jonbeech

About Jon Beech

I joined LASSN as the Director in December 2013. I've a particular interest in mental health, ethnicity, and helping people make sense of their world and their community.

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The Immigration Act, Bank Accounts & Refugees – Training resources

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2019-12-11T10:30:04+00:0020th February, 2017|Tags: , , |

Opening a bank account can be difficult  - if not impossible - for many refugees and asylum seekers. The Immigration Act and new European Anti Money Laundering directives are going to make this even harder. This short course was written to help people who support refugees and asylum seekers to understand more about why this is, and to provide some practical steps to help them. You can download all the materials from here 

We’re recruiting volunteer English Tutors again (at last)

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2018-11-09T13:47:58+00:0010th February, 2017|Tags: , , |

After almost 9 months, we're finally in a position to recruit new volunteers to our English at Home project. In exchange for a commitment of 6 months , we offer full training and support to enable you to share the gift of communication with someone who can't access mainstream ESOL classes. It's a challenge, but it's also a lot of fun, and equips people with an invaluable tool that will help them to take control of their situation, and to contribute to life in their new City. If you want to find out more, please visit our Volunteer page for more info, and to complete an application form

Friends of LASSN, January 2017

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2024-01-16T11:34:24+00:0010th February, 2017|

Here's a link to our online newsletter, Friends of LASSN which we publish every few months. Contents include Entering 2017 with a spring in our step A film about Grace Hosting Welcome to Iona Lyons, our new Befriending Volunteers Manager Tongue Twister LASSN's AGM  - Save the Date Positive images of Asylum Leeds Beckett University and Charity Bank donate PCs Donate to LASSN LASSN online

Friends of LASSN Newsletter – October 2016

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2024-01-16T11:35:07+00:006th November, 2016|Tags: , , , , |

Here's a link to our online newsletter, Friends of LASSN which we publish every few months. Contents LASSN's AGM LASSN's Annual Review 2016 Big Lottery Award secures English at Home for another 5 years  Welcome to Lilla - our new Project Support Officer Befriending Resources for Young People Grace Hosting helping more people than ever before Positive images of asylum Brexit, the new Asylum Act, and what this means for LASSN LASSN online

Safeguarding at LASSN

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2024-11-08T12:25:40+00:006th November, 2016|Tags: |

How LASSN tries to help everyone to remain safe and well when working or volunteering with us. Volunteering is a key part of how we reduce the risks in people's lives by increasing their connections, building confidence, and giving them choices. We're keen to support our volunteers' efforts with clear guidance and processes which support your work. Each year, we review our existing policies to ensure they are up-to-date and in line with best practice.  Here's a summary of how we do this We have a combined Safeguarding and Adults Policy (updated May 24) based on Local arrangements and good practice. We produce Staying Safe Summaries, which detail how we keep everyone safe in each of our projects: English at Home, Hosting and Houses, Welcome and Connect and all staff and volunteers are trained in these during their induction, and refreshed throughout their time at LASSN. We have a thorough recruitment and selection process for all paid Staff and Volunteers, which includes background checks and taking up references. You can find a detailed explanation of why we seek Basic Disclosures on staff and volunteers here. We have developed Volunteer Social Media Guidelines and a Volunteer Problem Solving Procedure to try and reduce the potential for online harm and to help volunteers know how we'll address any difficulties they may experience. Staff and trustees are pleased with these policies, which we hope will help keep LASSN a safe place to volunteer and reassure the people we support of our commitment to everyone's welfare and security. All of the documents referred to on this page can also be found in the Volunteer Information Pack.

New resources for Young People

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2018-11-09T11:25:38+00:0028th October, 2016|Tags: , |

There are loads of online resources aimed at young people, to help them to understand more about refugees, asylum seekers, and what they can do to help. We've selected a few of the resources we've found most helpful - books, websites, and films - to help young people find out more for themselves. You can find these at https://lassn.org.uk/resources-for-young-people/ along with downloadable resources for parents and teachers. And of course, if we've missed off your favourite - please let us know, by emailing [email protected]

Draft Minutes and papers from LASSN’s AGM 2016

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2017-02-24T16:53:03+00:0026th October, 2016|Tags: |

We held our AGM on 30th September 2016 at Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel. Here are the draft minutes of proceedings from the meeting. Highlights include a presentation by our outgoing Chair of Trustees, David Cundall a summary of our financial situation by our Treasurer, Katherine Wyatt a fond thank-you and farewell to our outgoing Trustees: Ruth Woodhead, Alexandra Huddart, and Solomon Kidane, the election of new Trustees: Ruchi Gulati, Paul Broughton, and Bill Urry LASSN members voting to change LASSN's Memorandum and Articles of Association, to enable LASSN to offer help to people who may not be asylum seekers and refugees, but who still find themselves unable to get help from Public Services, and a long way from home. Thank you to everyone who attended. AGM Minutes from Sep 16 AGM Minutes from October 15  

English at Home receives £370k Lottery Windfall

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2018-11-09T13:45:16+00:0016th August, 2016|Tags: , |

We've just been told that we are to received more than 370k of Lottery funds to provide one to one English lessons to asylum seekers and refugees in Leeds who can’t access ESOL classes. Last year our English at Home programme enabled 140 people to learn English who couldn’t go to mainstream English classes because they had young children or disabilities. The 113 volunteer tutors provided 1,655 hours of one to one teaching. This grant will safeguard the service for the next 5 years, as well as increasing the number of lessons by 75%. "We’re really chuffed that the Lottery see the need for such a project in Leeds" said Jon Beech, Director of LASSN. “Cuts to mainstream English classes make it harder than ever to get a place, especially if you’ve got kids or a disability, or the classes are two bus rides away. 80% of the people we teach are women with children. The ability to write and speak English gives people confidence and enables them to take control of their lives, and to give something back. Saying hello to your neighbour, helping your child to read, or being able to understand your post – it sounds like a little thing – but it can be life changing. An hour a week spent learning English with one of our trained volunteers helps people make a home, helps people settle, and helps people to integrate.” LASSN will be recruiting two new Volunteers Managers immediately to meet the demand for lessons. “It’s such a shame” said Jon Beech “We have 5 or 6 people approach us each week, asking if they can volunteer to help someone learn English, and we have 5 or 6 people asking to learn English each week. For the last 2 months we’ve been turning volunteers away, because we don’t have the staff to train or support them. This funding is brilliant, because we can start saying yes again.” The two Volunteers Managers created by this funding posts have just been advertised, and details can be found here.

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