INVITE TO ADDRESSEE ONLY

Come join Bradford Refugee Forum

as we proudly celebrate the launch of our new

Website with the city’s Lord Mayor

Councillor John D Godward.

at Kala Sangam’s St Peter House on Monday 29/3/10

12:00 Coffee/Tea

12:15 Introduction, Welcome & housekeeping

12:20 The Lord Mayor Councillor John D Godward

12:35 Website key features and design capability

12:45 Vote of thanks

If you escaped from a country you had lived in fear all your life; if you saw your brother gunning down members of your family as proof to the rebel invaders that he had become loyal to them; if you were gang-raped by the dirty, smelly and brutal invaders;  if your family members-your daughter, your son, your father, your mother-were locked in a house and burned to death as you were forced to watch; and if you managed to escape and run, run and run in what ever direction, away from these horrors-murders, wild lions and snakes, you would not want to have another such experience of fear or be constantly reminded of this past and threatened to be sent back to where you lived in fear, fear, fear !

If you have spent days on end without food; failed to produce milk to feed your baby; failed to give your baby that has starved to death a proper burial; walked for miles and miles; collapsed often because of hunger and thirst but struggled on to to the safe haven of the UK, would you not be afraid to be told you are to be sent back. So you live in fear on the Bradford streets. You do not want to see a police car; people in blue suits; people that ask you where you come from because you do not know who to trust. The experience you had in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe keeps coming back; hounds you. You live in fear, fear, fear!

When you were an asylum seeker you were asked to report to the UKBA offices in Leeds go to your nearest police station,every day, week, or month. Now the Home Office has asked you to leave their accommodation and leave the UK. For 2 years they slowly worked on your case. You were not allowed to work or touch British money. You were given “gift vouchers” to buy food from selected outlets. They were not allowed to give you change. So if you brought money from your home, you used it because not all your needs could be got from the selected outlets. In fact most of what you wore were used clothes from the benevolent community. Now you have been told to go out of that UKBA accommodation. They do not tell you where to go. You have no money, no food, no clothes and no friends. Who wants a woman with 2 children to come and live with his family indefinitely. You become a destitute in Bradford. For the first time you know that Bradford at night is just as bad as your home country because being killed is being killed. There is nothing like being killed nicely.So you live in fear, fear, fear!

You were once a teacher,engineer, clerk,air hostess-someone important. Here, no one believes you! You, an asylum seeker want to teach our children? What do you know? Why did you not defeat the invaders, or become a politician and change the politics in your country? Why did you not persuade the rebels to lay down their arms? But many such people think that Africa is a country. They tell you “What you need to do in Africa is talk to the rebels,”Go there and form a political party that will make Africa peaceful. So you can’t go to these people. You fear them; you do not trust them; You live alone in fear, fear, fear!

But my good friends, things are changing in Bradford! The culture of trust is overtaking that that of fear. There are organisations in Bradford that know that Africa is a continent with many countries and that some of these countries -Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Africa and a few others -are each bigger than Europe. They understand the cruelty of rebels and their objectives and methods. These organisations are genuine helpers. Please come out of your hiding and we will show you where the genuine helpers are. Reject the fear culture and educate the Bradford people what you can offer them and together we will fight destitution! Together we will make Bradford a sanctuary for all its residents. Come let us build Bradford through The Bradford Refugee Forum

HELD AT 1400 HOURS ON 2 MARCH 2010 AT WAKEFIELD TOWN HALL

1.     The following is a synopsis of key points that emerged from above meeting hosted by Minister Woolas who was     accompanied by senior officials from UKBA.  Attendance was strictly by invitation.

1.1.    The right to work for asylum seekers

Not tenable under current policy and would be unfair to British taxpayers.  Policy also aimed at discouraging human trafficking.  Blanket amnesty for asylum seekers would not be considered.  Communities facing risk of criminal activity from unemployed failed asylum seekers should bring matter to attention of UKBA

1.2.    Destitution Among Asylum Seekers

Failed asylum seekers have no right of abode in UK and should return to their countries of origin.   Financial support is available under the Voluntary Assisted Return Programme    Asylum seekers awaiting decision on their claims for asylum receive support under Section 4.

