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START – Students and Refugees Together

START – Students and Refugees Together

START works in partnership with families, individuals and organisations, helping refugees in need to become self-reliant people who contribute to their local communities. Students offer holistic support, on a one-to-one basis and through community activities, supporting refugees in accessing their rights, realising their ambitions and reducing the isolation they feel.

The organisation began in 2001 as a collaboration between Avril Bellinger, social work placement co-ordinator at Plymouth University, Plymouth City Council’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Service and Social Services. As a result of changes to immigration policy, families from all over the world were being dispersed to Plymouth, one of 86 government dispersal centres accommodating the increasing number of people seeking asylum and awaiting a decision on their application. A variety of reports had shown Plymouth to be a difficult place for refugees, as even mainstream services like health and education were unfamiliar with providing interpreters. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Service appointed a specialist teacher, Helen Taylor, to liaise with refugee families and schools to provide access to education. Helen quickly became the person families went to for other issues.

Avril suggested that some of her students could spend their professional placements working with refugee families. That September three students were introduced to families and used their professional skills and ingenuity to help them access entitlements. The university practice educator, Louise Houston, oversaw their professional learning and provided a room in her house as a makeshift office. As student placements finished, others took over, creating a framework where 14 students worked with 21 families (35 adults and 68 children) in the first two years. At all stages of their journey, refugees experience hardship, destitution, poverty and racism. Housed in some of the poorest wards, they find it difficult to access mainstream services and those granted permission to remain have just 28 days to find accommodation and a source of income. It became clear very early on that the students’ idealism and energy alongside their commitment to overcome hurdles, made them the perfect partners to support refugees. Evidence of their achievements was so substantial, that in 2003 it was used in a successful Big Lottery bid and a Supporting People contract for Refugee Housing Support. The steering group quickly formed into a board of trustees, registered as a charity and appointed Rowena Hannaford (Cerrino), a recent social work graduate, as manager with a team of five staff.

Fast forward to 2017 and START is a well-established successful organisation that continues to provide needs-led services to refugees dispersed to the South West. It has a team of seven staff with over 30 years of collective knowledge and expertise in working with refugee communities and enabling students to meet their learning needs. This year, 20 students supported over 370 refugees and their families in Plymouth, West Devon and Cornwall to achieve, resettle and become a part of the wider community.   START regularly contributes to health and education conferences, presentations and publications which promote best practice. It collaborates closely with the highly successful British Red Cross ‘Family Reunion Project’ and Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support. Volunteers form an integral part of START, supporting the service across a range of roles, bringing a wealth of skills, international experience and cultural knowledge to the service. The services START offers range from individual casework support to community activities, promoting inclusion, healthy living and creating volunteering opportunities.

· The Cultural Kitchen is a safe meeting place for refugees and people seeking asylum to socialise, make new friends, play games and enjoy a Halal meal. Between 60 and 80 people attend each session, building and strengthening supportive relationships in the wider community.

· The Women’s group which runs every Tuesday offers a safe and secure place for women to share experiences, relax and discuss relevant issues. The group is supported by students on placement and volunteers, with creative activities offered at each session and toys and games available for pre-school children.

· The START allotment offers the chance for individuals to grow food for themselves and for use at the Cultural Kitchen. It is a space to think, a place away from the issues that impact people’s lives and a link to previous lifestyles. The allotment fosters a holistic approach to social and community work providing rich learning opportunities for refugees, volunteers and students in an informal setting.

· START Job Club offers an ‘employment skills-focused’ space for refugees seeking work. The sessions are run by a combination of placement students, volunteers and other refugees who are keen to share their skills. The weekly sessions are regularly used by over 50 people to improve their English, create a CV, and access training opportunities and advice on independent living.

START is unique because students on practice placements make up the majority of the workforce.  Occupational therapy students are part of the regular workforce but there are learning opportunities for all students who can make a positive contribution to the lives of refugees, from clinical psychology to business and marketing students. It has harnessed the idealism, energy and commitment of trainee professionals in supporting refugees and as such is highly valued as a placement for social work students from Plymouth, Esslingen in Germany, Lillehammer in Norway and universities in France. START’s model has also attracted attention from the NHS Social Care Awards 2005, Social Care Institute for Excellence ‘Good Practice with Refugees’ and earlier this year a European Citizen’s Prize ‘for achievements and commitments in areas which promote stronger integration, cultural cooperation and links to European spirit’.

Nichola Williams

If you are passionate about human rights and social justice and would like to support START, you can discover more or make a donation at www.startsw.co.uk

For information on Radio 4 ‘Ramblings’ with Clare Balding 2017 visit www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08k4bxw

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