Tag: news

First Minister Humza Yousaf visited Govan Community Project today (Friday 12 January) to hear about the work the charity is doing to support refugees in Glasgow.

Mr Yousaf was greeted by staff and community members at the charity’s office in Govan. 

Govan Community Project provides an advice & advocacy service, support with food insecurity, language classes and community groups to reduce social isolation, for refugees and those seeking asylum. 

During the visit, Mr Yousaf met with head of charity, Traci Kirkland, who outlined the current challenges facing the sector. He also spoke to members of the community groups, many of whom are currently in the asylum system, about their concerns around housing, education, employment and public transport.  

Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity, said: “We were really happy to have Humza Yousaf visit our new office building in Govan today.  With the asylum and refugee community facing ever increasing challenges from the UK’s hostile environment, we welcomed the opportunity to share our experiences with the First Minister; he answered a whole host of questions from our community members. It was good to hear how much he values the work Govan Community Project does.” 

We spoke to some of our community members to get their thoughts on the First Minister’s visit.

“It’s was a great opportunity extended to me by the Food for All project to meet and engage with the first minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf and experience his empathy for New Scots like me first hand. We look forward to his implementation of our requests.”
“It was a pleasure meeting the First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf. A fruitful discussion in regard to the rich cultural diversity Scotland has to offer and all of us doing our part, working towards a more compassionate system for all!”
“It was a wonderful opportunity that Govan Community Project gave us to meet with the First Minister Hamza Yousaf, and it was useful for us to talk frankly and freely with him about various issues, about our daily life in Scotland, about our joy/happiness and sometimes our suffering in some matters. The response of his office and their communication with us in order to help us solve some of the problems that we suffer from the housing association makes us feel safe, comfortable and happy living in Scotland and to grow up with our children with healthy environment, through our local community.” Ahmad.
“The meeting with the First Minister was indeed well planned and helpful. Great opportunity for different asylum seekers and refugees to speak out their concerns and challenges. In my view he had a listening ear and was quite approachable. This really projected the image of GCP.  I will however request that a follow-up team is set up that will serve as a bridge to get the needed responses on the various promises that the First Minister made.”

On November 24th , 2021, a group of people – each unique and dearly loved – slowly froze to death in the icy waters of the English Channel while waiting for a rescue that never came.

Twenty-seven bodies were recovered and four are still missing, adding to the pain of the families – twenty-one men, seven women including one who was pregnant, and three children.

Today, two years on from this tragedy, we remember and honour them, alongside many more precious lives lost on dangerous journeys to the UK – we may never know exactly how many.

On that catastrophic night, their flimsy boat left France at around 10pm, but close to midnight, it began to deflate and sink in the middle of the Channel. Between 2am and 4am, the passengers called the French and English authorities many times begging for help. But no one came.

The French authorities told them they were in British waters, and British officials told them they were in French waters. The transcripts of those desperate calls make for difficult reading – one passenger indicates that they are literally “in the water”. “Yes, but you are in English waters, Sir,” is the reply. At around 3am the boat overturned, tipping all passengers into the water, where some drowned because of the waves. Over time, others resigned themselves to letting go as they were overwhelmed by the cold.

Eleven hours later – at 2pm the next day – a French fisherman spotted the bodies in the water and raised the alarm. When the French coastguard finally arrived, they found only two survivors.

We will never let the lives lost that night, or those of loved ones lost since, be forgotten. And for their families, we demand justice and change. We long for people seeking safety on British shores to be seen as human beings, deserving of rights, compassion and dignity. Tragedies like this occur because of the ‘othering’ our politicians insist on – of the dehumanising of sons and fathers, mothers and daughters,
friends and family members.

This rhetoric must change. And so must this government’s policies. Humans in search of safety deserve just that. This means safe routes for all refugees wishing to come to the UK – we need to improve resettlement and refugee family reunion schemes and make it easier for people to travel to the UK to claim asylum. That is the only way these tragedies will end. We stand alongside the families of the victims, as they demand answers as to why French and British authorities failed desperate people who came asking for help. They also need to know when the results of the Article 2 Inquiry will be made public. The families have already waited two long years and deserve answers.