1.3.    Restrictions on Section 4 Support

Both the new card and the previous voucher systems are compliant with existing asylum and immigration legislation.  Cash payments will not be offered because the law does not allow this.   Names of supermarkets unwilling to redeem new support cards should be brought to attention of UKBA so they can be engaged.

1.4.    Detention of Children

Matter under constant review.  Minister acknowledged current practice is untenable.

1.5.    Reporting by School Children

A common sense approach is normally adopted in regard to school going children of asylum seekers who are required to report at immigration centres as part of their conditions for temporary abode.  UKBA is flexible on the matter and will not intentionally  to disrupt children’s’ education.

1.6.    Immigration Advice Centres

Ministers agreed to look into claims that advice centres offering immigration advice in Yorkshire and the Humber were under-funded and were not enough.  Possible involvement of Citizens Advice Bureaux would also be looked into.  Members of parliament can also offer limited advice

1.7.    Asylum Policy on Zimbabweans

Minister acknowledged policy dilemma but rejected claims this had led to destitution.  Government policy is that asylum seekers are not permitted to work except those whose initial asylum claims are not actioned by Home Office within 12 months.  There is nothing stopping  authorities from returning failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe.  Government is concerned with the large number of failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe at a time when inflows of asylum seekers are otherwise on the decline.  Out of an estimated 100 000 Zimbabweans living in the UK, only 40 000 of them have refugee status

1.8.    Limited Leave to Remain VS Indefinite Leave to Remain

Generally, limited leave to remain is accorded asylum claimants on the understanding they would be returned to their countries of origin if conditions in those countries improved particularly in relation to issues of human rights.

 2.   General

Government is keen to remove race card from immigration agenda..  All immigration issues will be objectively determined.  UKBA has a staff of 23 500 strewn all over the country to expedite resolution of asylum claims based on Case Resolution and New Asylum Model..  It was accepted that UKBA’s adverts do not currently include positive images or success stories of asylum seekers granted leave to remain and have made a difference to communities in which they live.

This is the second in a series of articles based on Paul Meyer’s Dynamics of Successful Management

Performance Matrix

Surely we all want to move from good to great.  Here is one way how you can make than happen..  Start by measuring your job performance using the matrix below

1. Introduction
   
   Goal setting begins with the ability to dream.  Dreams are the vehicle for identifying possibilities.  It will be your dreams and those of your colleagues that shape the future of the Bradford Refugee Forum, the Bradford Migrants Advocacy Forum and Northern Refugee Centre.
   
2. Learn to record your dreams in a Dream List
   
   List in writing the dreams you wish to achieve.  Your dreams and your ideas for the future are the basis for the smart goals toward which you will work.    Record your dreams without regard for potential obstacles. Include in your list dreams that you could reach within a week, month, next quarter, next year and long term.
   
3. Ensure your dreams cover all the 6 spheres of personal life i.e. Home and Family, Finance and Career, Health and Well Being, Education and Mental, Social and Cultural, and Spiritual.
4. To turn your dreams into concrete goals, you will need resources.  Look first to your personal qualities and skills as resources for achievement.  Recognise the skills and abilities you have and the personal qualities that are yours.  If you discover that you need additional skills or personal qualities, you have gained valuable information from your assessment.  Before you begin working towards any goal, you must state it in specific terms as a SMART goal and state the benefit you expect to receive if the goal is achieved..  You can then develop an action plan with action steps for enhancing your skills, knowledge and competencies.
5. To raise the level of positive expectation and belief in your ability to achieve, write affirmations supporting each goal you set.  An affirmation is a positive statement that affirms your possession of the trait or goal you want to achieve.  These positive statements reinforce the new habits and attitudes you need to develop to achieve your goals.
6. When you are not sure what action to take, spend a little time listing all of the obstacles or roadblocks you face.  Then examine them one at a time; identify a number of possible solutions for overcoming them the same way that you choose a route from a road map.
7. Keep your eyes on the ball by using visualisation.  That is to say, use pictures, symbols or objects that remind you of your determination to achieve a particular goal e.g. picture of Ranulph Fiennes the 65 year old Briton who climbed to the summit of Mount Everest in 2009.

In all this, remember to balance personal and organisational goals.  So long everybody!!.