHCR, voluntarily transferred to<br />
another country. The UK’s three resettlement<br />
schemes are the UK Resettlement Scheme<br />
(UKRS), the Community Sponsorship Scheme<br />
and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme.<br />
UKRS - The UKRS is led by national government<br />
in partnership with the UNHCR and takes<br />
into account national and local authority budgets<br />
to determine the number of refugees that<br />
can be supported.<br />
Community Sponsorship Scheme - While<br />
the UKRS is led by national government, the<br />
Community Sponsorship Scheme is led by civic<br />
society and allows local communities to directly<br />
support refugees being resettled in the<br />
UK . Community sponsorship requires a lot of<br />
resource as sponsors become responsible for<br />
supporting the resettled family with housing<br />
for two years, in addition to a range of additional<br />
activities that aid integration including<br />
assistance organising English language tuition,<br />
employment and social welfare.<br />
Mandate Resettlement Scheme - The Mandate<br />
Resettlement Scheme, launched in 1995,<br />
resettles refugees from across the world with<br />
their close family members who already have<br />
settled status in the UK . The UNHCR decides<br />
whether a refugee needs to be resettled. They<br />
must also be either a child, spouse, parent or<br />
grandparent (over the age of 65) of the person<br />
who already has settled status in the UK.<br />
AFGHAN CITIZENS RESET-<br />
TLEMENT SCHEME (ACRS)<br />
Launched in 2022 the UK government has<br />
pledged to resettle up to 20,000 Afghan citizens<br />
through ARCS. The scheme seeks to resettle<br />
and provide safety to people who have<br />
either assisted the UK in Afghanistan, are a<br />
vulnerable group (at risk women and girls fearing<br />
abuse, religious minorities and LGBTQ+),<br />
or are facing risk due to standing up for values<br />
of democracy, women’s rights and freedom of<br />
speech.<br />
UKRAINE SCHEMES<br />
There are currently four schemes in the UK<br />
to help Ukrainians find safety from the Russian<br />
invasion of Ukraine . They are the Ukraine<br />
Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship<br />
Scheme, Ukraine Extension Scheme and<br />
the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.<br />
AFGHAN RELOCATIONS<br />
AND ASSISTANCE POLICY<br />
(ARAP)<br />
Launched in 2021, the ARAP provides the opportunity<br />
for eligible Afghan citizens, their<br />
partners and children to relocate to the UK <br />
(Home Office, 2023). This policy seeks to relocate<br />
Afghan citizens who are in situations of<br />
high risk or imminent threat due to being employees<br />
of UK Government or people who provided<br />
assistance such as linguistic services to<br />
aid the UK’s Armed Forces in Afghanistan from<br />
2001 onwards.<br />
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The Ukraine Family Scheme grants visas to<br />
applicants to live, work and study if they have<br />
family members already living in the UK.<br />
The Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme<br />
is open to any Ukraine national and their family<br />
wishing to come to live, work and study in<br />
the UK for 3 years. It allows the community to<br />
provide support by sponsoring families and<br />
providing housing for a minimum of 6 months .<br />
The Ukraine Extension Scheme (which closes<br />
on the 16th May 2024) provides visas enabling<br />
Ukrainians and their family members to remain<br />
in the UK if they have previously had permission<br />
between March 2022 and November<br />
2023, or previous permission that had expired<br />
on or after January 2022 .<br />
The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme<br />
is for those that have been given permission<br />
to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine<br />
Schemes and enables them to apply for a further<br />
18 months permission to stay in the UK<br />
and can be applied for up to 3 months before<br />
an existing visa is due to expire. Information is<br />
yet to be provided from the UK government on<br />
this new scheme.<br />
HONG KONG BRITISH<br />
NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)<br />
Launched in January 2021, this route to the UK<br />
supports Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas)<br />
by granting visas to work and study in<br />
the UK for 5 years, in addition to the possibility<br />
of applying for British citizenship.<br />
The route was launched in response to the imposition<br />
of national security law on Hong Kong<br />
by the Chinese Government in 2020; a law that<br />
threatens political freedoms such as freedom<br />
of speech and freedom of assembly through<br />
strict and brutal policing.<br />
The UK has created this safe entry route as<br />
British Nationals (Overseas) is a form of British<br />
nationality created after the handover of Hong<br />
Kong to China in 1997 enabling people from<br />
Hong Kong to maintain connection to British<br />
Nationality. BN(O) status had to be applied for<br />
before June 1997, is valid for life, but cannot be<br />
passed down to children.<br />
BN(O) status does not entitle an automatic<br />
right to live in the UK, meaning that people<br />
wishing to immigrate to the UK need to do so<br />
through immigration control. By creating this<br />
bespoke safe passage, the UK Government<br />
creates a more effective route for BN(O)s to<br />
enter the UK and find safety from political oppression.<br />
The nationality of people arriving in the UK for<br />
humanitarian reasons varies year on year depending<br />
on the different schemes available,<br />
and the legislation. In 2021 the top 15 most<br />
common countries where asylum seekers<br />
came from can be seen in Figure 3. In 2022 the<br />
breakdown had changed, with 31% of asylum<br />
seekers being of Asian nationality, 24% being<br />
European, Middle Eastern 23% and African<br />
making up 17% of the total. The shift in these<br />
statistics over just two years demonstrates<br />
how global crisis, maltreatment and hardships<br />
are continuing, further cementing the need for<br />
ongoing, specialist aid that takes into account<br />
the differing yet ongoing causes for people<br />
forced to come and find safety.<br />
CAUSES OF<br />
DISPLACEMENT<br />
Individuals and their families may vary caseto-case<br />
regarding the reasons they are forced<br />
to flee their homes, yet they are united in the<br />
shared hope of finding safety from persecution<br />
and threat. While it is hard to imagine the<br />
atrocities and challenges affecting communities<br />
and forcing them to flee for fear of their<br />
life due to war, natural disasters and famine, it<br />
is perhaps harder still to imagine the fear experienced<br />
because of persecution because of<br />
an individual’s identity, political opinion or religious<br />
belief.<br />
One group is not more deserving of support<br />
than another, but for the purpose of this evaluation<br />
in encouraging faith-based groups to<br />
continue and build upon the work with marginalised<br />
groups it is important to draw attention<br />
to the fact that many of the people seeking<br />
support do so for something that can often<br />
be taken for granted in the UK; the freedom of<br />
their faith.<br />
Whether it be through governmental restrictions<br />
on religious groups or through social<br />
hostilities committed by individuals and communities,<br />
countless people around the world<br />
are still being persecuted for their faith. Ranging<br />
from derogatory statements, intimidation,<br />
stereotyping and threats to property, damage,<br />
attacks, forced displacement and even murder,<br />
Open Doors (a Christian advocacy group)<br />
has calculated that at least 360 million Christians<br />
are experiencing extreme levels of persecution.<br />
Religious persecution is increasing. Out of 198<br />
countries in 2019, it was assessed that 190<br />
saw religious groups experience harassment<br />
and the number of countries where Christians<br />
experienced persecution increased from 102<br />
to 153 (77% of analysed countries) between<br />
2013 and 2019 . While people may flee their<br />
country because of Christian persecution, it is<br />
also true that others will flee that same country<br />
because of stringent laws restricting sexuality,<br />
political dissidence and other expressions of<br />
religion. British values that uphold respect and<br />
tolerance, the rule of law, democracy and individual<br />
liberty are values not shared across the<br />
world, and various minority groups in different<br />
societies will not necessarily share the same<br />
faith as Christians, but will share the same<br />
fate, with targeted discrimination, time in prison<br />
and even death penalties for their beliefs or<br />
practices.<br />
Figure 3<br />
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The same report noted that while social hostilities<br />
related to religion declined in 2019, more<br />
religious groups experienced harassment in<br />
more countries by their governments . Some<br />
governments not only have the power to limit<br />
conversion between religions, ban religious<br />
literature and texts (including the Bible), turn a<br />
blind eye to discrimination in the legal system;<br />
but they also have the resources to monitor individuals’<br />
activities too . In these countries it is<br />
hard to access support from those wanting to<br />
help, or even shift opinions as it is the government<br />
that may then prosecute anyone who is<br />
deemed to be against the state.<br />
economic instability, environmental disasters,<br />
gender-based violence, human rights violations<br />
and the discrimination of LGBTQ+ communities.<br />
Many face the same fate without the<br />
help and support provided, despite having a<br />
different faith.<br />
However, amidst the differences of ideologies,<br />
faiths, and beliefs, the Christian community in<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> seeks to offer support to anyone<br />
in need of help, regardless of religious affiliation<br />
or background.<br />
Christians however are not the only people<br />
facing such violent and dangerous acts against<br />
them. Pew Research Centre’s study on harassment<br />
in 198 countries reported that Muslims<br />
were harassed in 139 different countries,<br />
Jews in 88 countries and Hindus in 19 . Alongside<br />
religious persecution, various other factors<br />
contribute to forced displacement. These<br />
include political oppression, ethnic conflicts,<br />
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3) The process of applying<br />
for asylum<br />
The application process that leads to an asylum<br />
seeker being granted leave to remain is<br />
not easy, nor is it simple. Not only is it of paramount<br />
importance in determining whether<br />
a person seeking asylum may stay in the UK,<br />
but it impacts how applicants integrate as they<br />
await a decision, and it affects their quality of<br />
life after a decision is made. Before exploring<br />
the challenges experienced through this process,<br />
this section describes the process of applying<br />
for refugee status and then seeking to<br />
settle into a new country.<br />
THE PROCESS:<br />
Claiming asylum<br />
Entering the UK and claiming asylum are critical<br />
steps in the process. Asylum cannot be<br />
claimed prior to arrival to the UK in the same<br />
way in which a visa application is made and<br />
granted. Therefore, in order to avoid deportation<br />
people arriving in the UK should claim<br />
asylum as quickly as possible. For those who<br />
claim asylum immediately upon arrival at an<br />
airport or port, an immigration officer will conduct<br />
a screening interview. Various reasons<br />
may hinder individuals from claiming asylum<br />
immediately, such as lacking a passport or arriving<br />
on a work visa.<br />
The screening interview<br />
If asylum is claimed on arrival, a screening interview<br />
is conducted by an immigration officer<br />
at the airport or port of arrival. However, if<br />
claimed later, it takes place at a screening unit.<br />
This is the first interview that asylum seekers<br />
take part in. During this interview, individuals<br />
are questioned about why they are seeking<br />
asylum and the journey they undertook. Failure<br />
to convince the authorities that there are<br />
sufficient grounds to need asylum in the UK<br />
may lead to the individual being sent to a detention<br />
centre.<br />
Temporary initial accommodation<br />
Asylum seekers are placed in temporary initial<br />
accommodation centres before they are<br />
dispersed to longer term housing. Often, refugees<br />
are placed in shared housing or hostels,<br />
where they receive the most basic amenities<br />
and support services.<br />
Dispersal aims to prevent an overwhelming<br />
concentration of asylum seekers in a particular<br />
city or local authority. Previously in the UK<br />
cities and local authorities could sign up to be<br />
a dispersal city that would receive refugees,<br />
however this system is no longer in place as<br />
the spread of where asylum seekers were<br />
housed remained very uneven.<br />
Dispersal accommodation is when individuals<br />
are moved to new accommodation<br />
in a different location. If asylum seekers lack<br />
housing or financial resources, they can seek<br />
asylum support. This assistance provides a<br />
small amount of money and accommodation,<br />
although individuals typically have limited control<br />
over their living situation unless someone<br />
offers them a place, for example with family<br />
members.<br />
The adult Streamlined Asylum Processing<br />
Questionnaire was introduced on<br />
23rd February 2023 by the Home Office where<br />
some people seeking asylum are only required<br />
to complete a questionnaire instead of having<br />
a substantive interview. The policy was<br />
designed to streamline applications for those<br />
from countries with a high number of granted<br />
claims, including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya,<br />
Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and Sudan.<br />
The substantive interview is a detailed<br />
examination by the Home Office seeking evidence<br />
and reasons behind the asylum claim.<br />
These interviews, whether in person or conducted<br />
online via video link, are exhaustive<br />
and can last several hours.<br />
Following the substantive interview, the Home<br />
Office makes a decision, a process that may<br />
take many months, even over a year. A positive<br />
decision results in the announcement of being<br />
granted leave to remain in the UK, either as a<br />
refugee or under humanitarian protection. In<br />
case of a refusal, individuals have the option<br />
to appeal the decision.<br />
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4) The challenges faced upon<br />
arrival in the UK<br />
Integration into a new society with a different language and systems is challenging and disorientating<br />
for people arriving on visas that allow a person to work and find accommodation from the<br />
point of arrival, but for those going through the asylum system the challenges faced awaiting a<br />
decision have a profound impact upon their physical and mental health, as well as their quality<br />
of life once a decision has been made. Limited government support combined with the delays in<br />
receiving a decision due to an ineffective system isn’t enough on its own to stop asylum seekers<br />
and refugees from escaping the risks of poverty, homelessness, and ill health.<br />
In order to best provide interventions that have maximum impact in the lives of these people, it is<br />
