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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LASSN’s Online Annual General Meeting: 19:00 – 20:00, Thursday 3rd November 2022

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2024-01-16T11:29:05+00:0027th October, 2022|

We had hoped to hold our AGM in person this year but sadly a Train strike was announced on the day of the event, and we've had to rearrange things. Here are the papers for the AGM Agenda and minutes of AGM 2021 Annual Accounts 2021/22 Annual Review 2021/22 Here are the short reports offered by Nicolle Levine (Chair) and Sven Ekblom (Treasurer) at the AGM Chair and Treasurer notes AGM 2022 Here's the presentation, given by the LASSN team, describing the last 12 months During the presentation, we posted a number of links to things in the chat. Here they are, in case you missed them. Music in the Attic "What I can see" - here's the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9INCHxr7s Little Amal https://www.walkwithamal.org/about-us/little-amal-the-walk// The amazing Eva Pinthus https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/may/24/eva-pinthus-obituary Leeds Refugee World Cup 2022 World Cup Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98T-Wa0lTDM Uprooting Islamophobia https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745345413/tangled-in-terror/- the book by Suhaiyma Manzoor Khan One of Mahshid's films on the BBC website https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bmxn4w

Support to Hosts of Ukrainian Refugees

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2024-08-20T14:23:07+01:0025th August, 2022|

Background More than 400 Ukrainian adults (and 200 children) have arrived in Leeds since March 2022. They are staying with hosts who have welcomed them into their homes through the UK Government's Homes for Ukraine Sheme. LASSN has been supporting people to work through the challenges of hosting refugees for more than 20 years and is a founder member of the No Accommodation Network. In July 2022, Leeds City Council asked if LASSN would offer support to hosts of Ukrainian Households - and we proposed the following model of support. This project is currently resourced from October 2022 - September 2023. What kind of help can hosts expect? LASSN will employ a Development Worker to offer new and existing hosts the chance to meet one another, learn from one another, and find practical advice and assistance for the people they are supporting. The worker will organise local groups, listen to the priorities and concerns of Hosts in each group, and help them to work out how they will address these things themselves, as a group, or with the help of others. The worker will also offer to find support around specific issues based on the experiences of existing and former hosts. When we've run these groups before, hosts have asked for input around maintaining effective boundaries, conflict resolution and working with people who have experienced trauma. Hosts will decide what's most important, and our role will be to respond to this. In addition to learning/sharing skills like this, we also intend to invite people to attend these groups from Housing Advice, Children's Services, the NHS and other local support providers to explain the kind of help they can offer. We want to link Hosts directly to the people and groups who are best placed to help them. Please note: the worker will not offer one-to-one support to either Hosts or Guests. Instead, their role will be to help hosts (and their guests) to locate this support from groups and organisations across the city, and to ensure those places are aware of the very particular issues faced by Hosts and their Guests. In addition, we are updating helpinleeds.com and newtoleeds.org to ensure up-to-date information is available to both hosts and their guests. Timeline of events July: Leeds City Council asks LASSN to develop a model of support for Hosts of Ukrainian refugees August: LASSN begins recruitment for the Development Worker role and starts work on updating helpinleeds.com and newtoleeds.org.uk September: Interviews take place for Development worker, and a resource page for Hosts is posted on the LASSN website October: Development worker starts, and information is circulated to Hosts. Hosts who wish to meet up are asked to register their interest via the LASSN website November: The first Hosting Network meetings take place For more information, please contact [email protected] and we'll do our best to help.