As a society that values compassion, we know that people fleeing the worst the world has to offer should be met with kindness. So, we demand that the division and fear of anti-migrant rhetoric used by some political leaders, is replaced with the empathy and respect that many people and communities across Britain show to refugees every day. We can, and must do better : people’s lives depend on it.

Signatories
Zana Mamand Mohammad relative of Twana Mamand Mohammad
Mstafa Mina Nabi relative of Zaniar Mstafa Mina
Rasul Farkha Husein relative of Pshtiwan Rasul Farkha
Saman Abubakir Alipour relative of Sirwan Abubakir Alipour
Husen Mohammad relative of Mahammad Husen Mohammad
Sarhad Pirot Mohammad relative of Sarkawt Pirot Mohammad
Shamal Ali Pirot relative of Shakar Ali Pirot
Ahmad Mohammad Akoyi relative of Afrasia Ahmad Mohammad
Abdulkarim Hamd Abdulrahman relative of Bryar Hamd Abdulrahman
Ismail Hamd Qadir relative of Muslim Ismail Hamd
Rizgar Husen Hamd relative of Kajal Ahmad Khizir
Hadye Rizgar Husen
Mubin Rizhar Husen
Hasti Rizgar Husen
Yasin Husen Hamd relative of Rezhwan Yasin Hasan
Qadir Abdullah relative of Mohammad Qadir Abdullah
Omar Mohammed relative of Hassan Mohammed Ali
Ali Mohammed relative of Hassan Mohammed Ali
Emebet Kefyalew Gizaw relative of Fikeru Shiferaw Tekalegn
Calais Appeal
Care4Calais
Freedom From Torture
Refugee Action
Refugee Council
Safe Passage
Scottish Refugee Council

Today (Wednesday 15 November) the Supreme Court ruled the UK Government’s Rwanda plan is unlawful.

Govan Community Project is very happy that the correct ruling was made by the Supreme Court on the Rwanda Plan, however we share continued concerns with our colleagues across the sector of the UK Government’s ongoing inhumane treatment of those seeking safety.

We stand with over 100 of our sector colleagues, issuing the following joint statement.

We are relieved today that the Supreme Court has made the right decision and declared that Rwanda is not a safe country for this government to send people needing safety. The Rwanda plan was always cruel and immoral. We urge the Government to immediately abandon such plans with Rwanda or with any other country, and instead protect the rights of people who have come to our country in search of sanctuary.

While we welcome the decision today, we remain concerned by this Government’s overall treatment of people who move to this country. We are alarmed by this Government’s continuous efforts to detain and forcibly send people to countries where they may not know anyone, especially if it puts them at risk of harm and human rights violations. We know that as a community we are compassionate and welcoming, and we need immigration policies that are rooted in that same care, compassion, and respect for human rights. We call on everyone to stand up for the rights of people seeking sanctuary, regardless of where they come from or how they travel here.

Signed (as of noon Wednesday 15 November 2023)

 