important to understand the challenges that they face.<br />
The temporal<br />
The temporal aspect of applying for asylum<br />
and recognition of refugee status is especially<br />
challenging. On one hand people seeking asylum<br />
are expected to respond within days and<br />
at short notice as they progress through the<br />
stages of their application, yet on the other it<br />
can take up to a year to get a response from<br />
the Home Office. This prolonged waiting period<br />
exacts a profound toll on mental health,<br />
leaving individuals in a state of perpetual uncertainty<br />
for months, unable to establish roots<br />
or engage in productive work, unable to start<br />
building their life, move on from the traumas<br />
experienced, and unsure what the future will<br />
look like and whether they will be allowed to<br />
remain.<br />
According to the ‘Statistics relating to the Illegal<br />
Migration Act’ adhoc release, dated 29th<br />
October 2023, there were 122,585 main case<br />
applicants awaiting an initial decision. Of this<br />
number 27% were legacy cases and 89,332<br />
were flow cases; revealing that to this day<br />
some 33,253 people have yet to receive a<br />
response on their initial decision from before<br />
2008!<br />
The existence of enduring legacy cases underscores<br />
the persistent struggles of individuals<br />
who linger in a state of uncertainty, grappling<br />
with conditions that are not only detrimental to<br />
their mental health, but also hinder their ability<br />
to work and exacerbate the prevailing uncertainty<br />
regarding their fate.<br />
The technical<br />
One of the most daunting aspects is the sheer<br />
complexity of the system that people seeking<br />
asylum need to navigate in order to make their<br />
claim. Providing enough of the relevant evidence<br />
to substantiate the claim is a formidable<br />
task, as refugees often find themselves grappling<br />
with unfamiliar legal requirements.<br />
When I came at the beginning<br />
everything was new. I didn’t know what<br />
would be my next step. I didn’t know<br />
what was happening or what was<br />
going to happen<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
When I came at the beginning everything was new. I didn’t know what<br />
would be my next step. I didn’t know what was happening or what was<br />
going to happen or now<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
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31
The complexity extends beyond merely recounting<br />
their experiences to the Home Office<br />
or an immigration officer; it involves understanding<br />
the nuanced legal criteria that govern<br />
asylum decisions.<br />
The claim for asylum is made more difficult<br />
for people who are applying with their family.<br />
The process of adding family members as<br />
‘dependants’ is intricate, and the connections<br />
need to be meticulously documented to bolster<br />
their case. This involves not only presenting<br />
individual stories of persecution, but also<br />
demonstrating and evidencing a comprehensive<br />
narrative that captures the interdependence<br />
and shared vulnerabilities experienced.<br />
Additionally, the landscape of asylum and refugee<br />
policies is highly dynamic and subject<br />
to frequent changes that significantly impact<br />
the chances of successful claims. Remaining<br />
not only aware but having an understanding<br />
of these policies so that they can benefit the<br />
claim is crucial, as it directly influences the<br />
strategies refugees employ in presenting their<br />
cases.<br />
The changes and volatility in policies underscores<br />
the importance of seeking timely and<br />
accurate guidance, creating an additional layer<br />
of difficulty for those navigating the system.<br />
It would be challenging even for native English<br />
speakers to navigate the requirements needed<br />
to form a case, but this is compounded due to<br />
the formidable language barrier that some refugees<br />
face. It makes it not only challenging to<br />
understand what is being required, but arduous<br />
to articulate their experiences accurately.<br />
Miscommunication can lead to critical misunderstandings,<br />
which potentially jeopardise the<br />
success of their asylum claims.<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
The trauma<br />
Refugees seeking asylum face a daunting challenge<br />
as they navigate the process of having<br />
to recount traumatic experiences to establish<br />
the validity of their claims. The very nature of<br />
their ordeal, often marked by persecution and<br />
violence, makes it extremely difficult to revisit<br />
the painful memories embedded in their journey<br />
to safety.<br />
One of the most significant obstacles lies in<br />
the often invisible and silent trauma that survivors<br />
carry with them. These individuals have<br />
endured unimaginable horrors, and a compassionate<br />
and supportive environment for processing<br />
and healing from their experiences is<br />
needed. However, the asylum application process<br />
compels them to relive these agonising<br />
moments as they articulate their narratives to<br />
justify their need for refuge. This harrowing<br />
task not only takes an emotional toll on the applicants<br />
but also exposes them to an additional<br />
layer of vulnerability in front of a government<br />
and people that they don’t know.<br />
For people seeking asylum, placing trust in a<br />
new government is a challenge. The very officials<br />
responsible for reviewing their asylum<br />
claims may evoke memories of the oppressive<br />
forces they are seeking to claim refuge from.<br />
Therefore, it can be hard to know who to trust.<br />
Being in a new country and placed in an unknown<br />
city without yet having built a community<br />
is frightening and lonely, and can easily<br />
aggravate feelings of isolation.<br />
The ubiquitous sense of the loss of home can<br />
be for many reasons including their detachment<br />
from family members, their home country<br />
being changed beyond recognition through<br />
political changes or even literal loss of home<br />
through war and bombings. This grief is a<br />
source of sadness and often of trauma that<br />
can impact their health, mental and physical<br />
as well as their wellbeing as they resettle in<br />
the UK.<br />
Housing and location<br />
Asylum seekers are placed in temporary accommodations<br />
where they share living spaces<br />
with fellow seekers. This communal living arrangement<br />
frequently results in overcrowded<br />
conditions, compromising not only individual<br />
privacy, but also personal space. In 2021 the<br />
Refugee Council (a leading nationwide charity<br />
working with refugees) noted that there had<br />
been a 27% increase in families living in single<br />
hotel rooms.<br />
In addition to the overcrowding, the quality of<br />
these temporary lodgings varies widely, with<br />
reports revealing substandard living conditions.<br />
Issues such as poor hygiene, insufficient<br />
heating and inadequate facilities contribute to<br />
a challenging environment for those already<br />
grappling with the challenges of seeking asylum.<br />
The buildings can often be of poor quality<br />
with examples of crumbling ceilings, high levels<br />
of damp, infestations of rats due to poor<br />
rubbish disposal; as well as lack of security<br />
and adequate locks on doors. Furthermore,<br />
the lack of facilities such as computers and<br />
Wifi hinders access to support and systems<br />
through which the gateway is online.<br />
The dispersal process adds another layer of<br />
complexity to the housing dilemma. Asylum<br />
seekers are subject to being moved from their<br />
initial accommodation to different locations,<br />
disrupting any sense of stability they may have<br />
gained, often with very short notice. This constant<br />
upheaval and uncertainty really hinders<br />
the journey of acclimating to a new environment<br />
and establishing connections within local<br />
communities. The experience of being moved<br />
about during the dispersal process without<br />
much notice, without any choice, further adds<br />
to the struggle experienced by refugees. It not<br />
only disrupts their attempts to build a semblance<br />
of normalcy and life, but also hampers<br />
their ability to integrate into the society they<br />
hope to call home.<br />
The conditions which people seeking asylum<br />
(and those awaiting a decision) face is not<br />
only one of complex legal processes, but also<br />
a challenge with regards to human dignity and<br />
wellbeing. In order to combat these injustices<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
stable and good quality living conditions need<br />
to be ensured while meeting the holistic needs<br />
that lead to improved mental health and wellbeing.<br />
This will aid integration and contribution<br />
to community life and society at large.<br />
Employment<br />
One of the significant challenges faced by<br />
asylum seekers is the prohibition on employment<br />
while awaiting the outcome of their asylum<br />
claims. This restriction deprives individuals<br />
of the opportunity to earn a living legally,<br />
hindering their ability to support themselves<br />
and those accompanying them. The consequence<br />
is a dependency on the accommodation<br />
and sustenance provided by the Home<br />
Office which often falls short of providing the<br />
necessary conditions for a healthy life. The<br />
financial allowance is £49.18 for each person<br />
in a household (approximately £7 a day to live<br />
off). Moreover this support is only available<br />
for those in asylum accommodation, not those<br />
who are placed in hotel accommodation which<br />
places these people at even greater disadvantage.<br />
This inadequacy is particularly glaring given<br />
the traumatic experiences and additional<br />
needs that asylum seekers have faced in their<br />
journey to the UK.<br />
The prohibition on working not only imposes<br />
financial constraints, but also confines individuals<br />
to subpar living conditions, exacerbating<br />
the difficulties they have already encountered.<br />
The immigration rules do allow asylum seekers<br />
to request permission to work, but only in jobs<br />
listed as experiencing a shortage in the UK.<br />
Part of the issue we have is<br />
overthinking what you’re going to do<br />
next. You can’t work and hustle and<br />
you feel down not being able to do<br />
anything with your time. You don’t<br />
want to just stay at home but you have<br />
nothing to do otherwise<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client receiving help with their asylum claim<br />
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33
Asylum seekers are however able to volunteer<br />
while they await a decision. Yet, while<br />
this may aid future employment opportunities<br />
in the long term by gaining work experience it<br />
doesn’t help mitigate the challenges that are<br />
experienced as they await a decision. This<br />
limited concession underscores the systemic<br />
challenges within the asylum process. Even if<br />
individuals are waiting for a decision on their<br />
initial claim or a fresh claim, the opportunities<br />
for employment are severely restricted,<br />
emphasising the shortcomings of a system<br />
that fails to provide meaningful pathways for<br />
self-sufficiency.<br />
Furthermore, the provision that permits work<br />
after 12 months without a decision is insufficient<br />
and fails to address the harsh reality of<br />
the asylum-seeking experience. The prospect<br />
of spending a year in crowded and unsanitary<br />
accommodations, unable to progress in life, is<br />
a stark contrast to the professional lives that<br />
many asylum seekers once led. This stark<br />
transition not only impedes personal development,<br />
but also reinforces a sense of helplessness<br />
and frustration.<br />
In essence, the inability to work during the<br />
asylum application process presents a multifaceted<br />
challenge that extends beyond mere<br />
financial limitations. It encompasses the denial<br />
of autonomy, the perpetuation of inadequate<br />
living conditions, and the absence of a reasonable<br />
timeline for integrating into the workforce.<br />
As policymakers contemplate immigration reforms,<br />
addressing these issues becomes imperative<br />
to create a more humane and inclusive<br />
system that recognises the potential and<br />
resilience of asylum seekers seeking refuge in<br />
a new country.<br />
Language barriers<br />
Navigating the asylum application process is<br />
compounded by formidable language barriers<br />
that permeate various aspects of an individual’s<br />
experience. The impact of these barriers<br />
extends beyond mere linguistic challenges,<br />
influencing the emotional and practical dimensions<br />
of the asylum-seeking journey. Firstly,<br />
language barriers create a pervasive sense of<br />
vulnerability, affecting how applicants interpret<br />
and respond to the intricate questions posed<br />
during the application process. The reliance<br />
on others for accurate translation introduces<br />
an element of uncertainty, making it challenging<br />
for applicants to fully trust the information<br />
they are providing.<br />
Moreover, the language barrier extends beyond<br />
the application itself, encompassing everyday<br />
tasks such as understanding what evidence is<br />
required and when, or even figuring out how<br />
to navigate public transport for the application<br />
process. These seemingly mundane challenges<br />
compound the stress and isolation felt by<br />
people seeking asylum, particularly when residing<br />
in dispersal accommodation alongside<br />
others who may also be grappling with language<br />
barriers. The inability to connect with<br />
fellow residents and engage with the broader<br />
community becomes an additional hurdle, hindering<br />
the development of a supportive social<br />
network during what can be prolonged periods<br />
of uncertainty.<br />
The lack of availability of formal, effective and<br />
accessible ESOL provision within a location,<br />
and of qualified teachers makes it difficult to<br />
find opportunities to get tailored input and<br />
learn the host language.<br />
Language barriers also cast a shadow over<br />
substantive interviews, where applicants may<br />
grapple with the uncertainty of whether they<br />
are being accurately understood. This uncertainty<br />
introduces an element of doubt, potentially<br />
impacting the fairness and accuracy of<br />
the asylum determination process. Additionally,<br />
these language challenges influence how<br />
individuals access essential resources and<br />
support systems, further exacerbating their<br />
vulnerability in an unfamiliar environment.<br />
In essence, the pervasive nature of language<br />
barriers throughout the asylum application<br />
journey underscores the need for comprehensive<br />
support structures that address not only<br />
the linguistic challenges, but also the emotional<br />
and social dimensions of the asylum-seeking<br />
experience. By recognising and actively<br />
mitigating these barriers, policymakers can<br />
contribute to a more equitable and humane<br />
asylum process that ensures the fair and just<br />
treatment of those seeking refuge.<br />
Access to legal<br />
and other advice<br />
With the reduction in legal aid and increasing<br />
demand for immigration advice, accessing a<br />
solicitor can be difficult. In <strong>Southampton</strong> there<br />
is only one firm offering this support (Leonards).<br />
