Evaluation of NRC Women's Project Praises Success
Thursday, 11 June 2009 11:06
An evaluation of the NRC Women's Project, by Claire Palmer, has praised it's success.
The Project has run advocacy volunteering, and training for refugee women and professionals working with them. The women's project alsohelped to coordinate Poet Laureate River Wolton's creative writing sessions within the city centre women's conversation club. Claire assesses the creative writing sessions as well as the city conversation club in general. The conversation club is coordinated by Radmila Fortune West.
It concludes: "Through examining the three projects it is evident that the Refugee Women‟s Project s a great success. All of the objectives from all three projects were met to varying degrees; this is a great accomplishment for a project that has only been running since 2006."
The full report can be downloaded here (884Kb pdf file)
New Case -Work permission for Asylum Applicants with fresh claim
Sunday, 31 May 2009 20:36
A new case on permission to work may mean that failed asylum seekers with fresh claims may be given permission to work. However, they will be no better off than on their initial asylum application, and will have to wait for a year after making their fresh claim. Only then, if their fresh claim has not been finally decided will they be given permission to work.
However, the Home Office has announced that they are appealing this decision and will not implement it until the appeal is heard.
Asylum seekers who are in this position should contact their solicitor or immigration adviser to ask them to request permission to work. The NRC Advice Service is not recommending asylum seekers in South Yorkshire to request permission until the appeal is heard or the Home Office start granting permission.
Failed Asylum Seekers can be denied NHS Treatment
Monday, 30 March 2009 23:16
The Court of Appeal has now decided the case of YA - a failed Palestinian asylum seeker who sought to challenge the Government guidance to hospitals on NHS charges. A summary of the decision is below.
Whilst the court held that it was open to hospitals to charge, it also said that hospitals have the discretion not to charge and that the guidance did not cover what to do if a patient could not pay in advance.
SYRCO Forum Coordinator receives award
Tuesday, 10 March 2009 21:49
Karolina Kaminska (L) and Radmilla (R) collect their award from Cllr. Andrea Milner, Doncaster cabinet member for Connecting Communities
In the Doncaster International Women’s Day Awards 2009, Radmila Fortune-West, NRC community development worker and SYRCO Forum Development Coordinator has been nominated in two award categories, proudly receiving Certificates of Commendation for the BME and Woman of The Year Awards.
Somalia - Returns and removals frustrated
Monday, 23 February 2009 11:46
We understand that removals and voluntary departures to Somalia may have stopped.
According to immigration lawyers, the authorities in Somalia (including those in the Puntland and Somaliland regions which declared independence some years ago) are now refusing to accept the European union standard letters of removal used by the UK Border Agency. This means that forced removals may not be possible - although there has been some flights and removals to Mogadishu ordered in the last few weeks.
The courts and tribunals dealing with Somali cases have apparently been indicating that they will consider bail applications from Somalis. This is because UK law says that detention is only usually necessary to secure removal from the UK, and if removal is possible then Somalis should be granted bail.
In addition, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which handles voluntary departures, have indicatedbeen writing to Somali applicants to say that for the time being they cannot help with somali voluntary depature applications. they indicate that this is because of issues between the IOM and the authorities in Somalia - presumably over documentation and acceptance.
Report: The Development needs of refugee communities in Leeds, Bradford and South Yorkshire
Friday, 06 February 2009 00:32
This report is produced by Jantela – an umbrella organisation providing infrastructure support for Refugee agencies in Yorkshire and Humber – in association with Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network and the Northern Refugee Centre and written by Archana Choksi in conjunction with Marzieh Berenjian, Hlabera Chirwa and Dorine Nakuti. Members of South Yorkshire RCO Forum had an important role to play by carrying out consultations within their own communities.
