PRESS RELEASE
Accentuating the positive
"My children are in school, myself and my wife are both working, which are
good indications of the future. God willing, we intend to join the rest of
the Sheffield community in developing Sheffield, the United Kingdom and the
world at large! God Bless!" A refugee
With more co-ordination and resourcing, the Government's programme for the
nationwide dispersal of asylum seekers and refugees could contribute to the
regeneration of run down areas of the country. So claimed Independent Peer
Lord Best, director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, speaking at the
launch of the summary report, 'Between NASS and a hard place', for the
Housing Associations Charitable Trust (hact).
Calling for a new and more positive attitude towards refugees, Lord Best
said, "Refugees bring with them a whole range of skills, together with the
spirit of enterprise required for the regeneration of our inner cities. They
have the abilities and the willingness to get down to work, but are often
denied the opportunity to realise their full potential because of a whole
range of policy failures and negative attitudes."
What is required is joined up policy to ensure that newly settled refugees
are provided with a secure and safe base from which to build their new
lives, and to contribute positively to society as successful citizens."
The report, by Mary Carter and Azim El-Hassan, is a feasibility study based
on research in Yorkshire and Humberside on housing and community development
issues for refugees in areas of dispersal. It draws out conclusions and
recommendations that are applicable to any dispersal area.
Based on the premise that housing and community development underpin other
aspects of settlement and integration, the aims of the study were to:
- gauge broad levels of housing need amongst newly settled refugees;
- identify sources of access to housing and related support services;
- and identify the level of relevant community development initiatives
amongst refugee communities.
Focusing on three areas with contrasting circumstances and approaches -
Hull, Sheffield and Wakefield - the study combines interviews with refugee
community organisations, service providers and support agencies, as well as
asylum seekers and refugees.
WHO:
hact (the Housing Associations Charitable Trust)
WHAT:
the launch of the summary of its report,
Between NASS and a Hard Place
by Mary Carter and Azim Al-Hassan
Lord Best, Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, will open the event
and speak on the importance of the report's findings.
Other contributions will come from
Gill Martin, Tuke Centre, York
Saeed Abdi, Somali Mental Health Project, Sheffield
Peter Lamberton, Chair, Safe Haven
A summary of the report will be available to those attending the event on
Friday. [List mod.'s note: It should also be available by the end of today
on the hact web site - www.hact.org.uk.]
WHERE:
Leeds Federated Housing Association
Arthington House
30 Westfield Road
Leeds LS3 1DE
WHEN:
Friday 13 December, 4pm
For further information about the report, contact: Heather Petch or Azim
El-Hassan
For further information about the launch, contact: Vicky Evans
Tel: 0207 247 7800 Fax: 0207 247 2212 E-mail:[log in to unmask]
Website: www.hact.org.uk
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