Recent initiatives such as the Hampshire<br />
Immigration Advice Partnership, facilitated by<br />
Refugee Action, have brought together practitioners<br />
to map provision and look for ways to<br />
address these needs. A report by Dr Jo Wilding<br />
identified a number of ‘Immigration Deserts’ in<br />
the UK and concluded that “there is not enough<br />
immigration and asylum legal advice available<br />
country-wide and this leaves people at risk of<br />
forced return to a country where they face serious<br />
harm, of exploitation of the kinds referred<br />
to in the Modern Slavery Act, of remaining in a<br />
violent or abusive relationship, or of extreme<br />
poverty and deprivation of access to essential<br />
services because they cannot regularise or<br />
prove their immigration status”.<br />
The capacity of advice agencies to provide input<br />
on topics such as housing, debt or benefits<br />
is also under increasing demand.<br />
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35
5) The role of faith groups<br />
Why should faith groups<br />
respond?<br />
The goal of this evaluation is to encourage<br />
other faith groups and Christian organisations<br />
to make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable<br />
people by stepping up and supporting<br />
in these challenging areas. This is founded on<br />
the evidence provided in this evaluation that<br />
people can make a difference, and for Christians<br />
the Bible lays out principles of welcoming<br />
strangers and being hospitable that underpins<br />
intentional programmes that support asylum<br />
seekers and refugees.<br />
Grounded in the principles of love, justice and<br />
unity, the response to the refugee crisis is not<br />
merely a humanitarian gesture, nor just a point<br />
for our prayer journals, but a reflection of the<br />
transformative power of the good news in action.<br />
This instruction to love one another and<br />
help the poor and vulnerable runs throughout<br />
both the Old and New Testament.<br />
The Bible emphasises the importance of seeking<br />
justice and mercy for the oppressed and<br />
marginalised. Psalm 82:3-4 calls believers to<br />
defend the weak, uphold the cause of the poor<br />
and deliver the needy from the hand of the<br />
wicked. Many refugees have fled persecution,<br />
violence and injustice in their homelands, and<br />
Christians are called to stand in solidarity with<br />
them, advocating for their rights and providing<br />
tangible support.<br />
At the heart of the Christian message lies the<br />
concept of love for one another, encapsulated<br />
in the commandment to love our neighbours<br />
as ourselves (Matthew 22:39; Luke 10:27).<br />
When asked “who is our neighbour?” Jesus<br />
challenges believers to embody sacrificial love<br />
and selflessness in their interactions with others<br />
as he shared the parable of the Good Samaritan<br />
(Luke 10:25-37). A parable that many<br />
Christians have grown up hearing since their<br />
Sunday School days, a Samaritan goes out of<br />
his way to care for a wounded stranger, disregarding<br />
cultural and societal barriers to offer<br />
aid and compassion.<br />
Not only is this act of practical compassion a<br />
challenge to Christians due to the tense political<br />
nature of the relationship between the<br />
wounded man and the Samaritan (they were<br />
deemed enemies); but also, for the fact that<br />
Jesus showed how religious figures walked on<br />
without helping the wounded man.<br />
Following the example of the Samaritan, Christians<br />
are called to transcend political, cultural,<br />
and societal divides to extend practical assistance<br />
to refugees, embodying the radical<br />
love and compassion of Christ. Christians will<br />
therefore not just look to the needs of their<br />
own churches and congregations but respond<br />
to needs regardless of people’s backgrounds.<br />
Another parable told by Jesus about the separation<br />
of the sheep and goats, in Matthew 25,<br />
highlights how helping the hungry, the thirsty,<br />
the poor, the sick, and the ‘stranger’ is a distinguishable<br />
outworking of the life of a Christian.<br />
Jesus says that anyone who helps one of<br />
these people has helped Jesus himself.<br />
Many churches have overseas missionaries<br />
and partners sent to nations across the world<br />
with the goal of spreading the gospel to other<br />
people groups who may not have heard of<br />
Jesus. Based on the Great Commission to “Go<br />
and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew<br />
28:16) they seek to share their faith through a<br />
mixture of church planting, Bible teaching and<br />
humanitarian support.<br />
However, the increasing numbers of people<br />
fleeing from the nations to the UK means that<br />
the opportunity for sharing and reaching the<br />
nations is made possible closer to home within<br />
the changing fabric of the communities within<br />
which churches are already a part.<br />
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37
How should faith groups<br />
respond?<br />
Asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced people<br />
are coming to the UK from other nations<br />
and are on our doorstep. While overseas mission<br />
partners certainly have their value, the<br />
opportunity presented with people arriving in<br />
the UK is not only for a few in the congregation<br />
but for the whole Christian community to actively<br />
respond to. The Great Commission can<br />
start at home and still impact the nations. As in<br />
the parable of the Good Samaritan, this evaluation<br />
challenges and encourages Christians<br />
to look out for and support the people who are<br />
already on the path in front of them, the people<br />
that they pass on the day-to-day journey<br />
of life in the UK.<br />
The values of kindness, generosity and<br />
self-sacrifice are at the heart of the Good Samaritan<br />
story and they are also the very values<br />
that are needed to help people feel welcome<br />
in our towns and cities. Faith groups can reflect<br />
on how these values are being exhibited<br />
in their local communities – how is kindness<br />
being shown to those new to the area? How<br />
are we being generous to new arrivals? What<br />
time, energy or finance are we making available<br />
to welcome people? If faith groups then<br />
find themselves wanting to do more, how exactly<br />
do they go about it?<br />
It helps firstly to accept that a faith group can’t<br />
meet every need; trying to do so would not<br />
only be inappropriate, but also overwhelming<br />
and exhausting. Other agencies will have<br />
lead and supporting roles in this field but faith<br />
groups can perform some of the key elements<br />
of welcome particularly well.<br />
Teacher, which is the greatest<br />
commandment in the Law?<br />
Jesus<br />
Teacher,<br />
replied:<br />
which is the<br />
<strong>Love</strong><br />
greatest<br />
the<br />
commandment<br />
Lord<br />
in<br />
your<br />
the Law?<br />
God<br />
with all<br />
Jesus<br />
your<br />
replied: <strong>Love</strong><br />
heart<br />
the Lord your<br />
and<br />
God<br />
with<br />
with all your<br />
all<br />
heart<br />
your<br />
soul and<br />
and<br />
with<br />
with all your<br />
all<br />
soul<br />
your<br />
and with<br />
mind’.”<br />
all your mind’.”<br />
… “And<br />
the second<br />
“And the second<br />
is<br />
is<br />
like<br />
like it: ‘<strong>Love</strong><br />
it:<br />
your<br />
‘<strong>Love</strong><br />
neighbour<br />
your<br />
as yourself.<br />
neighbour as yourself.<br />
- Matthew 22:36-39 NIV<br />
- Matthew 22:36-39 NIV<br />
Some of the responses that have been particularly effective are listed below, and range from<br />
small acts of kindness like providing some clothing through to radical hospitality by offering a<br />
home for a Ukrainian family.<br />
Here are some HOW’s for faith groups to consider:<br />
• Welcome new arrivals<br />
• Become a ‘refugee friendly’<br />
church<br />
• Volunteer with an organisation<br />
that provides advice and get<br />
trained up to offer accredited immigration<br />
advice<br />
• Provide practical items like bicycles,<br />
food, clothing<br />
• Partner financially with a local<br />
organisation supporting asylum<br />
seekers and refugees<br />
• Join ‘Refugees at Home’ to host a<br />
refugee (https://refugeesathome.<br />
org/)<br />
• Host someone from Ukraine<br />
• Consider providing support<br />
through the government’s Community<br />
Sponsorship scheme<br />
• Start visiting a local detention<br />
centre<br />
• Help asylum seekers whose claim<br />
has been refused<br />
• Speak up for asylum seekers and<br />
refugees<br />
• Help refugees integrate into society<br />
– get trained up as an ESOL<br />
teacher, provide IT drop in facilities<br />
• Pray<br />
More information on some of these ideas can<br />
be found here:<br />
https://refugeeresourcecentre.org.uk/howcan-you-help/<br />
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39
6) Introduction<br />
to the evaluation<br />
This evaluation of impact research was commissioned by <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> in response to the<br />
growing need and increasing number of challenges faced by people seeking asylum nationally;<br />
as well as a recognition of the work carried out in <strong>Southampton</strong> throughout the last 23 years. The<br />
project was structured and overseen in conjunction with <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong>’s Independent Chair,<br />
members of the Executive Board with the support of City Life Education and Action for Refugees<br />
(<strong>CLEAR</strong>) and the trustees of <strong>Southampton</strong> City of Sanctuary.<br />
This evaluation has combined an in-depth review of research papers, government publications<br />
and statistics, internal desktop data and over 30 interviews (see Appendix 1). With the goal of<br />
demonstrating the scale of support offered by <strong>Southampton</strong> faith-based organisations in addition<br />
to the depth of impact as experienced in individuals’ lives, this evaluation employs a mixed<br />
methods approach.<br />
Utilising internal quantitative data from <strong>CLEAR</strong> including attendance reports, engagement information<br />
and financial data ensures a descriptive and objective account of their outputs over the<br />
last 20 years.<br />
Semi-structured interviews were conducted<br />
over six months with clients, learners, volunteers<br />
and community partners from <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
City Council. The interviews with<br />
clients and learners not only confirmed the<br />
challenges found in the literature review, but<br />
demonstrated the impact and difference that<br />
the interventions had in their lives. Including<br />
these voices was imperative in understanding<br />
and evidencing not only the struggles experienced,<br />
but how lives were changed due to the<br />
services provided. It was important to provide<br />
a space to look deeper than descriptive statistics<br />
relating to employment and finances and<br />
discover the often-missed experiences and<br />
impact on mental health and social engagement.<br />
Interviews with volunteers were crucial<br />
in understanding the activities, challenges and<br />
journey involved in providing and maintaining<br />
such support and enables the lessons to be<br />
shared more widely through this evaluation.<br />
Having set out the national context and sought<br />
to develop an understanding of the journey and<br />
challenges faced by people seeking asylum on<br />
their arrival in the UK, this impact evaluation<br />
seeks to determine and describe the specific<br />
outputs achieved through the interventions<br />
carried out by <strong>CLEAR</strong> and a number of organisations<br />
within the <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> network,<br />
the processes and organisational learning that<br />
has enabled these outcomes to have been<br />
reached, and the challenges that impact the<br />
continued delivery of such initiatives.<br />
While there are many agencies involved in<br />
making <strong>Southampton</strong> a welcoming city to<br />
those immigrating to the city, this evaluation<br />
focusses on the evidence and casts light on<br />
the importance of the work carried out by the<br />
faith-based communities by exploring the impacts<br />
both in the lives of individual clients who<br />
had accessed the services, as well as the wider<br />
community partners who have a strategic<br />
stake in the support and provision from a local<br />
infrastructure perspective. The purpose of focussing<br />
on this area is not to be exclusive, but<br />
to help other similar organisations to develop<br />
their programmes and services to better support<br />
and welcome those seeking sanctuary.<br />
Finally, this impact evaluation will seek to assess<br />
the impact and importance of the work<br />
that has been carried out, the difficulties in<br />
sustaining such provision, and the challenges<br />
that refugees and people seeking asylum<br />
continue to face before proposing recommendations<br />
to enable increased reach and scope<br />
in providing life-changing support to individuals<br />
and by these individuals to communities<br />
at large.<br />
The evaluation reviews the role of <strong>CLEAR</strong> and<br />
<strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong>, an initiative of churches<br />
and charities working together to support<br />
those who are most vulnerable. <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
supports and represents projects and<br />
initiatives that provide help and support to<br />
vulnerable people in <strong>Southampton</strong>. Many of<br />
the initiatives undertaken by those within the<br />
<strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong> network impact the lives of<br />
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41
efugees, including projects that target food<br />
poverty, debt, mental wellbeing and students;<br />
however, this evaluation focusses specifically<br />
on the work undertaken that supports vulnerable<br />
people claiming asylum or refuge in the<br />
UK.<br />
Refugee and asylum seeker<br />
context in <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> is situated on the south coast of<br />
England and is a vibrant and historically significant<br />
city that serves as a major port and<br />
commercial hub.<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong>, designated as a dispersal city<br />
since 2001, continues to play a significant role<br />
in providing accommodation for Home Office<br />
Assisted Asylum seekers. Over the years, the<br />
city has maintained a dispersal system with a<br />
substantial capacity, having over 150 spaces<br />
for individuals seeking asylum. To address the<br />
accommodation needs of asylum seekers, in<br />
2001 <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council allocated 500<br />
beds at any given time through the National<br />
Asylum Seekers Service. In 2004, <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
had around 3,000 refugees granted leave<br />
to remain in the city . However, the nature of<br />
dispersal cities means that individuals can be<br />
relocated with minimal notice, highlighting the<br />
flexibility required in managing the accommodation<br />
of those seeking asylum.<br />
As of the end of June 2023, <strong>Southampton</strong> continues<br />
to provide support to asylum seekers,<br />
with a total of 370 asylum seekers in the city,<br />
an average of 15 asylum seekers per 10,000<br />
population . Compared with other cities <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
