This hands-on guide provides quick, insightful guidance for practitioners who find themselves working with asylum seekers and refugees. Part I covers the essentials of understanding refugees' experiences including what they are coping with now they are in the UK, definitions, entitlements and restrictions, and equality and positive action, and practical engagement including improving access and overcoming language barriers. Part II prepares professionals for meeting a wide range of needs, including housing and poverty, health and mental health, training and employment, and issues and opportunities when working with child and young refugees.
This pragmatic book accompanies social workers, medical staff, educators, charity workers and housing professionals in their daily work, and enables them to understand refugees' experiences from their own points of view. In a time when record numbers of people are seeking asylum, this is an excellent starting point for all those working to create safe and welcoming environments for those in need.
Part I. 1. Introduction; 2. Why it matters; 3. Pragmatic Definitions and Entitlements - just what you need to know; 4. Refugees in all their diversity - equality, discrimination and positive action; 5. Engaging with Refugees; 6. Other Organisations, Networking and Advocating for Refugees; Part II. 7. Roof, Food, Money and Essential Resources; 8. Health, Mental Health and Disability; 9. Learning English, Training, Employability, and Into Work; 10. Refugee Children and Young People - With and Without Families; 11. Refugees are not 'Other People'; Appendices
This book for busy hands-on staff is a jewel. In an environment with no go-to Government refugee services agency, or training for specialist advisers, a book like this is gold-dust. Clear, informative, straight-talking, well indexed with wonderful touches of respectful humour. Helping staff and their refugee clients overcome barriers and restart interrupted careers and lives. - Sheila Heard, Managing Director, Transitions London CIC, Employment Services for Refugee Engineers and Business Services professionals
This book transformed my thinking by releasing refugees and asylum seeker from those static labels into becoming agents of their own lives; by creating a role for any of us to assist each refugee engage with the access points for public services. I liked the conversational style, supported with experience and resources. - John Murphy, London Churches Refugee Fund & Network
The kind of book that can be read from any page, and deserves a centre space of a home library. - Ayman Uweida, Member of REAP, Professional Interpreter and Refugee
