Ukraine News

[ad_1] words by Jon at LASSN The UK Govt position on how Ukrainian people can find safety in the UK is rather confused. As we wait for clarity, here are some resources, produced by other people If you want to find out about local fundraising and collections – especially those led by people affected by the Ukrainian war – the Yorkshire Evening Post have covered activities here and here. Leeds City Council has announced details of a major fundraising appeal to help those facing upheaval and heartbreak following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The press release regarding the ‘Leeds Together for Ukraine’ appeal to support Ukrainian refugees as they start to arrive in the city is available here: https://news.leeds.gov.uk/news/council-launches-leeds-together-for-ukraine-appeal-in-response-to-refugee-crisis If you wish to give money to the larger NGOs helping Ukrainian Refugees on the borders of Ukraine, the London Mayor’s Office has a comprehensive list of places you can send money, inclusing the Disaster Emergency Committee.   If you want to offer accommodation for refugees, Refugees at Home are registering new Hosts – although bear in mind you will not be able to specifiy “Ukrainian refugees only.” If you want to find out more about the situation in Ukraine, and think about how to help locally – City of Sanctuary have produced an excellent page of resources  The biggest barrier to Leeds folk providing a welcome and help to Ukrainian refugees is currently UK Gov policy. If you want to ask why Ukrainians aren’t allowed to seek safety in Leeds yet, please write to your MP. If you would like to take this a step further, and say how you fee about the plans to make it even harder for people to seek refuge in the UK,  Refugee Action has launched an ‘Email your MP’ action calling for more routes to safety, as well as removing Clause 11 of the Nationality & Borders Bill. You can share here.  Freedom From Torture has launched a petition on change.org also asking for a comprehensive humanitarian response and removing Clause 11 of the Bill.  Finally, if you want to read an interesting piece on the way in which the war is being covered by mainstream media outlets- here’s an opinion piece which appeared on the Al-Jazeera website last month. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Leeds City Council has announced details of a major fundraising appeal to help those facing upheaval and heartbreak following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The press release regarding the ‘Leeds Together […] [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The government has put in place arrangements for local authorities to implement and deliver on the Home for Ukraine scheme. Since the launch, Leeds City Council has been developing systems and processes in line with government guidance to deliver this scheme at a local level. So LMP are hosting a special online meeting, to enable folks to  a) find out what arrangements are in place to support Ukrainian refugees 11:30 – 12:00 b) work out how these fit with existing asylum seeker and refugee services across the city, and potentially how existing work can be resourced/expanded*  12:00 – 12:30   Everyone is welcome to come to some or all of the session.  Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83273062945 Meeting ID: 832 7306 2945 Passcode: 112233 Further information and key contacts: *The council are working on funding arrangements to support third sector organisations are keen to see this funding benefit wider migrant groups living in Leeds. This meeting will not be focused on this funding specifically, but will help to inform the council’s plans. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The Refugee Council is one of the leading organisations in the UK working with asylum seekers and refugees. Our operational teams based in various locations in England provide advice and assistance across a wide range of issues, including helping asylum seekers through the complexities of the asylum system, addressing issues of destitution and assisting refugees and people seeking asylum to access key services including housing, welfare benefits, health, education and employment.  Our teams work with relevant agencies including the Home Office, Refugee Community Organisations, Local Authorities, Legal Service Providers, Housing Providers, Health Institutions, Job Centre Plus and other mainstream service providers. Context and Purpose of the Job The resettlement team provides advice and support for resettled refugees to help them access services and mainstream provision, and establish community links. Working closely with local stakeholders and in partnership with other voluntary sector agencies running similar services across the UK, the Refugee Council resettlement team promotes both the integration and independence of this group. The Refugee Council has agreed to work in partnership with Migration Yorkshire and Local Authorities across Yorkshire and Humberside to deliver the regional Resettlement programmes. We will be working with Ukraine nationals who have arrived under the Homes for Ukraine programme and their hosts, who provide accommodation for a minimum of 6 months across the area. The resettlement area team will provide integration support for 12 months, including welfare benefits, health, employment, housing advice, safeguarding, mediation and community links. Main Duties and Responsibilities To provide a safe and welcoming environment for Ukrainian refugees ensuring that standards are maintained, monitored and that the service meets all statutory and other requirements. To assess need for interpretation, taking into