  1. Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
  2. BARAC UK
  3. Kalayaan 
  4. Liberty 
  5. Doctors of the World UK
  6. Welsh Refugee Council
  7. Medical Justice
  8. Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)
  9. Rainbow Migration
  10. Bail for Immigration Detainees
  11. Just Fair
  12. René Cassin, the Jewish voice for human rights
  13. After Exploitation
  14. Freedom from Torture
  15. Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS)
  16. North Wales Regional Equality Network
  17. Young Roots
  18. Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)
  19. Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (AVID)
  20. Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT UK)
  21. Humans for Rights Network
  22. Hibiscus Initiatives
  23. Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
  24. Scottish Refugee Council
  25. Helen Bamber Foundation
  26. Asylum Aid
  27. The William Gomes Podcast
  28. Routes Collective
  29. New Citizens’ Gateway
  30. CARAS
  31. West London Welcome
  32. Student Action for Refugees (STAR)
  33. Afghan Association Paiwand
  34. RefuAid 
  35. IMIX
  36. Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
  37. Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN)
  38. Our Second Home
  39. Samphire
  40. Care4Calais
  41. St Augustine’s Centre, Halifax
  42. Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit
  43. Good Chance Theatre
  44. The Runnymede Trust
  45. Hope at Home
  46. Voices in Exile
  47. Refugee Support Group (Berkshire)
  48. Ice and Fire Theatre
  49. Waging Peace
  50. Reading City of Sanctuary
  51. forRefugees
  52. Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group
  53. Hastings Supports Refugees
  54. Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
  55. Hastings Community of Sanctuary
  56. Herts for Refugees
  57. City of Sanctuary UK
  58. Bristol Refugee Rights
  59. Da’aro Youth Project
  60. Reunite Families UK
  61. Migrants’ Rights Network
  62. Public Law Project
  63. Praxis
  64. Refugee Action
  65. Together with Migrant Children
  66. JRS UK (Jesuit Refugee Service)
  67. Here for Good
  68. Refugee Council
  69. the3million
  70. Open Rights Group
  71. National AIDS Trust
  72. Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG)
  73. Asylum Matters
  74. HIAS+JCORE
  75. People in Motion
  76. Refugee and Migrant Centre (West Midlands)
  77. RAMFEL
  78. Refugee Women Connect
  79. Voices Network 
  80. Micro Rainbow
  81. LGBT Health and Wellbeing (Scotland)
  82. The VOICES Network 
  83. Mermaids
  84. HOPE not hate
  85. African Rainbow Family
  86. Manchester Migrant Solidarity
  87. Safe Passage
  88. Birmingham City of Sanctuary
  89. Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary
  90. Haringey Welcome
  91. House of Rainbow CIC
  92. Asylum Welcome 
  93. Anti-Slavery International
  94. LGBT Foundation
  95. Migrants Organise
  96. Hope and Aid Direct
  97. Inclusive Mosque Initiative 
  98. Alawia SBI
  99. JustRight Scotland
  100. Kanlungan Filipino Consortium
  101. Time To Be Out
  102. TransActual
  103. Durham Visitors Group
  104. Lewes Organisation in Support of Refugees & Asylum Seekers
  105. RefYouMe
  106. Reclaim The Sea
  107. Big Leaf Foundation
  108. Freedom United
  109. Muslim Council of Britain
  110. Global Link
  111. Lesbian Asylum Support Sheffield
  112. Asylum Support Appeals Project
  113. Gendered Intelligence
  114. Migrant Voice
  115. Stand For All
  116. Migration Justice Project, Law Centre NI
  117. NACCOM
  118. Refugee Legal Support
  119. South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice
  120. Choose Love 
  121. Refugee and Migrants Forum of Essex and London
  122. Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network
  123. Nottingham Arimathea Trust
  124. Govan Community Project
  125. Simon Community Scotland
  126. Welcome Churches
  127. The Pickwell Foundation
  128. Refugees at Home
  129. Stonewall
  130. Sahir House
  131. Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC)
  132. Room to Heal
  133. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

 

 

The Advice and Advocacy Team will be closing the helpline for one week starting Monday 30th October 2023.
Please note that our voicemail will not operate after midnight on 29th October until we reopen at 10am on Monday 6th November 2023.
Some members of the A&A team will be available that week to respond to requests about existing cases, although we might be slower to respond. The adviceteam@govancommunityproject.org.uk will be monitored during this period for queries about existing cases.
When the helpline reopens on 6th November, the number will still be 0800 310 0054. The helpline will run at the same opening times between 10am and 1pm Monday to Thursday.

More than 175,000 people are awaiting a decision on whether they will be granted refugee status in the UK. Many people wait years for an outcome- forced to live in limbo. 

During this time, most people seeking asylum live on just over £5 a day, are not permitted to work, and are accommodated and supported in a system that was never designed to be used over the long term.

One of our community member’s shared their experience of life in the asylum system- they wish to remain anonymous.

“I arrived in the UK at 20 years old. I didn’t know then that all my twenties would be spent in the asylum process. During this time we had two children, I tried to raise my kids as best I could.

No one wants to beg for food for their kids or themselves. But the situation forces people there, they can’t work. I remember just eating 20p noodles a day so I could buy the cream for my baby’s eczema. 

You can’t choose a home for your family. We were put in an area with drug dealers, once my husband was attacked; we were scared. Our children experienced racism, even though they were born in this country, it’s like they don’t have the same value, they should be respected and treated equally like any other kid. 

It’s stressful seeing your children comparing themselves to other kids, they ask why they don’t have those toys, they don’t have the same bags and shoes, why they can’t go to McDonalds. We have patience for ourselves, but seeing our children upset with tears in their eyes, it’s so stressful. 

