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Safeguarding Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Online Conference 4 July 2023, 9:00am - 3:00pm

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Overview Agenda Speakers Sponsors Supporters Audience Learning Outcomes Benefits Testimonials
Day 1
9:00am
Online registration
9:30am
Chair's welcome address
Dr Ian Paterson, Lecturer in International Relations University of Glasgow
9:40am
Keynote address: Protecting and supporting refugees and asylum seekers at a national level
  • