Scottish Government

Appendix I Membership of the original SRIF Forum

The Scottish Refugee Integration Forum was originally chaired by Margaret Curran, the then Minister for Social Justice. The membership of the Forum is as follows:

Membership of the Forum met February 2005

The Membership of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum had changed by February 2005 as some original members were unavailable.

Appendix II Abbreviations

Appendix III Bibliography

Link to original SRIF Action Plan
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/rfap-00.asp

Link to SRIF supporting document
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/rfsd-00.asp

Link to SRIF Progress report 2003
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/srifpg-00.asp

Link to STIC guidelines
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/stic-00.asp

Partnership Agreement
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/pfbs-00.asp

Building Bridges Report by Dr Karen Wren for the Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice http://www.scrsj.ac.uk/Publications/BuildingBridges.pdf

European Handbook on Integration, for policy makers and practitioners, prepared for the European Commission, depicts best practices and offers lessons drawn from member states. It can be found at the following URL:
http://www.dutchuec.nl/kcgs/show/id=150754/contentid=7631

Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Scotland: A Skills and Aspirations Audit
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/sjf10-00.asp

Appendix IV

List of Scottish Executive-funded organisations promoting refugee integration 2003-05

Total Phases, 1, 2 and 3 = approx. £1 million

2003-04

• Anniesland College transition into employment £12,114
• Castlemilk Churches Together Refugee Centre youth group £3,000
• Community Response Co-ordinating Group translation and interpretation services £36,000
• Drumchapel Citizens Advice Bureau interpretation services £2,205
• Ethnic Minorities Law Centre - education and training on asylum related issues £8,000
• Glasgow Chamber of Commerce job brokerage project £69,500
• Gorbals Initiative advocacy skills £43,138
• Kingsway Court Health & Wellbeing Centre under-13 football teams £1,300
• Legal Services Agency Ltd trainee solicitor for asylum casework £20,000
• Linkes Project for cultural events and community craft classes £5,000
• Street Level Photoworks arts activities £8,000
• University of Glasgow web-based resource £38,400 over two years
• Advice for African Community in Scotland - integration event £4,000
• Africa Umoja Project - African culture day £4,500
• Ahl Al Bait Society - literacy, numeracy and IT classes £38,240
• Barnardo's and NCH Partnership - befriending scheme £42,000
• Cranhill Community Project - youth group and a healthy eating kitchen, £14,252
• CSV Volunteering Partners - volunteering opportunities, £14,562 for 2003-04 and further funding until September 06
• Forum for Africans in Scotland - Christmas party for asylum seekers, refugee and local children £4,200
• Glasgow Congolese Community - start-up costs and football team £5,000
• Glasgow Refugee Key Action Group - worker to help address particular communication problems within the group £33,140
• Kurdish Cultural Association - Kurdish Dance classes for asylum seekers and members of the local communities £2,350
• North East Glasgow Community Safety Forum - annual multi cultural festival £50,000 in total, split 2003-04 and 2004-05
• Okapi - help and guidance for Congolese asylum seekers and refugees, £1,578
• Working Links - Language 2 Work programme approx £15,000 for 2003-04 and further funding for 2004-05
• Community Groups Supporting Asylum Seekers Partnership Bid - childcare provision to enable parents to participate in services, £30,000

2004-05

• The Ark Trust - Befriending project £20,800
• Body Positive Strathclyde - "Quality of Life" project £18,655
• Body Positive/Avrio Management Committee - International Community Café £3,000 - £5,000
• Castlemilk Churches Together Refugee Centre - "Advice and support for new refugees" project £11,850
• Community Response Co-ordinating Group - Translation and interpretation services - £30,000
• Construction Industry Training and Education Centre - "Transfer to Work" project £30,000
• Drumchapel Citizens Advice Bureau - Interpretation services £2,660
• Glasgow Centre for the Child & Society/Save the Children, Scotland - Web-based resource £5,700
• Glasgow Chamber of Commerce - Continuation of New Glaswegians project £121,278
• Gorbals Initiative - Skills exchange project £85,205
• International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival - 1 year application £5,000

• * Kingsway Court Health & Wellbeing Centre (1) - Arts & Crafts workshops £2,100

• Kingsway Court Health & Wellbeing Centre (2) - Youth soccer teams £1,453
• North East Glasgow Community Safety Forum - North Glasgow International Festival £50,000
• North Glasgow College - "Introduction to college procedures" classes £26,185
• PART V Project at EMLC and Castlemilk Law Centre - Information and education asylum "roadshow" £9,000
• Rosemount Lifelong Learning - Funding for childcare provision £32,784
• Strathclyde Police - "Operation: Reclaim". Structured and coached sporting activities £20,312
• Streetlevel Photoworks - Multi-media activities £8,680

Appendix V Projects Funded By ATLAS - EQUAL

Please contact Atlas direct for individual contact details.