is similar to both Plymouth and Bristol<br />
(14 and 15 asylum seekers per 10,000 population),<br />
has more asylum seekers per population<br />
than Brighton (who have 9 asylum seekers per<br />
10,000 population), and has less than Cardiff<br />
and Swansea (38 and 47 respectively) .<br />
Among the 370 asylum seekers in <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
169 were accommodated in contingency<br />
housing, such as hotels, while 183 were in dispersed<br />
accommodation. In addition to asylum<br />
seekers <strong>Southampton</strong> has welcomed 185 Afghan<br />
refugees through the Afghan Citizens<br />
Resettlement Scheme, and 229 Ukrainian refugees<br />
through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.<br />
The figures underscore <strong>Southampton</strong>’s commitment<br />
to fulfilling its role as a welcoming<br />
city, adapting to the evolving needs of asylum<br />
seekers. The combination of contingency and<br />
dispersed accommodation reflects the city’s<br />
effort to provide varied and suitable living arrangements<br />
for those seeking asylum within<br />
its borders. <strong>Southampton</strong>’s ongoing involvement<br />
in assisting asylum seekers highlights<br />
its dedication to fostering an environment that<br />
ensures the wellbeing and integration of individuals<br />
in need of sanctuary.<br />
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43
7) What response has there been<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong>?<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
City Life Education and Action for Refugees<br />
(<strong>CLEAR</strong>) has been helping people seeking<br />
refuge in <strong>Southampton</strong> for over 20 years.<br />
Launched by City Life Church in 2001 as a response<br />
to <strong>Southampton</strong> becoming a dispersal<br />
city, its office, advice and classroom have always<br />
been located together in central <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
with ground floor access and easily<br />
accessible in the heart of the city.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> has grown as a charity over this period<br />
and has provided close to 66,000 interventions<br />
engaging with almost 9,500 clients.<br />
This includes almost 40,000 advice sessions,<br />
an estimated 6,000 English language and adult<br />
education classes running between 10 and 42<br />
different courses at any one time, and close to<br />
1,400 people helped through a range of other<br />
programmes including 1-1 mentoring, employment<br />
advice and practical support such as bicycle<br />
schemes.<br />
On average, <strong>CLEAR</strong> has helped 1,038 people<br />
each year since 2001. It has consistently provided<br />
English language classes and advice<br />
services alongside a range of other schemes<br />
providing practical support to help alleviate<br />
some of the hardships faced while aiding integration,<br />
and has demonstrated its commitment<br />
to “empowerment through education and<br />
in practical action”.<br />
Since its creation in 2001 <strong>CLEAR</strong> has generated<br />
income of £4.23 million for the specific<br />
purpose of supporting refugees and asylum<br />
seekers in <strong>Southampton</strong>. It has successfully<br />
bid for grants from the National Lottery and<br />
obtained Trust Funding. It has also won both<br />
national government grants and local partnership<br />
contracts.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> exists to help those seeking<br />
refuge in <strong>Southampton</strong> to build new<br />
lives in the UK by providing a uniquely<br />
powerful blend of free advice and<br />
practical support to asylum seekers,<br />
refugees and other migrants, and a<br />
wide range of courses in English<br />
language and life in the UK<br />
Number of people helped by <strong>CLEAR</strong> from 2001 to 2022<br />
Number of people<br />
Figure 4<br />
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ADVICE SESSIONS<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> has provided near to 40,000 advice<br />
sessions over the last 20 years to 9,439 clients.<br />
The advice sessions offer information<br />
and guidance to refugees and people seeking<br />
safety that covers immigration, benefits, housing<br />
and utilities support, help in accessing education,<br />
healthcare, passport applications and<br />
both prevention of and recovery from destitution<br />
. Employment advice is offered to asylum<br />
seekers and EU migrants with pre-settled or<br />
settled status, and includes assistance with<br />
job applications; searching for the right job,<br />
preparing CVs and cover letters, and helping<br />
to complete application forms. <strong>CLEAR</strong>, accredited<br />
with Office of the Immigration Services<br />
Commissioner (OISC) to level 1, provides specialist<br />
and credible support for people seeking<br />
asylum and immigration related advice . Given<br />
the complexity of the application process and<br />
the vulnerability of those applying for asylum<br />
in a new country, having such an accreditation<br />
demonstrates that <strong>CLEAR</strong> is not only deemed<br />
‘fit’ to provide immigration advice services by<br />
the Home Office with a history of honesty and<br />
legal compliance, but also that it is ‘competent’<br />
to do so. <strong>CLEAR</strong> has demonstrated that it can<br />
be trusted to give advice that won’t take advantage<br />
or mislead asylum seekers but enable<br />
applicants to understand the requirements<br />
and entitlements of the asylum system.<br />
The project also holds the Advice Quality<br />
Standard, which provides clients with assurance<br />
that they have met certain criteria that<br />
demonstrate a commitment to quality.<br />
The number of advice sessions compared to<br />
the number of clients shows that many clients<br />
don’t just come for one session only; demonstrating<br />
the support and relationship that has<br />
been built between <strong>CLEAR</strong> and the people<br />
accessing the services as they navigate the<br />
complexity of challenges in re-building their<br />
lives in a new country and community.<br />
Advice is also offered at a weekly drop-in, in<br />
partnership with <strong>Southampton</strong> and Winchester<br />
Visitors Group and Avenue St Andrews<br />
Church. In addition to advice, guests are also<br />
able to get help with English and enjoy food<br />
and friendship with others.<br />
The advice streams provided by <strong>CLEAR</strong> support<br />
both asylum seekers in the process of<br />
making their claim as well as people who have<br />
received their right to remain status. These<br />
specific areas of advice are with the goal of<br />
enabling people to integrate as they gain access<br />
to housing, education, health, and employment<br />
in what Ager and Strang (2008)<br />
describe as “Markers and Means” in their<br />
conceptual framework for understanding integration.<br />
Without such support it would prove<br />
even more challenging for refugees and people<br />
seeking safety in the UK to find economic<br />
independence, to develop skills, and maintain<br />
good health that enables participation and engagement<br />
in society.<br />
Language and cultural knowledge are known<br />
to be key barriers to integration that impact<br />
not only how markers and means (such as<br />
housing, education, health and work) are accessed,<br />
but how communities are formed . Not<br />
being able to speak the host language hinders<br />
social interaction with the host community,<br />
economic integration, and access to essential<br />
services. It is a crucial skill that gives individuals<br />
greater feelings of control and autonomy<br />
over their lives as they more effectively communicate<br />
with doctors, banks, teachers, and<br />
employers.<br />
Understanding local and national culture regarding<br />
procedures and customs impacts how<br />
individuals develop relationships and embed<br />
themselves into society.<br />
Since 2001 <strong>CLEAR</strong> has enrolled 6,030 students<br />
on their English for Speakers of Other Languages<br />
(ESOL) classes. The classes are led by<br />
qualified and experienced ESOL teachers and<br />
are offered at four levels to accommodate varying<br />
levels and abilities, including a pre-entry,<br />
and the most advanced at Entry Level 3.<br />
The ESOL courses run for a period of 32 weeks<br />
and seek to develop students’ speaking, listening,<br />
reading and writing abilities in preparation<br />
for Trinity College London exams, and<br />
progression into higher classes or mainstream<br />
provision.<br />
Currently funded by <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council<br />
and the National Lottery, <strong>CLEAR</strong>’s ESOL classes<br />
are free for asylum seekers. This is particularly<br />
important as asylum seekers already face<br />
financial challenges due to the limited government<br />
support. The funding received sets how<br />
many places are available, and the courses run<br />
by <strong>CLEAR</strong> are often oversubscribed.<br />
The requirements linked to adult education<br />
provision through local authority funding add<br />
another layer of administrative burden on<br />
ESOL providers as they need to demonstrate<br />
compliance with a set curriculum, lesson plans<br />
and preparation for the final tests . While a<br />
level of accountability is important in ensuring<br />
quality provision and teaching that facilitates<br />
learning, it doesn’t always allow sufficient flexibility<br />
to respond to some of the underlying<br />
holistic needs such as confidence building or<br />
bridge building through relationships . This is<br />
one of the reasons why <strong>CLEAR</strong> offer a range of<br />
additional courses to ensure holistic support.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> exists to help those seeking refuge in <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
to build new lives in the UK by providing a uniquely powerful blend<br />
of free advice and practical support to asylum seekers, refugees and other<br />
migrants, and a wide range of courses in English language and life in the UK<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client<br />
ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS<br />
OF OTHER LANGUAGES<br />
(ESOL)<br />
& ADULT EDUCATION<br />
CLASSES<br />
With between 10 and 42 different courses<br />
running over the course of a year and an estimated<br />
6,000 learners over the last 20 years,<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> has proactively helped refugees and<br />
vulnerable groups arriving in <strong>Southampton</strong> develop<br />
both their English language and cultural<br />
knowledge. Given that the ESOL programme<br />
runs over the course of 32 weeks, it can be<br />
estimated that <strong>CLEAR</strong> have provided over<br />
192,000 English language classes.<br />
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47
Providing a holistic service, emphasis on CPD,<br />
trauma informed practice and access to other<br />
services and support are key strengths that<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> demonstrate. They do this by understanding<br />
the needs of the people accessing<br />
their services and responding in turn. This<br />
can be seen through initiatives such as a creche<br />
being run at the same time as some of<br />
the ESOL language classes, enabling women<br />
in particular to participate in courses who<br />
wouldn’t be able to do so otherwise.<br />
Engaging women in this manner not only reduces<br />
the gaps in integration due to being<br />
in a new country, but addresses some of the<br />
discrimination faced by women in countries<br />
where access to and participation in education<br />
and opportunities is severely limited.<br />
The range of additional courses that <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
offers continues to demonstrate the importance<br />
of access to and participation in classes<br />
that are practical and relevant to life. Numeracy<br />
and ESOL for beginners, a Level 2 customer<br />
service skills course, additional literacy and<br />
digital workshops are just some of the courses<br />
that evidence how <strong>CLEAR</strong> continue to adapt<br />
their provision to enable refugees and asylum<br />
seekers to gain the relevant skills and knowledge<br />
to integrate. <strong>Digital</strong> skills have been recognised<br />
as an additional facilitator of social<br />
connection and integration in the updated version<br />
of Ager and Stang’s integration framework<br />
as the challenges faced are different now as<br />
society continues to develop.<br />
HONG KONG WELCOME<br />
In 2021, City Life Church was awarded a grant<br />
from national government to set up and lead<br />
the Hong Kong Welcome project and develop<br />
a website for Hong Kong British Nationals<br />
(Overseas) relocating to <strong>Southampton</strong> under<br />
the new immigration route which was opened<br />
in response to the national security laws imposed<br />
by the Chinese government . It is estimated<br />
that 1,000 HongKongers have moved to<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> since 2019.<br />
The Hong Kong Welcome reached out<br />
and was a bridge. My life is better<br />
after they reached out, they may not<br />
have discovered, but it had a positive<br />
impact on my mental health<br />
Two-way integration highlights that successful<br />
integration is not possible with work being<br />
carried out by the ‘newcomer’ alone, but is<br />
dependent on both the host community and<br />
incoming people working relationally together<br />
rather than separately influencing one another<br />
from a distance.<br />
The Welcome Programme employed a Cantonese-speaking<br />
outreach worker to facilitate the<br />
bespoke programme and foster trust and relationships<br />
to maximise engagement and participation.<br />
There was also a welcome website<br />
with links to information specific to <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
regarding health, housing, education, careers,<br />
faith groups and local information such<br />
as transport, elections, shopping and leisure<br />
activities.<br />
- A Hong Kong BN(O) part of the Hong Kong Welcome<br />
Partnering with HongKongers in Britain (HKB)<br />
and Citizens Advice <strong>Southampton</strong> (CAS), the<br />
purpose of the project is to welcome Hong<br />
Kong nationals through a range of events<br />
that help new arrivals integrate into the local<br />
community in <strong>Southampton</strong>. The project was<br />
supported by <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council and<br />
a range of community partners and is a commitment<br />
that recognises the role that the host<br />
community has in effective integration.<br />
Councillor Spiros Vassiliou, Cabinet Member for Communities,<br />
Culture and Heritage at <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council<br />
Annual income raised by <strong>CLEAR</strong> from 2001 to 2022<br />
Income raised<br />
Figure 5<br />
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49
In addition to providing useful information to<br />
help navigate life in <strong>Southampton</strong>, the Hong<br />
Kong Welcome Programme created opportunities<br />
for people to come together, experience<br />
and share local culture, and develop community.<br />
Some of the events included tours around<br />
the city, a welcome BBQ in the summer (attended<br />
by over 100 people), a Christmas carol<br />
concert at Winchester Cathedral, multiple<br />
friendship festivals, Hong Kong Art and Film<br />
Exhibition, welcome courses, and specific<br />