LASSN are moving offices on 17th June 2022, from Beeston to Leeds City Centre

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2022-06-22T10:44:14+01:0016th June, 2022|

As of June 17th 2022 our new address will be 22/23 Blayds Yard, Leeds LS1 4AD We're shutting the office for a couple of days on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th June, and then reopening on Monday 20th June. If you need to contact us urgently during this time, please email us or call our mobiles. We're moving to larger, better ventilated offices in the centre of Leeds, to share a building and training space with our friends at Yorkshire MESMAC. The pandemic has really underlined our need for a space that can accomodate training sessions and meetings safely, as well as a central base for staff to work from. What is Blayds Yard like? It's a Victorian building on the edge of Leeds' LGBT+ quarter There's ramp access, and a proper lift for people who prefer not to use the stairs There's a large shared training room, about double the size of the one we have now Loads of parking nearby (except it's quite expensive - more of this later) This is what our front door looks like. Will LASSN's telephone number stay the same? Yes. But it will definitely be out of action on 16th and 17th June 2022, so please use the mobiles. Parking/how do I get there? Here's a link to a Google Map so you can plan your journey. We recommend coming to our offices by foot, by train, or by cycle. We don't have a dedicated car park space, and parking is expensive. The nearest multistorey is an eyewatering £3 a hour and the cheapest onstreet parking we've found is on Water Lane at £1.90 an hour, which is 5 minutes walk away. Click on the picture below to open Parkopedia - which lists all the on street and carpark spaces available. I use a bus, or a bike You can use this planner to plan your journey [link]. You can lock your bike and store it on one of our bicycle racks (but you'll need to contact us in advance)

LASSN and support for Ukrainian people

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2024-01-16T11:28:58+00:0015th March, 2022|

LASSN Trustees met this week to discuss LASSN's response to the events unfolding in Ukraine and how we can be of most use to the people who have been displaced.  LASSN are pleased that UK Government is opening safe and legal routes to safety for Ukrainian people, and hope that similarly safe and legal routes to the UK will be extended to all refugees. What is LASSN doing to support Ukrainian people? LASSN exists as a way for citizens of Leeds to extend a welcome and practical support to all people seeking sanctuary in our City. And when Ukrainian people arrive in Leeds, LASSN will be pleased to offer them the help we extend to all refugees and migrants at risk of harm, wherever they are from. In the coming months, LASSN's focus will be on maintaining and developing the support we offer to all refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants at risk of harm. We will continue to offer support and encouragement to other groups and third sector partners who want to help - and we continue to support Leeds City Council as they coordinate the resettlement of refugees from Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere. How can I support Ukrainian people? If you wish to provide specific practical assistance to Ukrainian people, here is a list of ways you can help. How can I support LASSN’s work? Although we currently support 200 volunteers and 300 migrant households, most of our projects are already at capacity (or very close). This means that we are not taking on new volunteers for Grace Hosting, English at Home and Befriending until we can afford to train and support these volunteers properly. We will re-open our volunteer programmes when we have secured the money to expand them. In the meantime, if you wish to help us to support all refugees and asylum seekers, you can donate here if you are able to do so. Is there anything else I can do? We hope that the recent events in Ukraine will help more people be aware of the changes outlined in the Government's Nationalities and Borders Bill. As Alison Lowe, the Deputy Mayor for Police and Crime, put it recently: “In West Yorkshire, we have a long and proud history of welcoming those who are in need or who are fleeing persecution and war. The Nationality and Borders Bill is racist, pure and simple, and I oppose it.” If you feel the same way, Refugee Action have some excellent guidance on contacting your MP as do #togetherwithrefugees We are also pleased that people who volunteer with LASSN are making their voices heard - like Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan’s recent opinion piece in the Guardian where she critiques how both politicians and journalists have approached the Ukrainian War and the deep-seated Islamophobia that lies behind some of the actions and statements of some commentators and policymakers. Thank you to all our volunteers, supporters and well-wishers – and to everyone who shares LASSN’s vision that asylum seekers and refugees will be safe, respected, supported and empowered to [...]

Friends of LASSN, Winter 21

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2024-01-16T11:25:47+00:002nd December, 2021|Tags: , , |

It's been far too long since we last gave you an update about what's happening at LASSN, and the difference your support makes to the lives of people seeking refuge and other migrants at risk of harm. We hope you enjoy reading it.* Season's Greetings from everyone at LASSN Photo Credit: Ben Bentley, Leeds List *all of it, some of it, scroll to the pictures you like or simply click on the links. There's so much we could talk about - sometimes it's about deciding what to leave out as much as deciding what to leave in.

“What can I do to help refugees from Afghanistan?”

