Headline posts

At last, we can announce the launch of the Transition Guide: http://transitionguide.org.uk a step-by step-guide to settling in Leeds, once you've received leave to remain. It's been 3 years in the making, designed in collaboration with people who've sought refuge, featuring photos take by asylum seekers and refugees. You can read more about the process and the people involved here. It covers lots of topics from housing, work, education, banks in a simple straightforward style and is translated into loads of different community languages.  If you'd like to order some flyers or posters, please contact [email protected] and he'll put some in the post It's been produced by LASSN, in collaboration with Touchstone's Migrant Access Project Plus, with funding from Leeds City Council, via the Controlling Migration Fund, and the National Lottery

It's Refugee Week next week, so we've made some badges. They are inspired by the words of the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who has said of the previous #hostileenvironment policy towards "failed" asylum seekers and other irregular migrants: “I don’t like the phrase hostile...I think it is a phrase that is unhelpful and it doesn’t represent our values as country. It is about a compliant environment and it is right that we have a compliant environment.” Our badges are not political, and certainly not party political. But we do hope they provoke discussion and debate about the kind of environment and place we create together, for everyone, as well as the kind of immigration policies we might want. So next time you see us at an event or pop into the office, be sure to ask us for some. They're free - but any donations that help us cover costs will always be welcome. 

LASSN relies on donations and funds raised by supporters and well wishers - so we've tried to make the process a little easier, and to offer more support to people who want to help us to raise money. We've done this in several ways We now have a dedicated fundraising page on the LASSN website We're offering support to people organising fundraising events, including a fundraising pack with publicity materials We've set up a Virgin Giving Page - so that people can set up their own fundraising page for us and advertise it on Social Media Thank you to everyone who raises money to help asylum seekers and refugees in Leeds, and especially those who do this in the name of LASSN.  We think you're amazing.

As many of you know, Riley - Volunteers Manager at English at Home - recently went on 12 months Adoption leave. In Riley's farewell email, they promised that LASSN would find a temporary replacement very soon. And we have. We are delighted to announce that Tina Brocklebank will be joining the team, as English at Home Volunteers Manager alongside David.  Some of you may know Tina from the press coverage of her work with Help Refugees in the Refugee Camp at Calais, or the Volunteer Open evenings she has been running with City of Sanctuary - helping people who want to work with asyum seekers and refugees to find the right volunteering opportunity. Tina was also elected to LASSN's board of Trustees at our last AGM. However, Tina is now standing down as a Trustee in order to join David as a Volunteers Manager with English at Home on 15th November 2017.