Glasgow City Council (GCC) - Asylum in Glasgow Websitewww.asyluminglasgow.com is a website specifically developed to provide information to asylum seekers dispersed to Glasgow. It provides a useful reference point for a wide range of information including:

• where to obtain help and advice on a range of practical issues;
• finding support for asylum claim, including details of where to find legal advice;
• aspects of life in Glasgow such as accessing statutory and emergency services, where to find English classes, using public transport and a range of leisure activities;
• what action to take on receiving a positive decision.

All information is available in English, French and Arabic. There is also an interactive map of the city that links to details of local services in neighbourhoods where asylum seekers are housed, as well as city-wide services.

Glasgow City Council (GCC) - Access Centre

As part of its central call centre, GCC is piloting a service staffed by fully-trained bilingual workers specifically to deal with enquiries from asylum seekers. Eight languages are currently spoken, each with specific time slots during the week. Staff deal with a range of enquiries, including locations of English classes, accessing childcare and housing issues. If staff cannot help directly, they will refer callers to other agencies where possible.

The project has also provided asylum-seeker awareness training for all Access Centre staff and managers and has developed a "third party" reporting mechanism that enables callers to report racist incidents to the police without the need to contact them directly.

Glasgow North Ltd - Baseline Study of Asylum Seeker Households

This study was planned to coincide with an update of the 1998 North Glasgow Baseline Study, updating it to reflect the changes in the make up of North Glasgow following the inflow of asylum seekers and refugees. The survey identified the concerns, circumstances and abilities of refugees and asylum seekers, and enabled comparison with the concerns, circumstances and abilities of the general population in the SIP area.

Glasgow City Council - Glasgow Asylum Seekers Support Service (GASSP) - Community Based Information and Advice Worker

This project aims to improve the delivery of advice and information for asylum seekers through community-based settings such as drop-in centres. Activities so far include:

• developing an integration and orientation programme in collaboration with the statutory and voluntary sector, an asylum seeker, and with legal input from the private sector;
• involvement with drop-in centres and network groups;
• working with Integrating Toryglen Community to produce an "Introduction to Scotland" programme for new arrivals, covering a number of aspects of Scottish life (including law, society and religion) and how Scotland compares to participants' home countries; and
• a Community Safety Day to promote household and personal safety and to raise awareness of domestic violence.

In addition to this, the GASSP project has also been involved in a range of other information/communication initiatives and joint working with a range of organisations.

Glasgow City Council - Education Services - Parents Information Booklet

The Education Service is producing an information package about the education system in Scotland and Glasgow for newly arrived asylum seekers, to give parents a better understanding of how schools work and ways in which parents can support their child's development. The package has been designed to allow individual schools to customise it with their own information. Preliminary research has been conducted with schools, asylum seeker parents and asylum seeker teachers. Similar models used elsewhere in the UK have also been consulted.

The final package will be available in booklet form or as a CD-ROM and will be distributed to schools, libraries, drop-in centres and other places where it can be accessed by asylum seekers.

University of Glasgow - Glasgow Centre for the Child and Society/
Save the Children Fund (Scotland) - International Education Website

This project will develop a web-based resource addressing social welfare, legal and educational issues for children and young people who are asylum seekers or refugees. It will take account of the Scottish legal and institutional framework. The resource is being developed as research which has identified that there is some uncertainty amongst both practitioners and young people about relevant rights and responsibilities. The site will provide clear and accessible information to address this need.

It is envisaged that the completed resource will be used by children and young people, parents, agencies and specialist staff. It will therefore include both general and specialist information, some of which will be developed in conjunction with young people.

Oxfam in Scotland - Asylum Positive Images Project

Asylum Positive Images is a media monitoring project concentrating on the portrayal and reporting of asylum issues in the Scottish print media. The research is being developed in conjunction with the School of Journalism at Glasgow Caledonian University.

The findings of the research will provide a baseline from which the public and voluntary sectors can monitor progress. It will also form a body of evidence of public and political perceptions of asylum seekers which can be used when developing future strategy. The project will also be establishing a network of asylum seekers, refugees, community groups and national NGOs that will
co-ordinate positive images work.

Streetlevel Photoworks - Website Animation

This project aims to create a sustainable, changing multimedia arts web site developed by asylum seekers, refugees and members of other communities.
The project gets people learning and working together across generations and cultures, using new media, enabling self-development and creating arts-based exhibitions for the public.