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2021-09-03T08:56:19+01:002nd September, 2021|

A lot of people have been in touch over the last week, with unbelievably generous offers of help, housing, volunteering - all asking to know ways they can help refugees from Afghanistan. We are unbelievably grateful, and slightly embarrassed that we've yet to hear of any Afghans who've arrived in Leeds on the various resettlement schemes. So we've helped to draft this joint reponse from Leeds Migration Partnership https://migrationpartnership.org.uk/afghanistan so the refugee charities of Leeds give out clear and consistent messages. We are told that when people arrive, they will be provided with wrap-around care, and that the UK Government have this in hand. That said - despite "Operation Warm Welcome" - the UK Government plans to make the welcome for refugees who arrive without invitation less than warm. Including Afghan refugees who are not eligible for this wrap-around care. You might agree. You might disagree. But we'd like you to know more about it - and how it connects to the situation of folks who aren't lucky enough to be airlifted out of dangerous situations. You can find more info on this after this briefing sheet. Most of the organisations working with refugees in Leeds are working with people who have come to the UK without an invitation. Some of those people are from Afghanistan, but most refugees in Leeds are not eligible for the help offered to people who’ve been hand-picked by the Home Office. And although the Home Office have asked that all offers of help for Afghan people go through them – it’s actually much better to contact the Council (if you have an empty property that could be used to house people) or Migration Yorkshire – who are coordinating things on a regional level. They have produced an excellent in depth explanation of how people can offer help. Collecting, storing, cleaning and organising goods is an expensive and time consuming task. Charity shops like St Vincent’s do this brilliantly well, as well as offering support to people seeking asylum as well as refugees. It’s generally cheaper to buy new from Asda/Primark. Plus, from a human perspective – there’s enormous dignity in not being forced to wear second hand undies. If UK people want to show support for refugees more generally – there’s an opportunity for them to speak out against the UK Government’s New Plan for Immigration. This New Plan intends to create a two tier system for refugees. One group will arrive at the invitation of the UK Government, selected from particular refugee camps. These are called resettlement schemes. If the New Plan passes into law, the other group – the people who have not arrived on UK Government chartered planes or at UK invitation – will be said to have arrived here illegally. So even if people seeking refuge persuade the Home Office that their lives are in danger, and they cannot return home (for example that they are from Afghanistan and are wanted by the Taliban) they will be treated [...]

LASSN’s support of tech across Leeds and beyond, since the start of the Pandemic in 2020

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2021-07-06T17:25:26+01:005th July, 2021|

In the last year many people have experienced disconnection and loneliness, and the people LASSN work alongside are no exception. Over the last year, LASSN has worked hard to overcome these barriers by putting affordable technology into the hands into the hands of anyone who has needed it, and by supporting other people with the same goal. We're long-term collaborators with solidaritech.com but this year, we had to do a little but more for ourselves... March 2020 Lockdown restrictions mean face to face support from LASSN is suspended. All LASSN clients and volunteers offered £5/month phone costs; LASSN hosts fortnightly Leeds Migration Partnership online lunchtime chats, to keep colleagues networked and in touch with one another; LASSN provides free WIFI to destitute asylum seekers accomodated by Leeds City Council April-May 2020 helpinleeds.com - updated by a LASSN volunteer on furlough furloughed LASSN staff support launch of Migration Yorkshire's migrantinfohub.org.uk LASSN's post on the use of video tech and the cost of data on migrationpartnership.org.uk is the most popular ever, with over 4000 hits April-July 2020 Our city-wide Digital Inclusion Scheme launches - volunteers collect/wipe/unlock and distribute more than 100 phones, 40 WIFI dongles, 150 data SIM cards to asylum seekers and refugees in Leeds. This is mostly thanks to the flexibility of the Police and Crime Commissioner, who let us use the grant they gave us, for this. LASSN shares experiences through Refugee Action Good Practice Hub and with colleagues at 100% Digital and Leeds' Health and Wellbeing Board LASSN volunteers managers work closely with colleagues from other organisations to develop online content, social/chat spaces, and the confidence/skill to run effective online groups May-September 2020 LASSN develops online resources for Tutors and Befrienders, online support training, as well as online safeguarding guidance a small library of spare laptops/tablets/PCs to be loaned to clients and volunteers as needed June-October 2020 LASSN partners with Leeds Refugee Forum to secure costs of improving Leeds Refugee Forum website creating microsites for each of the Refugee Community Organisations supported by LRF supplying 12 Refugee Community Organisations with laptops, broadband costs, and digital training development of digital skills for refugees and people seeking asylum, in a variety of languages July 2020 Phone costs offered to LASSN clients and volunteers increases to £10/month August-September 20 PCs and webcams supplied to Hotels being used by Home Office contractors to house asylum seekers in Leeds, York and Hull  all Grace Hosts and people living at Grace House anyone wanting to volunteer with LASSN who does not have the digital equipment to do so November 2020 increased participation of Refugee Community Organisations in citywide strategic discussions by offering £35/hr "back-fill" for time spent in meetings. LASSN starts work on what will become Events in Leeds with Leeds City of Sanctuary, Refugee Council’s New Roots and the Leeds Migration Partnership, in collaboration with Maryan from sidelabs LASSN starts to recruit and deliver volunteer training online December 2020 LASSN increases data allowance for clients and volunteers to £20 a month LASSN creates [...]