consideration complexity of information or advice. To assist refugees who may be in a confused or distressed state in understanding systems in the UK and making appropriate referrals to health and/or mental health support. To provide advice and support to refugees on statutory, voluntary and mainstream services, Welfare benefits, education (including ESOL), health services, housing and employment. Click here for information and to apply for the jobs in Doncaster Click here for information and to apply for the jobs in East Riding Click here for information and to apply for the jobs in Wakefield Closing date 5th June 2022 [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] More updates from Asylum Matters Ongoing advocacy Linton-on-Ouse ‘accommodation centre’ Residents of Linton-on-Ouse, and their representatives have continued to campaign to stop the wholly unsuitable large-scale facility planned in their village. Following action by Hambleton District Council, the Yorkshire Post reported a delay to the Home Office’s plans on 30 May, stating that ‘no final decision’ had yet been taken on whether to place people on the site. Meanwhile local MP Kevin Hollinrake made it clear that far-right agitators are not welcome in the village. You can follow the local campaign at @LintonAction and sign their petition here.  Take Action: Stop ‘Accommodation Centres’!  Write to your MP about the proposals for Linton-on-Ouse and similar wholly unsuitable facilities using our template letter – it takes just a few minutes! If you prefer, you can download and adapt the letter as a document from our website, where we have also shared an FAQ on the developments.  Rwanda offshoring With legal challenges by Freedom from Torture and Care for Calais underway, ITV reported on the ‘notices of intent’ which have been served to people intended to be removed to Rwanda. The letters give just 7 days to respond if people are in detention, and 14 days if not in detention, with the documents untranslated. Priti Patel has stated the first flight will be on 14 June.  Some of those due to be deported began a hunger strike in protest while detained in Brook House immigration removal centre, these same people have been threatened with faster deportation if they continue. This first person piece from one of the people detained outlines people’s anguish, which is also highlighted in the Independent’s report on an Afghan man who tried to take his own life after being served with a letter informing him he could be sent to Rwanda.  Jesse Norman MP alluded to the Rwanda plan in his letter withdrawing support from the Prime Minister, calling it ‘ugly, likely to be counterproductive and of doubtful legality.’ Meanwhile, the Rwandan opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, spoke to the Times to say that Britain was ‘betraying the democratic values of the Commonwealth’ with its offshoring plan.   In related news, a charter deportation flight to Iraq that was due to take 30 Kurdish refused asylum seekers was cancelled last minute by the Home Office after protests by campaigners. Take Action: Fight the Anti-Refugee Laws! The Fight the Anti-Refugee Laws pledge is open to signature for individual members of the public, using this e- action. Please support the promotion of the pledge by sharing this action with your networks. A draft tweet is below: The @ukhomeoffice’s new #AntiRefugeeLaws will have devastating consequences for people seeking safety. We will fight these cruel laws at every turn. Stand with us and pledge to defend the right to seek safety: https://act.refugee-action.org.uk/page/106452/petition/1 When promoting the action, please do continue to use the #AntiRefugeeLaws pledge content, including: Attached is a QR code that takes people to the pledge action for use at events, ahead of Refugee Week. Please feel free to [...]

[ad_1] Here’s a round up of the best resources out there for both Ukrainian Refugees and people supporting them. Resources in Leeds Leeds Ukrainian Community Centre – facebook page  Leeds City Council – “Find more information about the help being offered, where to go for advice and how Leeds residents can get involved.” brings together all the places the Council know about and recommend – including community resources newtoleeds.org – a guide for new migrants wishing to settle in Leeds. From Housing to Health, Transport to Bins, this is a complete guide to life in Leeds. Please check before you visit any of the orgs listed here. Although the advice remains correct, the contact details of several organisations have changed through the Pandemic. This site is currently being refreshed, so please check the time stamp at the bottom of each page to see when it was last checked/updated.  learningenglish.org.uk– find English classes near you. Generic resources UK Government “welcome guidance for Ukrainians.” Doctors of the World have produced resources on access to healthcare in the UK, in a range of different languages, including Ukrainian and Russian.  City of Sanctuary‘s resources, include info for both hosts, and guests and is updated regularly The No Accommodation Network‘s resources mainly focuses on the information needs for people who have, or who are thinking about opening their homes to people seeking refuge. It’s worth a dig around: you’ll find all sorts, including this excellent briefing sheet on Understanding Trauma Migrant Help focus on immigration advice and how to access the various resettlement schemes Ukraine Advice Project. “Free UK immigration advice for people fleeing Ukraine. We have partnered up with DLA Piper to help connect you with volunteers who are experts in UK visas and refugee rules.”      [ad_2] Source link