seminars on topics such as civic responsibility,<br />
social engagement and how to report hate<br />
crime.<br />
Support from Churches<br />
While City Life’s refugee project, <strong>CLEAR</strong>, has<br />
developed and grown into a charity providing<br />
specialist interventions, other churches have<br />
contributed to integration through a range of<br />
other activities. Through word-of-mouth with<br />
people joining their churches, this decentralised<br />
approach allows local churches to make<br />
a significant impact on the members through<br />
maintaining connections within their congregations.<br />
This more personalised response to<br />
the unique needs of refugees, building relationships<br />
and a network of support that extends<br />
beyond traditional institutional boundaries<br />
of a set lesson plan and curriculum, is one<br />
that exemplifies the role of community.<br />
and are free of charge. This inclusivity seeks to<br />
break down barriers in access and promote a<br />
sense of unity among diverse individuals. The<br />
cafes serve as safe learning spaces, providing<br />
refugees with an opportunity to enhance their<br />
language skills in an environment that prioritises<br />
practical communication over exam-focused<br />
learning.<br />
Learners can engage with the language at their<br />
own pace, fostering a more comfortable and<br />
supportive atmosphere conducive to effective<br />
learning. The emphasis on practical communication<br />
skills ensures that refugees not only<br />
acquire language proficiency, but also gain the<br />
confidence to navigate real-life situations in<br />
their new environment, and gain confidence as<br />
they share their stories and are heard without<br />
it being in relation to an application for health,<br />
housing or as part of the asylum process.<br />
Beyond helping with language acquisition, language<br />
cafes play a crucial role in building social<br />
connections and relationships. Participants in<br />
the cafes often share common experiences,<br />
creating a supportive community where individuals<br />
can relate to each other’s challenges<br />
and successes. The cafes serve as more than<br />
just educational spaces; they become hubs<br />
for social interaction and cultural exchange,<br />
contributing to the broader goal of fostering a<br />
sense of belonging among refugees.<br />
The language cafes, led by volunteers with a<br />
passion for helping people who are vulnerable<br />
and have experienced trauma, provide a place<br />
for pastoral care to take place. It can be hard<br />
for asylum seekers to find care and healing in<br />
a new environment where they still have to relive<br />
their experiences in order to evidence the<br />
validity of their claim.<br />
Language cafes in churches have provided a<br />
space outside of a pressurised environment<br />
where encouragement and hope are shared<br />
and healing and sanctuary can be found.<br />
Church members have helped to provide practical<br />
support as they listen to the needs and<br />
experiences that emerge through the language<br />
cafes. Examples include help in finding<br />
furniture, moving to new accommodation, support<br />
with groceries; acts that really help people<br />
feel cared for and welcomed as they adjust<br />
to a new life.<br />
City Life Church successfully sponsored a<br />
Syrian Family in 2022 through the Home Office<br />
Community Sponsorship Scheme. They<br />
moved from a refugee camp in the Middle East<br />
to settle in <strong>Southampton</strong>. Working with Hope<br />
into Action, a Christian housing project, this<br />
family was housed and another refugee family<br />
who had successfully claimed asylum was also<br />
housed.<br />
Above Bar Church has helped five people find<br />
housing and stay in <strong>Southampton</strong> who otherwise<br />
would have had to uproot their lives and<br />
move to a different city.<br />
For asylum seekers who have sought refuge<br />
on the grounds of religious persecution, the<br />
church community provides not only a place to<br />
develop their skills and receive practical help<br />
and encouragement, but a place to express<br />
their faith supported and surrounded by fellow<br />
believers, finding a place of freedom to share<br />
the faith that at one point had been the cause<br />
of hostility and abuse.<br />
Some churches have gone further still in creating<br />
special services, studies and groups to<br />
help refugees feel included as part of church<br />
life as they live out their faith. By having songs<br />
led in multiple languages, Bible studies translated,<br />
and welcome events, refugees are welcomed<br />
and valued as part of the local Christian<br />
community. Above Bar Church has translated<br />
their baptism course into several languages<br />
and 20 Iranians have been baptised in recent<br />
months. The services were not livestreamed to<br />
minimise the risk to family members if names<br />
and faces were seen on screen.<br />
These initiatives not only contribute to skill<br />
development but, more importantly, foster<br />
a sense of community, understanding, and<br />
shared humanity in the process of rebuilding<br />
lives. Christians have the opportunity to provide<br />
impactful support with very little training.<br />
By giving a helping hand, time to listen, and<br />
opportunities to practice speaking English,<br />
they can see vulnerable groups experience<br />
transformative change in their confidence and<br />
sense of belonging.<br />
– Chris Webb, Minister for discipleship, Above Bar Church<br />
One such initiative implemented by several<br />
churches in <strong>Southampton</strong> involves the establishment<br />
of English language cafes. The language<br />
cafes are available for anyone to attend<br />
English Language Cafe Learner<br />
at Above Bar Church<br />
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City of Sanctuary<br />
The City of Sanctuary movement in the UK is<br />
an initiative with the overarching goal of creating<br />
welcoming and inclusive communities for<br />
refugees and asylum seekers by working with<br />
the community itself . The City of Sanctuary<br />
work is built upon the belief and assumption<br />
that facilitating effective integration is not only<br />
down to those arriving in a new community,<br />
but also through the participation and welcome<br />
of the host community. In this collaborative<br />
approach, host communities play a crucial<br />
role in fostering an environment of acceptance<br />
and inclusion, recognising the skills, experiences,<br />
cultural diversity and contribution that<br />
refugees bring to communities.<br />
One of the primary objectives is to encourage<br />
cities, towns and communities across the UK<br />
to declare themselves as places of sanctuary,<br />
committing to building bridges of understanding<br />
and support between newcomers and people<br />
within local communities. These sanctuary<br />
cities aim to challenge stereotypes and dispel<br />
misconceptions about refugees, promoting a<br />
narrative of shared humanity.<br />
Through partnerships with local authorities,<br />
businesses, schools and civil society, the work<br />
of City of Sanctuary seeks to provide practical<br />
assistance, educational opportunities and employment<br />
prospects to refugees.<br />
The <strong>Southampton</strong> City of Sanctuary group,<br />
spearheaded by the late Stephen Press, was<br />
established in 2013 and drove the collaboration<br />
work leading to <strong>Southampton</strong> being recognised<br />
as a City of Sanctuary in 2017, a commitment<br />
publicly supported by <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
City Council. In <strong>Southampton</strong> the goals were<br />
for the local community to learn what it means<br />
to be seeking sanctuary, embed concepts of<br />
welcome, safety and inclusion into city life,<br />
and to share the vision and achievements. The<br />
initiative was community-driven, emphasising<br />
the passions and means of expression of the<br />
people involved. The collaboration among various<br />
champions in organisations and schools<br />
resulted in the creation and implementation of<br />
diverse ideas.<br />
Over 20 schools embraced the City of Sanctuary<br />
ethos, engaging in both teaching and<br />
awareness initiatives while creating resources<br />
to aid learning about sanctuary concepts.<br />
Universities provided accessible courses for<br />
refugees and asylum seekers lacking financial<br />
means, but with the capability to access the<br />
learning. Solent University is now a University<br />
of Sanctuary and the University of <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
is also in the process of accreditation.<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> libraries have also been recognised<br />
as Libraries of Sanctuary.<br />
Driven by the local community in <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
and supported by World Stages Now, a<br />
theatrical stream conducted drama lessons<br />
and training to create theatre pieces on migration-related<br />
themes that were then performed<br />
in the community. Performances were held in<br />
multiple local venues such as the Mayflower<br />
Theatre and schools, followed by workshops<br />
to facilitate learning about migration and asylum.<br />
World Stages Now is a volunteer led community<br />
organisation based in <strong>Southampton</strong>, UK.<br />
Most of the performers, writers, directors, musicians<br />
and dancers are also seeking asylum or<br />
are recently recognised refugees. Since 2013<br />
the group has created and performed several<br />
pieces of original theatre especially for Refu-<br />
gee Week exploring issues that are personal<br />
whilst also celebrating the national theme.<br />
World Stages Now has also performed work at<br />
additional events throughout this year including<br />
International Women’s Day at West Quay in<br />
March and the Now-Here Festival celebrating<br />
the contribution made by the migrant community<br />
at NST Nuffield Theatre in April. World<br />
Stages Now currently has 27 members all of<br />
whom have a refugee or asylum background<br />
and who have given their time freely to be<br />
involved in many activities over the past 10<br />
years raising awareness and supporting other<br />
groups.<br />
Other community-driven approaches have<br />
manifested in practical initiatives, such as the<br />
donation of 16 sewing machines, enabling a<br />
group of women to sew while providing a safe<br />
space for discussions that led to crucial support.<br />
In 2019, the City of Sanctuary <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
secured funding for a mosaic, visually symbolising<br />
the commitment of the council and the<br />
city to transform <strong>Southampton</strong> into a welcoming<br />
City of Sanctuary.<br />
World Stages Now has greatly impacted my life as an individual and the<br />
community as whole. As an individual, World Stages Now has fostered<br />
skills such as communication, engagement, embracing diversity<br />
and listening through theatre.<br />
Member of the World Stages Community<br />
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8) The impact<br />
This section seeks to make known the impacts and outcomes of these outputs. These impacts<br />
derive from over 30 semi-structured interviews with a range of clients, learners and community<br />
partners (including civil servants in the welfare state). The outcomes impact both individual lives<br />
and the wider community in the short term, medium term and long term.<br />
Immediate Support:<br />
Practical provision that<br />
impacts positively on<br />
health and wellbeing<br />
Immediate impact comes from the practical<br />
support provided that meets the needs of refugees,<br />
asylum seekers and vulnerable people<br />
as they find themselves without adequate<br />
support. Many of the people interviewed mentioned<br />
how food support, clothes, furniture<br />
and even offers of housing made a huge difference.<br />
Receiving food aid and provisions during<br />
the initial accommodation period was crucial<br />
in addressing challenges posed by the system<br />
regarding hunger and physical wellbeing.<br />
When the support from the government is not<br />
enough to buy sufficient food as well as save<br />
and prepare for a positive response regarding<br />
an asylum claim, and the housing provided was<br />
often uninhabitable, the impact of interventions<br />
and provision during this initial time was<br />
invaluable to those interviewees. Without such<br />
support from the local faith-based communities,<br />
they didn’t know how they would have<br />
survived or provided for their families, but they<br />
also reported not being able to engage in other<br />
activities that led to increased integration.<br />
Without such support they would not have<br />
been able to engage in the activities that lead<br />
to greater opportunities for progression and a<br />
different life in <strong>Southampton</strong>; activities such as<br />
attending English language classes, accessing<br />
healthcare, meeting with their case worker<br />
and even getting help or advice.<br />
The provision of such practical help not only<br />
impacted their physical health, the engagement<br />
with activities in the asylum seeker system<br />
was also a demonstration of their welcome<br />
within the community which had a positive impact<br />
on mental health which then led to further<br />
engagement in community activities and led to<br />
greater feelings of support and safety.<br />
We were told there were some events<br />
happening on Friday in the church, so<br />
we went and saw someone with a<br />
friendly face and they helped us with<br />
food because the money we were given<br />
wasn’t much<br />
We were told there were some events happening on Friday in the church,<br />
so we went and saw someone with a friendly face and they helped us with<br />
food because the money we were given wasn’t much<br />
English language learner at one of the English language cafés<br />
– English language learner at one of the English language cafés<br />
I had no furniture, nothing. Then the<br />
church came and gave me some<br />
furniture and link with the council.<br />
That was 3 years ago now!<br />
- English language café language learner at Above Bar Church<br />
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Reducing Social Isolation<br />
Another area of great impact was the spaces<br />
and community created by Christian organisations<br />
as they provided their interventions. This<br />
was an impact experienced by those seeking<br />
asylum, as well as those who had arrived<br />
through the different resettlement schemes.<br />
People may have differing experiences of<br />
housing upon arrival in the UK depending on<br />
whether they have planned host families or<br />
go into dispersal accommodation, but every<br />
new person looking to start a new life in a new<br />
country faces the difficult work of integrating<br />
within a new community. The creation of<br />
community spaces through English language<br />
cafes, welcome events, church services, Bible<br />
studies and a myriad of different interventions<br />
helps individuals make relationships and build<br />
community.<br />
Many of the people interviewed gave an account<br />
of an initial period of feeling completely<br />
isolated, experiencing moments of depression<br />
and high levels of anxiety until they started<br />
attending some of the community groups<br />
or events. One person said how they waited<br />
six months before meeting new people, yet<br />
through the opportunity provided by the Hong<br />
Kong Welcome they saw their experience of<br />
