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Refugee Week 2020 Day 3: Grace Hosting

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2020-06-17T08:24:38+01:0017th June, 2020|

We’re using Refugee Week as a way to explain how the work of LASSN has changed during Lockdown. Each day we’re offering examples of how we’ve adapted what we do, to make sure asylum seekers and refugees and other migrants at risk of harm remain supported, empowered, and integrated. What's changed? Since Lockdown, we've put Emergency/night-to-night Hosting on hold. Hosting has always been about what is do-able, and we will never put pressure on Hosts to host. Even so, we managed to get everyone we knew into longer-term placements before closing to new referrals. One of our Hosting Coordinators - who arrange matches on day to day basis - captured some of her thoughts during the last days before lockdown It’s become a cliche to say we are living in extraordinary times, but, we certainly are. In amongst the extraordinary anxiety and some extraordinary silliness, the extraordinariness of Grace hosting has come shining through. I had the pleasure of being Coordinator on a day when some of the restrictions on social contact and movement were beginning to kick in. It wasn’t easy, asking if volunteers were able to host that night. But every volunteer I contacted responded quickly and with care. Some were apologetic (absolutely no need to apologise) but because of their particular vulnerability, had to pull back from hosting. Others offered to host and, where they could, offered additional nights so that guests were shielded from having to move around. Everyone wanted to do what they could to help. This meant we started Lockdown with 10 people staying with Hosting households, and 4 people staying at the newly opened Grace House. We supplied guests with accessible information about COVID-19 and helped them to learn the new rules about social distancing, hand-washing, and their responsibilities to other members of their household. This was a big change. Our hosting guidance encouraged Guests to spend most of their days outside the house and to come back in the evening. Now, Hosts were asking Guests to stay at home all the time and to drastically reduce contact with the outside world. 3 months down the line, 4 of these arrangements are no longer in place - all 4 people have accommodation elsewhere (either with friends, relatives, or accommodated by the Council under the Everybody In arrangements) Lockdown meant that most hostels and night shelters were closed overnight, and the Council placed a total of 220 people into hotels, apartments, and other temporary accommodation. This included around 20 asylum seekers with No Recourse to Public Funds in a Hostel in Holbeck, 11 of whom had previously stayed in the WYDAN Nightshelter. Hosting During Lockdown A host writes My guest and I are both deemed vulnerable and are self isolating together. We sit in the garden in the mornings drinking posh coffee ie.percolated. We enjoyed the sun yesterday. I take out my papers and crosswords and he gets lots of calls from his friends who are lovely and all pass on good wishes to me. [...]

Refugee Week 2020 Day 2: English at Home

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2020-06-15T19:49:54+01:0016th June, 2020|

We're using Refugee Week as a way to explain how the work of LASSN has changed during Lockdown. Each day we're offering examples of how we've adapted what we do, to make sure asylum seekers and refugees and other migrants at risk of harm remain supported, empowered, and integrated. So what's changed? Three months ago, LASSN's English at Home project was the only way asylum seekers and refugees in Leeds could learn English at home. And of course, since lockdown, every ESOL class is held at home, which is kind of brilliant, but also comes with its own challenges. Sadly, we've had to put new referrals on hold for the time being, as well as suspending volunteer recruitment. We're doing this until we can work out the best way of assessing the level of English of people being referred, and checking out the skills of new volunteers - without being able to meet them face to face We're still managing to re-match learners with existing volunteers, and deploy some of the unmatched English at Home volunteers into new roles (as telephone befrienders), We've also been providing weekly skill-share drop-ins to help volunteers make the difficult transition from providing face-to-face learning and support to online learning. And, in addition to all of this, Riley has had to be furloughed (working from home isn't do-able whilst the schools are closed). Which basically means David has been holding the fort. Online learning resources, free for everyone We started lockdown by trying to support our English at Home matches to explore new ways of learning, and issuing new guidance to our volunteers on how to teach in socially distant ways. We also knew that without our help, many of the people we knew would not be able to afford to stay in touch with the person they were matched with  - so a key part of our strategy was to issue phone credit to all clients and volunteers who needed it. Since then. we've also been able to supply mobile phones, and laptops, and wifi dongles using our Digital Inclusion scheme with the support of our friends at Solidaritech. We've told you before about the hundreds of free teaching resources we've created posted online (https://lassn.org.uk/teaching-resources/) thanks to the diligence and hard work of Clive and Julie our online librarians. And since lockdown, we've added a whole new range of resources for Tutors and Learners who are not used to learning/teaching online - and which are designed to build confidence and to involve the whole family.  Our friend Daniela Prataviera created a half-hour webinar on Using online communication with low-level learners and we've either found or made accessible information about how to use Zoom David writes: Head to the Ideas and Activities section for numerous suggestions that can be used straight away with your learner. They can all be easily adapted to suit any level of learner, and can be used as a starter or whole lesson. Amy, one of our wonderful volunteers, has created Read Along [...]

