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The term asylum seeker is generally used to refer
to someone who has come to the UK to seek political asylum.
The term refugee generally refers to someone whose
asylum application has been processed, granting them permission
to remain in the country.
The Immigration and Asylum Act of 1999 (implemented April
2000) introduced the process of dispersing refugees around
the UK. The Government White Paper, Secure Borders, Safe
Haven: Integration With Diversity in Modern Britain (2002),
will lead to many changes that will affect provision for refugees
and newly arrived linguistic minorities in general.
The situation regarding rights and entitlements is very complex
since it depends on an individual's status. There is uncertainty
in educational institutions regarding the status and eligibility
of asylum seekers, which has resulted in some being unable
to access provision to which they are fully entitled. Individuals
with refugee status have the same rights as UK citizens, including
full access to further and higher education. All refugees
and asylum seekers are eligible for free ESOL provision to
improve their English language skills. Organisations such
as the Refugee Council,
the World University's Refugee
Education and Training Advisory Service and the Refugee
Advice and Guidance Unit will be able to provide help
on this. The National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (Niace) has campaigned on the relationship of English language skills to citizenship, migration, settlement, employment and social justice and equality issues.
Information taken from Basic Skills and Refugees,
published by the Basic Skills Agency (now part of Niace - www.niace.org.uk).
In 2003, Ofsted reported on the education of asylum-seeker pupils.
Summary
Early in 2003, the Home Office published English language
training for refugees in London and the regions by David
Griffiths, one of a series of scoping studies on what is happening
'on the ground' in support of refugees and their integration.
This preliminary investigation into the provision of English
for speakers of other languages (ESOL) found:
- the main barrier for refugees wanting to access ESOL
is the shortage of classes and long waiting lists across
London and the regions
- recruitment and training of ESOL teachers is a priority,
particularly in the regions where there is a real shortage
of qualified ESOL teachers
- ESOL providers need to take age, gender and class into
account. For example, women could be offered classes at
more 'child friendly' times plus free or low-cost crèche
facilities
- coordination between ESOL providers and refugee community
organisations is crucial for sharing information and expertise,
and for contacting some of the more 'hard-to-reach' communities.
English language training for refugees in London and the
regions can be downloaded from www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
(March, 2003)
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, a one-year pilot project
(2003-04) spearheaded by the London Libraries Development
Agency, Welcome to your Library, covered five London boroughs
- Brent, Camden, Enfield, Merton and Newham.
The original Refugee Resources, Collection and Service project,
which won the Libraries Change Lives Award in 2001, was developed
when a Wimbledon-based drop-in centre for refugees, Asylum
Welcome, contacted Merton's library service for help. Library
staff started visiting the centre, found out what languages
the refugees spoke and came back with whatever books they
could find. The librarians then introduced those attending
the centre to the local library, concerned that they needed
to learn how to access books after they had been housed and
settled and no longer needed to attend the drop-in, and because
refugees had started swapping books among themselves.
In 2005, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation awarded extra funding
to extend the pilot project. 19 library services applied and
of them, five were selected to become national public library
service partners. They were the London boroughs of Hillingdon
and Southwark, Leicester City Council, Liverpool City Council,
and Tyne and Wear.
For more information on Welcome
to your Library: connecting public libraries and refugee communities
to nurture learning, well-being and a sense of belonging for
all, visit www.llda.org.uk/cms/contentpage/wtyl
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