Central College of Commerce - Citizenship Pilot

This project was developed in response to the wishes of asylum seeker groups at the college. They were keen to learn more about British/Scottish life and culture in order to promote good citizenship.

As a result, the college has developed a set of resource packs for lecturers and students on a range of subjects including the political scene, local government in Glasgow and the monarchy. The packs are being piloted with groups of asylum seeker students as part of a wider programme of study. On completion of the pilot, the packs will be revised, professionally reproduced and made available to a wider audience.

Anniesland College - Accreditation and Employment Skills

The College is developing an accreditation model that will establish it as a centre for accrediting practical skills and a "lead centre" for recognising educational and employment skills amongst younger asylum seekers (16-18 years).

The development of this model will ensure that those asylum seekers who already have skills can have those skills recognised and receive further vocational training, thereby preparing them for employment. College staff act as mentors as the participants go through the training, and links have been made with other projects within the partnership who are involved in activities such as work shadowing.

Institute of Contemporary Scotland (ICS) - The Bridges Project

ICS, in association with the Scottish Refugee Council, has launched the first work shadowing scheme for asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland. This allows asylum seekers to gain first-hand experience of a Scottish workplace and facilitates integration as it allows different communities to work together.

All placements are fully monitored and are for initial period of 12 weeks, although many have been extended. Mentoring and coaching are provided and on completion of the placement, a certificate is awarded and a reference is available where appropriate. There are 35 corporate partners now involved with the project and companies are now approaching Bridges to arrange potential placements.

Glasgow City Council (GCC) - Pilot Business Start-up and Enterprise Training for Asylum Seekers

This project is piloting business start-up and enterprise through Anniesland College and Glasgow College of Building and Printing. The course activities include:

• Generating business ideas
• Market research and marketing
• Finance and basic book-keeping
• Tax and VAT
• Recruitment
• Developing a business plan.

Guest speakers from organisations such as Glasgow City Council Business Services and Developing Strathclyde Ltd have spoken to the participants and the project has linked with the Bridges Project to offer job shadowing and voluntary work placements to asylum seekers.

Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) - Education and Employment Worker

This project aims to meet the needs of asylum seekers through the development and provision of appropriate high quality advice, guidance learning and skills opportunities.

Activities include:

• provision of orientation and guidance for asylum seekers;
• information on rights and entitlements according to status;
• production of practical briefings including practising your profession, applying for a provisional driving licence and registering for English classes; and
• access to SRC resources to research training and education, potential careers and volunteering/work shadowing opportunities.

The Wise Group - ASSIGN - Asylum Seeker Pre-vocational Programme

This project is piloting a range of pre-vocational and personal and social development supports to a group of asylum seekers. The aim is to engage asylum seekers in meaningful training and education that will equip them for the labour market should they receive a positive decision. The current group attend activities at Wise Group's headquarters on a regular basis and are able to provide mutual support and friendship as well as access to formal training.

Current activities include:

• European Computer Driving Licence modules accessed through computer labs
• Placements within local voluntary organisations, such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Maryhill
• Workshadowing opportunities
• Provision of training in community care.

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) - ESOL Framework Project

SQA, as the main qualifications and accrediting body in Scotland, has recently developed a new National Qualifications framework for English for Speakers of Other Languages ( ESOL). This is an innovative framework and is being developed in response to the increased demand for ESOL courses in Scotland. The framework is currently being piloted and feedback has already been incorporated into revisions. Practitioners have been involved in training and familiarisation sessions and delivery centres are being developed.

It is hoped that asylum seekers who have attended the course will have an opportunity to contribute feedback through focus groups. This can then be incorporated in further revisions.

Anniesland College - Capacity Building Project

Many asylum seekers attend Anniesland College and this extensive project has developed, piloted and implemented training packages for college staff and students, local companies, and partner community projects. This has included multi-cultural awareness training for college staff; asylum-seeker students supporting other asylum seeker students in English literacy; an illustrated book of short stories; and joint working with employers and partner projects to achieve work training and work shadowing opportunities for many asylum-seeker students.

Glasgow ESOL Forum - Volunteer Tutor Project

This project was developed in response to the increased need for ESOL tutors in the Glasgow area. Volunteer tutors are trained on specific volunteer tutor courses at three institutions in the city and once training is complete, are placed with a community based ESOL project.