life in the UK shift significantly for the better,<br />
and experienced positive impacts on their<br />
mental health too.<br />
neys as them which added to the encouragement<br />
and healing experienced by being in a<br />
safe place.<br />
The regularity of different events across the<br />
city and within churches provided a level of<br />
rhythm and dependability that boosted the<br />
confidence and hopes of people waiting for<br />
a result of a job application or asylum claim.<br />
Waiting without knowing a certain date for<br />
when a result would come through seemed<br />
endless, but being able to look forward to a<br />
regular event with similar people and start<br />
building relationships gave people hope.<br />
The impact of the community spaces goes<br />
further than uniting people with similar experiences,<br />
it helps to unite and grow the whole<br />
community. Activities such as the Hong Kong<br />
Welcome, BBQ’s, City of Sanctuary events in<br />
schools and in the theatre help to provide a<br />
place to exchange stories, cultures, and link<br />
and form connections within the community.<br />
Through such activities many people interviewed<br />
shared how they felt safer and welcomed<br />
as part of the events by the wider<br />
community. This sharing not only benefits the<br />
people arriving in the UK but helps to change<br />
some of the attitudes held within society and<br />
foster ones of empathy and understanding.<br />
– South East Strategic Partnership for Migration Lead<br />
It is a work that local authorities do not have<br />
the capacity to lead or support as their focus<br />
is much more on the practical support such<br />
as accommodation and finance (which even<br />
then is severely limited). Without the church,<br />
the local community and individuals stepping<br />
in to create safe, supportive places and foster<br />
relationships, these vulnerable people would<br />
remain distant and isolated from the rest of<br />
society.<br />
Advocacy and Signposting<br />
The support work in <strong>Southampton</strong> has not only<br />
had enduring effects on immediate physical<br />
health and creation of community support, but<br />
their initiatives have been instrumental in creating<br />
long-term opportunities that were previously<br />
inaccessible to many asylum seekers<br />
and people arriving in the UK. Through advice<br />
sessions, mentoring programmes, practical<br />
classes and volunteering services, individuals<br />
who may have struggled to develop confidence<br />
and language skills have been equipped<br />
with the tools needed to secure employment,<br />
thereby ensuring long-term job security.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> advice sessions helped many asylum<br />
seekers understand and prepare for their<br />
claim. One couple shared how without <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
helping them with their claim the mistakes on<br />
their application form might not have been noticed<br />
and could have slowed down the process<br />
even more.<br />
One lady shared how she was able to get the<br />
training, support and opportunity to volunteer<br />
that led to her getting a job; support that she<br />
previously would not have been given in the<br />
country that she fled from.<br />
By offering guidance, support, and practical<br />
assistance, these initiatives have empowered<br />
individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve<br />
long-term success, thereby transforming lives<br />
and strengthening communities.<br />
Funding and involvement of both the national<br />
and local governments is limited to areas<br />
of practical support such as housing, finance<br />
and ESOL classes, but there is no specific input<br />
into the areas of supporting and restoring<br />
wellbeing.<br />
The events and opportunities for meeting and<br />
gathering were said to have far more profound<br />
an impact than mere entertainment; they were<br />
a platform for sharing, healing and social integration.<br />
Many of the people interviewed mentioned<br />
the sense of peace and healing they<br />
felt being able to meet other people who had<br />
experienced and more fully understood the<br />
experiences they had faced. Beyond having<br />
to share their story in order to legitimise their<br />
asylum case they found comfort being listened<br />
to and heard; and in turn this led to relationships<br />
being formed through which a newfound<br />
confidence then enabled greater participation<br />
in community life. They were also able to receive<br />
practical advice and encouragement<br />
from people who had experienced similar jour-<br />
It gave me something I knew I could<br />
look forward to.<br />
The process was slow and I couldn’t<br />
see the end, so it was long. But<br />
knowing that in the week I had<br />
something on with friendly people<br />
meant that I could hold on<br />
– Learner at an English language café<br />
Without such spaces for people to get together<br />
and be welcomed not only would society be<br />
less safe, but people starting a life in the UK<br />
would not participate as much as they remain<br />
in places of trauma, isolation and brokenness<br />
trying to move forward past oppression.<br />
Ð A Hong Kong BN(O) part of the Hong Kong Welcome<br />
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One of the standout themes arising from the<br />
interviews with service partners was the way<br />
that non-statutory organisations were able<br />
to be a voice for vulnerable people groups to<br />
have their experiences and hardships heard.<br />
These organisations, through their proximity to<br />
refugees and asylum seekers, have emerged<br />
as powerful advocates, representing the voices<br />
of those who might otherwise remain unheard<br />
or marginalised. This role as a voice for<br />
the voiceless has immediate and long-term<br />
implications for the communities they serve.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> was open and helped us to write<br />
CVs, there was another guy who helped<br />
us prepare for the interview which<br />
helped me get my job<br />
– <strong>CLEAR</strong> Client<br />
Initially, by amplifying the experiences and<br />
hardships of vulnerable individuals, these organisations<br />
played a crucial role in providing<br />
support and raising awareness about the conditions<br />
faced by asylum seekers. Through their<br />
advocacy efforts, they shed light on pressing<br />
issues, fostering empathy and understanding<br />
within broader society.<br />
This was particularly true with regards to the<br />
living conditions and housing requirements<br />
that otherwise may have gone unnoticed. Having<br />
a good and trusted relationship with the<br />
council meant that <strong>CLEAR</strong> was able to draw<br />
attention to situations where there was overcrowding<br />
in homes, inadequate water and unsafe<br />
spaces and ask the council to act.<br />
interviewees from the local council shared<br />
how often the voices of <strong>CLEAR</strong> and other organisations<br />
provided the needed evidence<br />
to have conversations with the Home Office<br />
that could only come from people who worked<br />
closely with asylum seekers in temporary accommodation.<br />
Importantly, the depth of involvement exhibited<br />
by church communities sets them apart<br />
from service providers that are transactional<br />
and intermittent in the way they provide their<br />
services. Instead, churches are deeply invested<br />
in the lives of those they serve, actively<br />
walking alongside individuals to meet the gaps<br />
in provision and offering support where institutional<br />
assistance falls short.<br />
A common safeguarding issue reported by<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> was age disputes by people assessed<br />
to be adults but who claimed to be children.<br />
In these cases, with identification documentation<br />
unavailable, the Home Office may assess<br />
someone to be older than they say they are.<br />
This has led to people being kept in accommodation<br />
with other adults which wouldn’t be<br />
suitable if they had been assessed as children.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> has advocated and been successful in<br />
querying age disputes, leading to people being<br />
given safer, more appropriate accommodation<br />
with the support of social services.<br />
This sustained engagement allows them to<br />
bear witness to the realities faced by refugees<br />
and asylum seekers, informing their advocacy<br />
efforts and ensuring that the voices of the<br />
most vulnerable are not only heard, but that<br />
action can come from their voice being shared.<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> have been very powerful advocate for vulnerable people within<br />
the city and being a place that provides one of the very few places<br />
that can provide support to those people who are in the city<br />
– Executive Director Communities, Culture & Homes 2020-2023<br />
Furthermore, working closely with refugees<br />
allowed local organisations in <strong>Southampton</strong><br />
to advocate for longer-term issues related to<br />
safety, stability and racism within the community.<br />
By sharing real-life experiences, they<br />
catalysed action by local councils and other<br />
stakeholders, adding a trusted voice to tangible<br />
changes in policies and practices aimed<br />
at addressing systemic challenges. One of the<br />
We’re able to help people we wouldn’t<br />
normally come across because of the<br />
trust that the community have with<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
- Adult Learning Manager for <strong>Southampton</strong> City Council<br />
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9) Conclusions<br />
With an estimated 66,000 interventions over<br />
20 years provided to vulnerable people arriving<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> by <strong>CLEAR</strong>, and numerous<br />
unrecorded acts of support and compassion<br />
given by other local organisations, it is clear<br />
that the church and other organisations are<br />
needed to ensure effective and successful integration.<br />
The interventions provided are in response<br />
to the gaps in both national and local provision<br />
and are the outworking of a faith which<br />
calls people to love their neighbours. With<br />
the nations arriving in the UK escaping persecution,<br />
war, corruption and oppression the<br />
community-based actions have the power to<br />
ensure that they do not experience the very<br />
real risk of homelessness, poverty and declining<br />
physical and mental health. The example<br />
seen in <strong>Southampton</strong> shows that Christians, in<br />
particular, don’t have to go on a mission trip<br />
across the world to share the gospel and have<br />
an impact, but can share their faith practically<br />
through volunteering at English language<br />
cafes, mentoring, hosting events within the<br />
community and extending practical support<br />
through provision of food and helping with accommodation.<br />
The analysis of desktop materials, research<br />
papers and over 30 semi-structured interviews<br />
with clients, learners and community partners<br />
has demonstrated the role that is needed both<br />
in providing immediate practical provision, as<br />
well as longer term impact through opening<br />
up opportunities for community relationship<br />
building, and access to education, housing,<br />
health and employment which have a longerterm<br />
impact.<br />
The evaluation shows that the provision of<br />
food, clothing, and accommodation has significant<br />
positive impacts on asylum seekers’<br />
physical health as they undergo the asylum-seeking<br />
process. This support has helped<br />
to alleviate the dire circumstances within<br />
which they are placed, with extremely limited<br />
financial support, and with often cramped, unsafe<br />
and unclean accommodation. The impact<br />
goes beyond just the physical; it also supports<br />
the mental health of people in this immediate<br />
stage as they are able to focus on their application<br />
and take part in activities that will aid<br />
their integration.<br />
Many interviewees highlighted how immediate<br />
support, such as food aid, clothing, furniture<br />
and housing assistance has been essential for<br />
their survival and wellbeing during their initial<br />
accommodation, enabling them to access<br />
other activities crucial for integration, such as<br />
English language classes and healthcare. The<br />
provision of such practical help not only impacted<br />
physical health, but also had positive<br />
effects on mental wellbeing, fostering feelings<br />
of support, safety and community inclusion.<br />
One of the key findings from the interviews<br />
was the way in which interventions such as<br />
advice sessions, ESOL classes, and English<br />
language cafes were able to positively impact<br />
access to opportunities of employment and<br />
health. This has been achieved through various<br />
programmes and practical classes, as individuals<br />
have been equipped with the tools<br />
needed to secure employment and achieve<br />
long-term success. <strong>CLEAR</strong>’s extensive provision<br />
of nearly 66,000 interventions comprising<br />
advice sessions, English language and adult<br />
education classes, reflects the depth of support<br />
provided to almost 9,500 clients. Without<br />
these services many refugees and people<br />
arriving in the UK would find it challenging to<br />
integrate into society and would end up struggling<br />
to secure healthy lives.<br />
Moreover, the free access to these courses for<br />
asylum seekers, funded by <strong>Southampton</strong> City<br />
Council and the National Lottery, has alleviated<br />
financial burdens and enabled individuals<br />
to focus on their integration journey without<br />
financial constraints. <strong>CLEAR</strong> has gone above<br />
and beyond to ensure that barriers to engagement<br />
are removed by minimising costs and<br />
providing creches so that parents with children<br />
can access the courses which has resulted in<br />
high levels of engagement.<br />
Another key finding is that the activities offered<br />
by local organisations don’t just meet<br />
people’s physical and practical needs, but also<br />
address the challenges of isolation and loneliness<br />
within individuals and the community<br />
at large. English language cafes and church<br />
gatherings provided spaces for individuals to<br />
connect, share experiences and foster healing.<br />
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They had a great impact in helping combat<br />
loneliness and isolation by connecting people<br />
to their communities and led to feelings of stability,<br />
welcome and safety which had a positive<br />
impact on individuals’ mental health which in<br />
turn led to further participation within community<br />
life. The regularity of these events has<br />
provided a sense of rhythm and dependability<br />
for individuals navigating uncertain circumstances,<br />
offering hope and encouragement in<br />
times of waiting and uncertainty. Without the<br />
church in these safe spaces, many individuals<br />
would not be able to start progressing past<br />
their trauma. The impact of trauma left untreated<br />
has a cost that then prohibits engagement<br />
and growth in their lives.<br />
The interviews with different learners and clients<br />
not only highlighted the prominence of<br />
the work of Christian faith-based groups in<br />
particular, but found spaces such as English<br />
language cafes, welcome events, and cultural<br />
festivals fostered a sense of belonging<br />