Refugee Week 2020 Day 1: Digital Inclusion

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2020-06-15T16:43:31+01:0015th June, 2020|

We're using Refugee Week as a way to explain how the work of LASSN has changed during Lockdown. Each day we're offering examples of how we've adapted what we do, to make sure asylum seekers and refugees and other migrants at risk of harm remain supported, empowered and integrated. How is LASSN working towards Digital Inclusion?* We try to look at Digital from the perspective of folks living in extreme poverty, who might struggle to find or to use kit for all kinds of reasons. A decision to “Go Digital” doesn’t necessarily include more people or reach those in need. Unless it’s carefully thought through, it can frequently exclude the very people you intended to help. When thinking about how we deliver our projects in non-face-to-face ways - our starting point is: “what’s the best way of building on what people already know and feel comfortable with?” This might be more phone calls to start with. It might be a WhatsApp chat. It might mean upgrading someone’s phone so they can look at the internet. It might mean building the confidence and knowledge of their volunteer, so the volunteer can suggest trying new things. We also have to work hard at planning our online contact and not just hoping things will happen naturally. If limited access to data means you have to choose between half an hour of Peppa Pig on YouTube and half an hour of Zoom call, the Zoom call has to be at least as interesting as Youtube for you AND the kids. So our contacts now assume we will be supporting not just individuals but other members of their household too. We’ve developed materials to help with this. And of course, like everything LASSN does, we put this online for free for anyone to use. We are committed to sharing our learning and make this all free and publicly available. We’ve worked with Solidaritech to distribute the tech they refurbish. This relationship has come into its own during Covid-19. Longer-term, we know we need a cross-sector structural response to digital inclusion, that takes into account the structural inequalities at play. Operation Wifi is campaigning for wifi to be made open access using existing broadband infrastructure. What support are you providing? At the start of Lockdown, we told all the people we support and all the people who support them that we would provide them with phone credit. If social distancing measures require us to limit our support to phone and video calls, we need to make sure people are connected.  We took the money we'd put aside to cover transport costs, or tea and a bun in a cafe somewhere, and provided phone-top ups instead. This has not been easy - each Network provider has their own individual systems - but we have gradually figured out the best of way of doing this. Internally, we are supporting volunteers and staff through training and peer group calls to grow confidence, share challenges and solutions to aid remote [...]

Corona virus Update for LASSN Volunteers 19th March 2020

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2020-03-20T12:32:46+00:0019th March, 2020|

LASSN's projects have closed to new referrals from 19th March 2020, in response to corona virus. We will reopen to new referrals as soon as we are able. We continue to support existing clients and volunteer matches by phone, email and and encourage all the people we support to remain in contact throughout this difficult period. Up to date information on what's happening with other projects and services can be found on http://migrationpartnership.org.uk We offer the following advice to volunteers "I'm currently matched..." We are recommending that volunteers stop home visits for the time being. Please do keep in contact with the person you are matched with, and let us know how you are both getting on. Here are some ways that you can keep in touch with the person you are matched with: - Video calls (eg skype, whatsapp or similar) - Phone calls - Audio messages (these might be easier for the person you are matched with because they can pause and rewind messages until they understand them) - Text messages - Post (please don't give your home address to the person you are matched with, but you can send things like learning materials in the post) - Going for a walk together (you'd need to avoid travelling by public transport and make sure that you were 2 metres apart, and in the open air) We're postponing in-person reviews until the situation changes and we'll be in touch by phone with anyone who is due for a review. "The person I support can't afford to keep their phone topped up..." LASSN would like to offer all volunteers and clients £5 each, per month  - towards the costs of staying in touch by phone, video or whatever. We are trialling this for a couple of months to see how it goes (and to work out how if we can afford it in the medium-long term).But communication is so important, it feels like the right thing to do. if you are struggling to know how to top someone's phone up, please google it, or call us for help. To claim this money back, please keep receipts/bills and other evidence of spend and submit with an expenses form. Please don't give out a fiver and then ask for the money back, because we need some kind of audit trail. Even a photo of a makeshift hand written receipt is better than nothing. "I'm worried about the person I'm matched with..." If you are worried about your learner, please get in touch with us. We're reachable by email and phone as normal (lassn.org.uk/contact). If there is an emergency, please contact the emergency services. "This whole volunteering thing is stressing me out..." It's a really difficult time right now, and all of us are experiencing a lot of uncertainty. If you are feeling like it's getting on top of you, please get in touch with us. It's much better to talk to someone and to be kind to yourself than to soldier on quietly. [...]

