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A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their own country due to a well-founded fear of persecution, and would not be protected in that country, or able to return there, for fear of that persecution. Subsequently, they have applied for asylum (a shelter from danger or hardship) in another country. An asylum seeker therefore is someone who has asked a government, of a country they have fled to, to recognise them as a refugee. Persecution can happen because of either:
In the countries they come from, asylum seekers/refugees may also have suffered day-to-day dangers such as war, severe poverty, lack of jobs, and not enough hospitals and medicine. Once someone has been recognised as a refugee they are given protection under the law and have the same rights as other citizens in the UK. Young Refugees Some young refugees come to the UK with their families, but others come alone, sent by their families for their protection and away from danger. These refugees are called, Unaccompanied Minors (under 18 years old) and face a new life, alone in a strange country. Being a young refugee in a new and strange country can be very difficult. Apart from bad memories they may have of their own country, they now find themselves surrounded by a different culture, with different attitudes, ideas and lifestyle issues affecting them. This can be very difficult to grasp and at times add new problems to what has probably already been a traumatic experience. All these things increase the potential vulnerability and risks which refugees and asylum seekers face in a new country. They may be the victims of racism and victims of crime, and are at higher risk of exploitation and abuse. If you are a young refugee If you are a young refugee or asylum seeker living in Brighton & Hove then there are several agencies which can put you in touch with other services and support groups in the city who can help you. Some services in Brighton & Hove are there to provide young refugees with advice, information and support about living in the city and help guide you through what can be a very difficult time. You can contact the specialist BME young people’s Connexions Advisor who provides support for BME young people and young people who are Refugees or Asylum Seekers aged 16-19 in Brighton & Hove. The advisor can help with information and advice about a range of issues including, Job-search / CVs, finding courses, education, bullying, health, legal advice, family, money/benefits, communication, self-esteem, social life, cultural differences, relationships etc. For more information contact: BME Connexions Advisor Young People's Centre, 69 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AE Tel. 01273 887886 Email: aisha.lawrie@impact-initiatives.org.uk Migrant Helpline Migrant Helpline offer advice and support to newly arrived asylum-seekers to help them get support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). It offers a one-stop service for asylum-seekers and refugees in Kent and Sussex. Tel: (01273) 723 223 Website: www.migranthelpline.org.uk/ If you are a refugee or asylum seeker and have experienced any crime, bullying, racism or abuse there are several places in the city you could go for help, advice, information and support. Partnership Community Safety Team Always speak to someone you trust about any crime or safety issue you may have experienced. This could be one of the contacts above or you could also visit the Partnership Community Safety Team. They can help you and give you support about any crime you may have experienced and help you report it to the Police (See the ‘Map of Services’ for more information and contact details). Young People’s Centre and Youth Advice Centre You can also visit the Youth Advice Centre or Young people’s Centre for more information and advice. To find more details about these services see the ‘Map of Services’ on this website. Or visit the ‘Hate Crimes’, ‘Reporting Crime’, ‘Bullying’ or any of the other pages on this website for more information and advice which can help. Links The Respect Refugees website connects international young people to refugee young people and raises awareness about refugee issues. www.star-network.org.uk Brighter Futures is a self-advocacy group made up of three groups of young asylum-seekers and refugees from Newcastle, Manchester and London who want to improve the lives of others like them in this country. The website provides a range of information about and for refugees and asylum seekers including links to other website for information about jobs/careers, education, legal services, health etc The Refugee Council can provide you with help, advice and information about a range of issues which affect refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. They work with refugees and asylum seekers to make sure their needs and concerns are addressed. They also provide facts and myth busting information about refugees and the truth behind the real story of asylum seekers in the UK. www.pathwaystoindependence.org.uk/ Pathways to independence provides integrated packages of services to separated children, from point of arrival in the UK through their transition to independence. They aim to assist young people make the transition into independent living in the UK, and to make positive choices about their lives; in particular: independent living, education, training and work opportunities. Refugee Action advise refugee groups in the UK about a range of social, cultural, employment, education and training issues. They provide advice and support to Asylum-seekers who are dispersed without choice to different part of the UK and their ‘Choices’ project provides confidential and impartial advice to refugees and Asylum-seekers who are considering returning to their country of origin. The Brighton & Hove City Council website contains information about local services for refugee and asylum seekers including contact detail for the Duty & Assessment Teams around the city for more information about any welfare or child protection concerns. The Save the Children website has a lot of information about refugees and asylum seekers and they work all over the world to protect and help children everywhere. Visit their website for more information. The Commission for Racial Equality website gives you information about race equality in the UK. It has information about what the law says, what schools should and could be doing to promote racial equality and gives you information about what the CRE are doing, working with others, to improve racial equality in our society. |