and community among those navigating the<br />
complexities of resettlement. The impacts of<br />
these community spaces extend beyond mere<br />
entertainment, serving as platforms for social<br />
integration, support and empowerment. The<br />
benefits of events like this is that they don’t<br />
have to happen as often as weekly, but they do<br />
open access to the whole community. Without<br />
such events communities remain isolated and<br />
alone. When local governments are stretched<br />
financially to the point where they struggle<br />
to meet adequate provision, the opportunity<br />
of bridging the gap between communities<br />
through hospitality lies within the skillset and<br />
mandate of the church.<br />
A key finding from the interviews with community<br />
partners was that faith-based organisations<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> have emerged as<br />
powerful advocates, amplifying the voices of<br />
vulnerable individuals, particularly refugees<br />
and asylum seekers, who might otherwise remain<br />
unheard or marginalised. These organisations<br />
are trusted by the local authorities due<br />
to their professionalism and continued commitment<br />
over a long period of time.<br />
Their depth of involvement sets them apart<br />
from more transactional service providers, as<br />
they actively walk alongside individuals, offering<br />
support where institutional assistance falls<br />
short. This proximity has played a crucial role<br />
in raising awareness about pressing issues,<br />
shedding light on living conditions, housing requirements<br />
and longer-term challenges related<br />
to safety, stability and discrimination within<br />
the community, and is seen as a trusted voice<br />
that speaks from evidence and conviction.<br />
By actively listening to the needs of refugees<br />
and responding with practical assistance, the<br />
churches have played a vital role in fostering a<br />
sense of belonging, safety and dignity among<br />
vulnerable people, ultimately facilitating transformative<br />
change and empowering individuals<br />
to rebuild their lives with confidence and resilience.<br />
The findings and outputs of this report have<br />
demonstrated that local organisations are not<br />
only able to impact their communities and<br />
thousands of lives for the better, but that they<br />
are needed in society. The situation seems<br />
bleak and unsalvageable when reliant upon<br />
government input alone; without intervention<br />
from the churches and other local organisations<br />
these risks will continue to mount and<br />
negatively impact the immediate physical<br />
health, mental health and long-term prospects<br />
of people coming to this country.<br />
However, this evaluation of the refugee response<br />
in <strong>Southampton</strong> demonstrates that<br />
there is hope, that faith-based organisations<br />
can make a tangible difference in their communities,<br />
and that if these vulnerable people<br />
groups are to heal through participating in<br />
society the church is needed to fill the gaps.<br />
They are able to step into the gaps of government<br />
provision and lead their communities in<br />
providing support in a range of areas from immediate<br />
support, removing obstacles and barriers<br />
to long term opportunities, creating spaces<br />
of welcome, healing and belonging which<br />
helps shape stable and safe communities, as<br />
well as being a powerful advocate for the experiences<br />
faced by vulnerable groups such as<br />
refugees and asylum seekers.<br />
By sharing these findings, we hope that the<br />
example in <strong>Southampton</strong> acts as an inspiration,<br />
challenge and encouragement for more<br />
people to consider their own communities and<br />
see how they too can provide support. Not<br />
every church will grow a project to the point it<br />
employs a staff team such as the <strong>CLEAR</strong> project,<br />
but every church can step into the immediate<br />
needs, can provide spaces for people to<br />
come and share their stories, receive support<br />
and see their confidence grow and their life<br />
transformed.<br />
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10) Recommendations<br />
Establish English language<br />
cafes<br />
English languages cafes are a relatively simple<br />
way of bringing people together in a safe<br />
environment. Not only are learners able to develop<br />
and practice their English language skills<br />
which helps with access to support employment,<br />
education and navigating community life<br />
such as transport and shopping, but they can<br />
act as places of healing, rest and support.<br />
By creating a relaxed environment where learners<br />
can ask questions, share their experiences<br />
and build friendships and foster social connections<br />
you will empower people by boosting<br />
their confidence and self-esteem and enable<br />
them to navigate the tasks and events of daily<br />
life more easily.<br />
It is important to consider what other churches<br />
and organisations may be doing in the locality<br />
to ensure the offer is coordinated and<br />
to avoid duplication. A knowledge of more<br />
formal opportunities is also required so that<br />
learners have the opportunity to further develop<br />
their learning. Resources and training to<br />
support conversation classes has been produced<br />
by Learning & Work – available here:<br />
https://learningandwork.org.uk/resources/<br />
research-and-reports/volunteers-english-language-learners-and-conversation-clubs/<br />
Facilitate opportunities<br />
for building bridges between<br />
host communities<br />
and new arrivals<br />
Creating events such as community BBQs,<br />
games nights, cultural festivals, storytelling<br />
events, seminars and tours, are another great<br />
and relatively simple way of making newcomers<br />
to the community feel welcomed while providing<br />
social connections between people and<br />
developing empathy and understanding from<br />
the host community.<br />
Gathering the community together in this way<br />
helps people seeking asylum and refugees<br />
feel safe and welcomed as they see a physical<br />
demonstration of wanting to connect, learn<br />
and understand. It alleviates feelings of isolation<br />
and loneliness both in the short term and<br />
in the long-term through the forming of relationships.<br />
Additionally, creating these opportunities not<br />
only helps build relationships with refugees,<br />
but can also serve churches in building relationships<br />
with the rest of their communities<br />
too. By intentionally adapting church services<br />
to become more refugee friendly through<br />
special welcome sessions, having elements<br />
(or even whole) services translated into different<br />
languages, and through including different<br />
styles of expression of worship refugees and<br />
migrants will be able to participate more fully<br />
in church life.<br />
Friendship festivals for HongKongers have<br />
been a prime example where over 200 people<br />
from the community regularly gather in <strong>Southampton</strong>,<br />
with the support of local churches, to<br />
create a strong sense of community as well as<br />
integration with the local community.<br />
Provide essential<br />
practical support<br />
during critical stages<br />
This evaluation has highlighted the scale of the<br />
challenges that refugees and asylum seekers<br />
face during the initial stages of the application<br />
process and the months following a right to remain<br />
decision, especially regarding living conditions,<br />
housing, and financial support.<br />
Support can be provided at various levels of<br />
commitment:<br />
• ‘One off’ donations of food, clothing,<br />
furniture and help with attending<br />
appointments<br />
• Hosting families from Ukraine<br />
• Providing continuous support<br />
through the Community Sponsorship<br />
Scheme<br />
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By helping with providing long-term or temporary<br />
accommodation either through connecting<br />
with housing providers or hosting within<br />
their homes people can help provide safe and<br />
stable housing. It is important to seek professional<br />
advice before offering accommodation<br />
as it may jeopardise someone’s access to asylum<br />
support.<br />
Providing food aid and clothing churches can<br />
make an immediate tangible difference and<br />
impact asylum seekers and refugees’ physical<br />
health and dignity.<br />
Offering transport assistance for refugees who<br />
may find it hard navigating transport systems in<br />
a new country helps ensure that asylum seekers<br />
and refugees are able, through safely recruited<br />
volunteers or staff members, to access<br />
essential services such as legal appointments,<br />
advice sessions and healthcare appointments.<br />
Creating IT drop-in sessions can fast track the<br />
access to support services such as the NHS,<br />
financial support and school applications for<br />
children, as well providing a space to create<br />
and submit applications for jobs having received<br />
a positive case decision.<br />
Provide training and support<br />
to leaders and teams<br />
Churches of any size can make an impact in<br />
the lives of those most in need in their communities,<br />
however, to ensure that this is sustainable<br />
over the long term it is important that<br />
leaders and teams don’t burn out.<br />
One such way is to partner and volunteer with<br />
a specialist organisation in your area (such as<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> in <strong>Southampton</strong>) and support the ongoing<br />
work. Another is to get specific training<br />
so that you provide accredited immigration advice.<br />
Having more people who are trained and<br />
available to help refugees and asylum seekers<br />
with their claims and understanding the UK<br />
system will increase the chances of people<br />
getting credible help and advice. Additionally,<br />
having formally recognised training provides<br />
an extra level of credibility when advocating for<br />
refugees and asylum seekers.<br />
Offering more holistic support and serving<br />
through pastorally caring for vulnerable people<br />
groups such as refugees means interacting<br />
with traumatic experiences of displacement,<br />
conflict and persecution. These are very specific<br />
and traumatic experiences that have not<br />
commonly been experienced. Therefore, it is<br />
even more important when doing this kind of<br />
work that volunteers and teams are provided<br />
with support and formal supervision where<br />
needed to mitigate the risk of vicarious trauma,<br />
as well as being able to provide the most effective<br />
support, ensuring the wellbeing of both<br />
refugees and volunteers.<br />
Churches should make sure that they lead their<br />
teams well by how they plan their outputs, systems<br />
and routines in relation to the capacity of<br />
their volunteers. Committing to the planning,<br />
organising and running of any intervention<br />
takes time and energy to do well.<br />
Ensure your church<br />
meetings are accessible,<br />
welcoming and appropriate<br />
for people from<br />
all cultures and backgrounds,<br />
not just those<br />
you are most familiar<br />
with<br />
The previous recommendations have related to<br />
activities that aim to aid all refugees and asylum<br />
seekers within the wider community. Yet<br />
with many refugees and asylum seekers joining<br />
local churches it is important that meetings<br />
and services engage and enable participation,<br />
not just attendance and observation.<br />
By offering translation services for the sermon,<br />
readings of scripture, communal songs of<br />
praise and worship, any midweek Bible study<br />
notes and wider communications such as announcements<br />
helps people to understand,<br />
participate, and be included in existing church<br />
practices.<br />
Going beyond and incorporating elements of<br />
diverse cultural practices into the church services<br />
can help attendees feel not only included,<br />
but represented, understood and valued.<br />
This may include incorporating songs, music,<br />
prayers or rituals from various cultural backgrounds,<br />
allowing everyone to celebrate their<br />
heritage within the context of worship.<br />
In the social moments after services where relationships<br />
continue to be built, highlighting a<br />
place or connect point for newcomers and visitors<br />
to the church to be welcomed is a physical<br />
and visible encouragement that they are welcomed.<br />
Churches should consider using this<br />
type of place with trained volunteers (maybe<br />
those who help at English language cafes)<br />
to start building meaningful connections and<br />
links within the church community. To have a<br />
welcoming congregation open to all people<br />
means that existing members cannot just stay<br />
within their groups or cliques but extend an<br />
open arm and invitation to those who may be<br />
different to them.<br />
Train and empower<br />
church members to<br />
welcome, engage with<br />
and support those from<br />
different cultures and<br />
backgrounds<br />
To see the recommendations in this report<br />
taken up and used to make a difference, it is<br />
vital that there is a movement in the hearts<br />
and minds of people. The work must begin<br />
within people which leads to work being done<br />
through them. This is a work of empathy and<br />
compassion, as Jesus himself was moved by<br />
compassion and led by love, so too must we<br />
be. Without understanding the reality of the<br />
experiences of the people coming to the UK<br />
people will not offer the money, food, time or<br />
comfort that is currently experienced in many<br />
of our church traditions.<br />
Therefore, church leaders should seek to provide<br />
spaces and resources for learning about<br />
the experiences and challenges. By learning<br />
and hearing from people’s real experiences<br />
there can grow empathy and understanding<br />
towards refugees and individuals from different<br />
cultural backgrounds. This will also help<br />
overcome any unintentional biases that come<br />
through lack of awareness and hinder how<br />
people are motivated to help.<br />
Further advice on leading successful teams in<br />
churches and in Christian faith-based organisations<br />
can be found in Brown et al (2023).<br />
Useful resources:<br />
Jubilee Plus have produced a series of videos<br />
from UK Christian charities and churches<br />
that take significant leadership in helping local<br />
church communities in creating welcoming and<br />
supportive groups, projects and life-changing<br />
friendships across cultures. These videos are<br />
helpful for those just starting out and to those<br />
who are looking to offer more in-depth help.<br />
Accessible at https://jubilee-plus.org/refugee-training-course/<br />
Guidance on preventing stress and burnout in<br />
churches and Christian faith-based organisations<br />
accessible at www.profkeith.com<br />
Trauma-informed self-access training and<br />
workshop - https://le.ac.uk/cite/sanctuary-seekers-unit/events/trauma-workshop<br />
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible,<br />
New International Version® NIV®<br />
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,<br />
Inc.<br />
Used with permission. All rights reserved<br />
worldwide.<br />
THROUGH THE CHURCH, FOR THE CITY 68 THROUGH THE CHURCH, FOR THE CITY<br />
69
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Home Office. (2023, July 20). Policy paper:<br />
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illegal-migration-bill-factsheets/safe-and-legal-routes<br />