We had to stay at home for nine years, we didn’t have money to go anywhere. We feel the best part of our life was wasted, we couldn’t enjoy life as we should. It’s depressing staying at home all the time. We went through this experience for a very long time, we don’t want anyone else to go through this. 

Life is much better now, we have status, my husband can work. I work with GCP to share my experience to help make the asylum process easier for new people. Everyone has different situations and experiences, but we are not alone in the process.”

If you are in the asylum process and need advice, you can call GCP’s Advice & Advocacy Helpline for free on 0800 310 0054. 

Govan Community Project is one of 34 organisations to receive funding from the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

The fund supports self management for people living with long term conditions, disabled people and unpaid carers across Scotland, enabling people to be in the driving seat of their health, care and wellbeing.

The funding will allow Govan Community Project to establish and develop a mental health group
support programme for people seeking asylum. The charity will run three, four to six week long group programmes, as well as a range of one of sessions focused on themes identified by the community which will increase knowledge, access and ways of coping.

Sara Redmond, Chief Officer of Development at the ALLIANCE said:

“Everyone has the right to live well with dignity and respect yet for too many people and communities the cost of living crisis comes on top of worsening health inequalities arising from more than a decade of austerity and exacerbated by the pandemic. Self management approaches can support people to live better, with greater options for support, and reduce some of the burden of these inequalities.

“The ALLIANCE is pleased to be able to support a further round of projects working with diverse communities across Scotland, developing a wide range of approaches designed and delivered in partnership with the people they aim to support, providing the third sector vital resources to respond to this challenging climate.”

 

The Govan Community Project helpline will be closed for two weeks starting Monday 14th August to allow members of the Advice & Advocacy team to take annual leave.
 
The helpline will reopen on Monday 28th August, with the regular opening times: Monday – Thursday 10am-1pm.
 
The team will not be able to take referrals from other agencies during that time and our voicemail will not operate after midnight on Sunday 13th August, until we reopen at 10am on the Monday 28th August.
 
Some members of the Advice & Advocacy team will be available during this time to respond to requests about existing cases- please note responses might be slower than usual.
The adviceteam@govancommunityproject.org.uk will be monitored during this period for queries about existing cases.
 

The Court of Appeal has today (Thursday 29 June) ruled the UK Government plan to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda is unlawful.

Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity at Govan Community Project, responded to the news:

“We were really delighted to hear the Appeal Court ruled that the UK Government’s cruel plan to send people seeking safety to Rwanda was unlawful.  We extend our congratulations to all of those directly involved in the fight for this case who have fought long and hard to stand up against this inhumane proposal.
This ruling confirms what refugees and campaigners have said all along – that Rwanda is not a safe third country for people seeking asylum.  As the judges said, there is a real risk people trying to escape persecution and brutality would not get a fair hearing in Rwanda and instead be returned to the country they originally fled from.
This ruling is a victory for human decency, but it comes after a year of fear and uncertainty for many people who simply asked for our help. What for this government may be a dream headline, is for those seeking safety, a threat of being torn away from family and friends. It has caused sleepless nights, mental health breakdowns and a climate of fear.
We urge this government to accept the court’s ruling, scrap the Refugee Ban Bill, and work with refugees and charities to create an asylum system that is compassionate, effective and fair and we urge everyone in communities across the UK to lobby their government representatives to scrap the Refugee Ban Bill and develop policy and legislation which reflects the responsible, welcoming nation that we know we are!”

Refugee Festival Scotland kicked off on Friday 16 June, with events taking place across the country. The festival celebrates the huge contribution people from refugee backgrounds make to life in Scotland.

Along with showcasing artwork and cultural heritage of New Scots, the festival also aims to reduce loneliness and isolation by bring refugees and people seeking asylum together with people in the communities they live in.

It takes place each year on the lead up to World Refugee Day on 20 June. This is an important time to raise awareness of the difficulties facing people who seek safety in Scotland, and how we can work together to overcome these.

Govan Community Project kick-started the festival with a Community Celebration Day in Govan & Linthouse Parish Church on Friday 16 June. There was good food, music and activities aimed at bringing the community together.

Thanks to Music Broth, Falafel Amo, New Anand,  Ianthe Hope Face Paint, and our lovely community members who created brilliant henna designs.

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