Community-based learning offers an alternative to more formal further education settings and is particularly accessible, for example for women with young children who have childcare difficulties. Others prefer to learn in a more informal atmosphere close to their home. The project is aiming to link up with partners including Rosemount Lifelong Learning, Maryhill CAB and Oasis Womens Group. It is also seeking to convert its existing training package into a national Level 6 SQA qualification.

British Red Cross - Orientation Scheme

The Red Cross have produced and distributed 3,500 copies of Welcome to Glasgow, a user-friendly guide to help asylum seekers get to know Glasgow city and its cultures. The guide is now on its second print run, which will include translations into French and Arabic. The Red Cross are also running an orientation service for asylum seekers using local volunteers. For a maximum of four weeks, asylum seekers can enlist a volunteer to help them to settle in Glasgow.

Glasgow North Ltd - Capacity Building for Careers Advisers

This project aims to build the capacity of careers advisers to provide guidance to highly skilled or qualified asylum seekers. It is developing careers information and workshop materials for careers advisers to use with particular professional groups amongst asylum seekers, and is developing these materials through action research methods with careers advisers, professional bodies, agencies who support asylum seekers, employers and groups of asylum seekers. The materials developed will support Careers Advisers in assisting highly skilled or qualified asylum seekers with requalifying, accreditation and accelerating opportunities for work.

Maryhill Citizens Advice Bureau - Asylum Seekers' Development Project

Recognising that their office would be serving a significant number of dispersed asylum seekers, Maryhill CAB set up a training programme for asylum seekers to train as volunteers in the CAB office. Recruiting asylum seekers through allies and contacts, notably the Scottish Refugee Council and local Colleges, they now cannot meet demand for training places. They are the only CAB in the UK with such a scheme and plan to expand the scheme to two other CABs in 2005.

Glasgow Film Theatre - Going Global 2: New Citizens

An interactive teaching resource to follow up "Going Global", a series of short films made by groups of young asylum seekers, refugees and local young people in Glasgow. The teaching resource will include debating tools, web links, games and editing tools developed by young asylum seekers and local young people with support from professionals.

Greater Govan SIP - Citizen Advocacy Pilot

This project trains asylum seekers to become citizen advocates who can support other asylum seekers to communicate their wishes more effectively. Training includes advocacy, counselling and people skills, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practices. The project is designed to enable both groups to make a particularly positive impact on Glasgow.

Integrating Toryglen Community - Pilot Orientation and Integration Programme

A custom-designed orientation programme assisting cross-cultural understanding and supporting transitions for asylum seekers living in Toryglen. Asylum seekers, professionals and local residents are all involved in designing, delivering and evaluating a 12-week programme for up to 60 asylum seekers a year.

Scottish Refugee Council - National Academic Recognition Information Centre ( NARIC) Qualifications Comparability Orientation

This project aims to train six Careers Scotland guidance practitioners working with asylum seekers to better understand accreditation and re-qualification for asylum seeker and refugee teachers. This will enhance the employability of asylum seeker and refugee teachers and enable guidance practitioners to increase their insight and knowledge.

Rosemount Lifelong Learning-Literacy Project

Rosemount is a community education and childcare resource for the whole community. As part of its services it provides English literacy classes for asylum seekers who also have limited literacy in their first language.

The Initiative-Peer Advocacy Pilot Project

This project recruits asylum seekers and refugees to provide orientation support to newly arrived asylum seekers in The Gorbals, Toryglen and Govanhill. It aims to provide medium-term peer support for more vulnerable asylum seekers. Local residents are also recruited to provide additional support. This project makes the benefits of advocacy available to vulnerable asylum seekers, enables advocacy training for "established" asylum seekers, and assists the local community to integrate with asylum seekers.

Glasgow North Ltd - Pilot Radio Station

This community-led radio project secured a one-month pilot broadcast by Northside Community Radio covering North Glasgow. It brought together a group of agencies to provide training for several different groups, including three asylum-seeker volunteers who received training in programming and editing.

Anniesland College - Transnational Web Site Design

Multi-media tutors from Anniesland College worked with Equal transnational partners in Finland and Denmark to produce a joint website ( www.resettle.uk.net ). As part of this work, asylum seeker students were also trained in the development and maintenance of websites.

Anniesland College - Transnational Evaluation

Anniesland College are the transnational evaluators for Atlas. A quality management tutor from the College is evaluating the transnational activity between Scotland, Finland and Denmark.

Anniesland College - Transnational Coordination

Anniesland College act as the Transnational Secretary on behalf of Atlas, leading on coordination and liaison between Scotland, Finland and Denmark.

Further copies of this document are available, on request, in audio and large print formats and in communitylanguages. Please contact 0131 244 2213.