Home Office. (2024, January 9th). Community<br />
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Lords Library. (2022, 12 01). Refugees and<br />
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gov.uk/news/article/2-soton-community-projects-welcome-hong-kong-british-nationals/<br />
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House of Lords Library. (n.d). Refugees and<br />
asylum seekers: UK Policy. Retrieved from<br />
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parliament.uk/refugees-and-asylum-seekers-uk-policy/<br />
Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and<br />
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OGL. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.<br />
service.gov.uk/media/6141fb1ad3bf7f05ab-<br />
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pdf<br />
Klarenbeek, L. M. (2021). Reconceptualising<br />
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Europe. Immigration and homelessness, 143-<br />
162.<br />
Printer, I. (2012). I don’t feel human: Experiences<br />
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hong-kong-bno-welcome-programme-vcsegrant-recipients-year-2-20222023<br />
<br />
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%C2%A39.3%20billion.<br />
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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible,<br />
New International Version® NIV®<br />
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,<br />
Inc.<br />
Used with permission. All rights reserved<br />
worldwide.<br />
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73
Appendix A – Data Gathering<br />
Documents & external data<br />
Internal Data<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong>’s website<br />
<strong>CLEAR</strong> Annual reports (past 20 years)<br />
2017 Independent <strong>Evaluation</strong> Report<br />
Lottery Fund Annual Report<br />
Lottery Fund Mid-Year Report – April 2022<br />
15<br />
9<br />
28<br />
External Data<br />
Academic research papers<br />
Leading charity information<br />
Government publications<br />
Government Publications<br />
Academic Research Papers<br />
Leading Charities<br />
Interviews<br />
Clients and Learners<br />
Community Partners<br />
Charity & Church<br />
Leaders & Volunteers<br />
Total Interviews = 20<br />
6 people from Hong Kong<br />
Welcome<br />
6 people from English language<br />
cafes<br />
8 previous clients from <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
Total Interviews = 5<br />
Adult Learning Manager at<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> City Council<br />
Executive Director Communities,<br />
Culture and Homes at<br />
<strong>Southampton</strong> City Council 2020-<br />
2023<br />
SE Migration Lead<br />
Hampshire Police,<br />
Development Officer, Refugee<br />
Resettlement and Asylum<br />
Support at <strong>Southampton</strong> City<br />
Council<br />
Total Interviews = 6<br />
Volunteer lead at English<br />
language café<br />
Project leader at <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
Volunteer leader at <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
Church Leader at Above Bar<br />
Church<br />
Volunteer from City of Sanctuary<br />
work<br />
Hong Kong Welcome Support<br />
Worker<br />
Breakdown of interviews<br />
Where were the interviewees<br />
from?<br />
6<br />
5<br />
20<br />
1<br />
1<br />
1<br />
2<br />
6<br />
Hong Kong<br />
Pakistan<br />
Turkey<br />
Afghanistan<br />
Yemen<br />
1<br />
Syria<br />
Clients and Learners<br />
Community Partners<br />
Charity / Church leaders<br />
& Volunteers<br />
1<br />
1<br />
6<br />
Democratic Republic of Congo<br />
Nigeria<br />
Ukraine<br />
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75
APPENDIX B – ADDITIONAL<br />
QUOTES FROM INTERVIEWS<br />
ESOL LEARNERS & ADVICE SESSIONS<br />
“6 months I still felt like a stranger in some places because I hadn’t really engaged in community<br />
beyond the community that spoke the same and dressed the same as me. Then I went to an ESOL<br />
class at <strong>CLEAR</strong> and was able to start going further”<br />
“It wasn’t just good for learning English. It was good for sharing and meeting people in the same<br />
situation”<br />
“We started to meet outside the building and spend time together. We went to the theatre even”<br />
“<strong>CLEAR</strong> started to feel like a family house. We became very close as a group and our teacher and<br />
assistants were very friendly”<br />
“We learnt how we could ask for help and what our rights were”<br />
“After doing the lessons I was able to volunteer and became an assistant teacher translating Arabic<br />
to the refugees from different groups”<br />
“I learnt how to find the shops and shop for food. They helped me look where to set up a bank<br />
account so I could pay for things”<br />
“<strong>CLEAR</strong>’s advisors are life changing. They understand how to help us understand. Paying water<br />
bills, finding GP, helping me fill in forms for school”<br />
“It is so helpful to have everything in one place. I know that if I go there I will be helped”<br />
“The English Class really helped me get a job”<br />
“The location of <strong>CLEAR</strong> is very important. <strong>CLEAR</strong> are visible in the community where there are lots<br />
of refugees and people hurting”<br />
“<strong>CLEAR</strong> is able to support everyone in the community”<br />
“I really struggled with understanding the process for a job. <strong>CLEAR</strong> helped me write my application<br />
and make sure that I was filling in the form. I now have a job”<br />
“I learnt who I could get support from, and even money management I could last longer with”<br />
“There was always someone there to help with lots of my questions and give me advice”<br />
“They helped me register with the NHS and for the dentist and help me with my health”<br />
“Now I’m working as an IT delivery manager with a big company. I can see I’m getting my life back<br />
a little bit and even if I have questions I know I can come and ask <strong>CLEAR</strong>”<br />
HONG KONG WELCOME<br />
“Through the classes we were able to learn more about <strong>Southampton</strong> and knew where to go for<br />
different things”<br />
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77
“I struggled to know where to look for things and where to go. But the tours of the city and the<br />
website really helped and now I feel a lot more confident”<br />
“The main support was through the supporting documents on the website, showing us around<br />
the city and the different workshops – they helped us find where everything was”<br />
“Understanding the GP system. It is so different here to back home and without the Hong Kong<br />
Welcome I would have struggled to understand”<br />
“The board games, coffee mornings and BBQs really helped my mental health and bridge relationships<br />
with people like me and the community”<br />
“Whether it’s participating in local friendship festivals or joining group outings, I’ve formed meaningful<br />
connections that have lifted my spirits and helped me come out and not stay in isolation.”<br />
“We really appreciated the Hong Kong Welcome programme. Especially the group where we could<br />
share information and then connect”<br />
“The programme was really good to know UK society and how to integrate. To know the police if<br />
we came across hate crime”<br />
“Through the programme I got help with special educational needs. I didn’t know where to go but<br />
I found a community now”<br />
“My mother enjoyed the tour of the city so much that I think she even went twice. But now she<br />
can go and do the shopping”<br />
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAFES<br />
“We learned how to speak to a doctor at a GP and how to use our phone to find it”<br />
“Our group has people from lots of different backgrounds and I could learn about their situations<br />
as well as mine”<br />
“Now I have more belief in myself. I’m not shy to ask people to repeat themselves and to take my<br />
time and answer”<br />
“Sometimes you are scared to ask for help. Other refugees are scared too but this was a safe<br />
place where I can ask without worrying whether I will lose my children or support”<br />
“I found a place where I could talk about my experiences without fear of being misunderstood.<br />
There were people with different stories but similar to me”<br />
“My wife told me there were some events happening on Friday in church. They were happening<br />
every week and gave us involvement and the time to see someone with a friendly face.”<br />
“There’s people I know who can help when I’m struggling with something like finding somewhere<br />
new or understanding where to go for things”<br />
“When I came to the café there were people from the church who helped me with things for my<br />
house. They helped me with the move because I don’t have a car”<br />
“The support that the staff give our community is fantastic. They’re always available, always upbeat,<br />
always proactive and positive”<br />
“It isn’t enough that you just get people on courses. The provision has to be top-notch and <strong>CLEAR</strong><br />
provide just that”<br />
“We learn a lot about everyday life. Things that help us understand British life as well as <strong>Southampton</strong>”<br />
COMMUNITY PARTNERS<br />
“I think the work that is done in bridging between communities through schemes like the Hong<br />
Kong Welcome is crucial in ensuring safe spaces and community cohesion”<br />
“They play a big part in thinking about things long term. They ensure that people understand the<br />
systems and that they get plugged in”<br />
“<strong>CLEAR</strong> bring tremendous value in bringing people together so that there’s a sense of community<br />
and linking them into mainstream services”<br />
“<strong>CLEAR</strong> go beyond your nuts and bolts of language classes but help overcome issues on community<br />
tension to foster security”<br />
“Every individual I’ve worked with representing <strong>CLEAR</strong> have been pretty impressive. They have<br />
real expertise in working with migrants and refugees and there’s always been a high level of professionalism<br />
in understanding the key aspects involved”<br />
“The team have a level of professionalism about them which means they can cope in really challenging<br />
positions”<br />
“They’re [<strong>CLEAR</strong>] are always coming to the working groups and working partnership with other<br />
organisations”<br />
“We’ve worked with <strong>CLEAR</strong> for a long long time and they’ve always been a strong partner with<br />
us” – Adult Learning Manager SCC<br />
“The reason we started, and continue, to work with them is because they are embedded in their<br />
community. They’ve got really good connections.”<br />
“it’s what <strong>CLEAR</strong> do with the learners, the quality of what they deliver, how well they support the<br />
learners. This is why we keep working with <strong>CLEAR</strong>” – SCC<br />
WORLD STAGES NOW<br />
World Stages Now, provides a safe space not only for refugees, asylum seekers, but anyone<br />
feeling isolated, lonely or depressed. Using theatre, World Stages Now, improves one’s wellbeing<br />
especially now when isolation is rampant. Facilitates creation of positives relationships, especially<br />
for those far away from their loved ones in a new country thus enabling positive integration.<br />
“As a member of World Stages Now, and a refugee I deeply value the impact this group has had<br />
on my life throughout the years.”<br />
“As part of World Stages Now I deeply value the impact World Stages Now has had not only in our<br />
community but to individuals too….for me that’s particularly in fostering skills such as listening,<br />
sharing, and inclusion through theatre”.<br />
“World Stages Now’s commitment in Theatre within Hampshire helped create an atmosphere of<br />
welcome and inviting dialogue which extends to all, including those seeking sanctuary, refugees<br />
and asylum seekers in <strong>Southampton</strong>. This helped a lot in minimising isolation”<br />
“With World Stages Now I learnt to embrace my creativity and I love it!”<br />
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Food Poverty and Food Distribution: The role that<br />
faith-based groups have in providing and caring for<br />
their communities.<br />
ABOUT THE<br />
AUTHORS<br />
Jean Hirst is passionate about equipping and<br />
encouraging individuals, teams, and organisations<br />
to see positive change and impact within<br />
their communities. Combining 5 years’ experience<br />
leading and developing teams in the<br />
charity sector and over 10 years’ experience<br />
in public presentation, he engages with a wide<br />
variety of different contexts and settings. Since<br />
completing his Masters degree in Management<br />
Consultancy and Organisational Change, he is<br />
focused on undertaking research that enables<br />
a deeper understanding of some of the<br />
challenges and changes that people face, and<br />
using these insights to co-create solutions for<br />
individuals and organisations.<br />
Professor Keith Brown was the founding Director<br />
of the National Centre for Post Qualifying<br />
Social Work and Professional Practice and<br />
he is an Emeritus Professor at Bournemouth<br />
University where the Social Work department<br />
was ranked number 1 in the UK in the 2020<br />
and 2021 Guardian League Table.<br />
In 2005 he was awarded the Linda Ammon<br />
memorial prize sponsored by the then Department<br />
for Education and Skills awarded to the<br />
individual making the greatest contribution<br />
to education and training in the UK. He was<br />
awarded a Chartered Trading Standard Institute<br />
[CTSI] ’Institutional Hero’ award in 2017<br />
recognising the significance of his research<br />
into financial fraud and scams.<br />
Funded by Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities<br />
With over 1.4 million meals estimated to be distributed across <strong>Southampton</strong> in<br />
a year (equivalent to £5.8 million worth of food) and over 18,700 hours delivered<br />
by volunteers, this report clearly evidences the critical role and successful<br />
collaboration between <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong>, faith-based organisations, and local<br />
government to address food poverty throughout the COVID 19 pandemic.<br />
Access the full report at www.profkeith.com<br />
He sits on the DHSC safeguarding advisory board, the joint DHSC and MOJ National Mental Capacity<br />
Leadership forum and the Home Office Joint Financial task force. He has written over 35<br />
text books in the fields of social work and leadership and is particularly known for his contributions<br />
in the areas of Mental Capacity and Leadership. For the past 7 years he has led the National<br />
research into fraud and scams on behalf of the National Trading Standards Scams team and the<br />
Chartered Trading Standards Institute.<br />
Since his retirement from a full time academic post he has been the Independent Chair of the<br />
NHS Safeguarding Adults National Network, the Chair of the Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults<br />
Board and the Chair of <strong>Love</strong> <strong>Southampton</strong>, a body that represents a number of food banks and<br />
4 debt advice centres on behalf of the Churches in <strong>Southampton</strong>. He is also an Ambassador for<br />
‘Faith in Later Life’, a trustee of At A Loss, and a member of Above Bar Church <strong>Southampton</strong>.<br />
Access a range of Professor Keith’s work at www.profkeith.com<br />
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81
Copyright Jean Hirst and Professor Keith Brown<br />
www.profkeith.com