LASSN’s Annual General Meeting and Celebration: 3rd October 2019

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2020-01-30T12:53:49+00:0017th September, 2019|

This event has already happened, but we've left the post up, as a reminder of what we've done. This year our AGM is a strictly ticketed event, and will be held from 6pm - 8pm  on 3rd October 2019 at Sinai Synaogue, Roman Avenue, Leeds LS8 2AN. [Link to Google map]. Please see the Agenda and Papers below The AGM will be a bit more "business" oriented this year - and less of a party - because we are holding a big party in November to celebrate LASSN's 20th anniversary. Please note: you will not be able the AGM this year unless you have confirmed that you are coming in advance. The Synagogue have requested we do this as a security measure, following concerns around recent increases in religiously motivated hate crimes.  

LASSN are moving to new offices on 2nd August 2019

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2019-07-12T11:30:13+01:0012th July, 2019|

As of August 5th 2019 our new address will be Malmarc House, 116 Dewsbury Road, Leeds LS11 6XD We'll be shutting the office for a couple of days on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd, and then reopening on Monday August 5th. If you need to contact us urgently during this time, please email us or call our mobiles  Oak House is being sold by the Landlord who is ending all the tenancies of organisations based there. We really hoped we'd be there for at least another couple of years, but such is the life of a small org who rents cheapish property. We'll be sad to leave - but on the plus side our mates at City of Sanctuary and Asylum Matters are also moving with us. What is Malmarc House like? Grade 2 listed building Accessible ground floor offices Shared meeting and training spaces off the main lobby WiFi On a main Bus route in/out of town Loads of free parking nearby Malmarc House, on the corner of Hunslet Hall Road and Dewsbury Road Our bit is in the Old Library The entrance lobby is still in tact Will LASSN's telephone number stay the same? Yes. But it will defnitely be out of action on 1st and 2nd August 2019, so please use the mobiles. Parking/how do I get there? We don't have a dedicated car park space any more but the good news is there's loads of on street and free car parking nearby (marked in orange). I use a bus, or a bike The buses from town are every 5 minutes - Numbers 1/2/3 Ask to be dropped off at Hunslet Hall Road/Dewsbury Road. You can use this planner to plan your journey [link]. You can lock your bike in the secure courtyard at the rear of the building.  

What did you miss at the LASSN AGM 2018?

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2020-01-30T12:55:16+00:001st November, 2018|

This event has already happened, but we've left the post up, as a reminder of what we've done. We're really sorry if you weren't able to make it to the AGM on Thursday night. Here are all the documents that were given out: The agenda, minutes of 2017 AGM and Annual Accounts 2017/18 The presentations The Annual Review 2017/18 The Grace Hosting video that we didn't show The English at Home Video we didn't show The YouTube Playlist   And the food was provided by Haftsin Restaurant - just round the corner from the LASSN offices on Burley Road  

LASSN’s Annual General Meeting, 1st November 2018

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2020-01-30T12:55:29+00:0019th October, 2018|

This event has already happened, but we've left the post up, as a reminder of what we've done. Where? St Matthias Church Centre, Burley (next door to St Matthias Church) - Directions here When? Thursday 1st November 2018 18:00 - 20:30 Join us to celebrate what we can achieve when we work together Doors will open at 17:30, when coffee and tea will be available. The AGM will start promptly at 18:00, and the formal business will last no longer than 30 minutes. After this, we'll spend a bit of time sharing some of the things we've been doing over the last year, and the things we've achieved together. Then, at about 19:15 we'll sit down together and share a Persian feast, supplied by the fabulous folk at Haftsin Persian Restaurant.  If you would like to volunteer on the evening, please click here to see, to see the kind of help we're after

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