Advice & Advocacy

The Advice & Advocacy team is able to provide support predominately for people who are currently in the asylum process. Our team is made up of a mixture of caseworkers, advocacy workers and helpline staff. The best way for people to contact us to request support is to call the GCP helpline.

The GCP helpline is open on the times listed below: it’s a freephone number that people can call to make a request for support. Our helpline advisors will take some information and then ask someone else from the team to call back, with an interpreter if necessary. We generally operate with a waiting list, so the helpline assistant will do their best to advise on how long you might be waiting for a call-back.

If you would like to make a referral from another external organisation or ask questions about what services we provide we would ask that you do this by emailing us on adviceteam@govancommunityproject.org.uk so that we can keep our phone-line free during opening times. This email address is monitored during the same hours as the helpline, please be aware that no one in the Advice & Advocacy team works on Fridays.

Call us on:

0800 310 0054

Our helpline is open:

Monday:	10:00am – 1:00pm
Tuesday:	10:00am – 1:00pm
Wednesday:	10:00am – 1:00pm
Thursday:	10:00am – 1:00pm
Friday:	CLOSED

We don’t have access to an on-demand interpreting service on the helpline and our services are currently operating with a waiting list, so we might not be the most appropriate organisation to call if someone is needing urgent and immediate intervention. As with any calls we do receive, if we are unable to assist ourselves, we will always try to suggest alternative organisations to contact.

The work we do includes, but is not limited to: asylum support applications (Section 95/ Section 98/ Section 4 and Schedule 10), submitting asylum support appeals, asylum support discontinuations and evictions, support with ASPEN issues, destitution support, social work referrals, food support, relocation requests and/or maintenance issues in asylum accommodation, NEC bus pass eligibility, access to ESOL, referrals to social activities and youth groups, accessing ARC cards, access to NHS services and provision of sim cards.

We cannot advise on issues of access to mainstream benefits (i.e. Universal Credit) or mainstream homelessness services. For this we would recommend recently granted refugees to approach the Scottish Refugee Council and others to approach Citizen’s Advice Bureau or Shelter.

We are currently accredited to provide immigration advice under OISC up to Level 1 Immigration and Asylum & Protection. This level doesn’t allow us to do substantive asylum work, such as making applications or appeals. For most people approaching us with requests for immigration advice we will support you to access legal advice elsewhere.

If you require further information contact Lizzie, Service Manager on lizzie@govancommunityproject.org.uk.

The Advice & Advocacy team is made up of:

Lizzie- Service Manager
Eilidh- Caseworker
Tilly- Caseworker
Asia- Advocacy Worker
Tamima- Advocacy Worker
Anna- Helpline Assistant
Jo- Helpline Assistant

Need advice?

Call our helpline

0800 310 0054

Our helpline is open:

Monday: 10-1pm
Tuesday: 10-1pm
Wednesday: 10-1pm
Thursday: 10-1pm
Friday-Sunday: Closed