Friends of LASSN, Spring 2021

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2024-01-16T11:31:35+00:0031st March, 2021|

It's Spring - so let us tell you what we've been up to - and the difference we've made over the last 3 or 4 months As always, thank you to every one of our friends for your kindness, support and inspiration from Everyone at LASSN

LASSN Festival of Connecting and Reconnecting, March 15th – 19th, 2021 

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2021-03-04T16:51:36+00:003rd March, 2021|

This year we cannot bring everyone together face-to-face as we usually would, so instead we invite you to take part in a week of fun activities that will hopefully help us to all feel more connected during these strange times. You can sign up to as many sessions with ‘unlimited’ spaces as you like, and you can choose one session that has ‘limited’ spaces. Some of the activities require ingredients or materials or the costs of putting the cooker on, so please tell us so we can help pay for them. We never ever want money to be a barrier to people coming together and having a good time - so please don't be embarrassed. Please tell us if some money towards the cost of ingredients or materials or cooking costs or phone credit would be helpful. We really really want to see you!  Monday 15th March, 12 – 12.45pm Have Fun through Dance with Nikki   If you miss dancing with friends to some happy music and having a little bit of exercise then this session is for you.  You don't need any skills, just need a little bit of space to move around and some comfortable clothing, anyone that enjoys dancing is very welcome. Nikki is a qualified dance fitness instructor and a former Zumba® instructor. She will demonstrate the dance move for each song so that everyone can follow along.   Places available: unlimited Tuesday 16th March, 11am - 12pm Cooking with Hala    Hala will be cooking the Palestinian dish Mujadara which is made up of lentils, rice (and/or bulgur) and caramelized onions.  You can get the ingredients in advance to cook along with her or just join the session and watch! We will send out a list of ingredients a week before the session, and a supermarket voucher to buy ingredients, or volunteers can claim back through their expenses. Places available: unlimited Tuesday 16th March, 6 – 7.30pm  Wellbeing Workshop for Adults (by Impact North)  Jane Kenington is an Art Psychotherapist working with families in schools and the community. She will be running a creative workshop for adults focusing on wellbeing. She will be using breathing and mindfulness techniques combined with creativity and movement that you can go on to incorporate into your daily lives.  You will need paper and pens /pencils /crayons plus any other creative materials you wish to use – scissors, glue, collage, sequins, glitter etc. If you are buying stuff for you, or someone who is coming to the session, please claim up to £5 for each of you, by contacting the Volunteers Manager Places available: limited Wednesday 17th March, 2 - 3pm  Baking with Naglaa Jjoin this session to watch how Nagla bakes baklava and learn some tips to try it at home yourself! We will send out a list of ingredients a week before the session, and a supermarket voucher to buy ingredients, or volunteers can claim back through their expenses. Places available: unlimited  Thursday 18th March, 11am – 12pm [...]

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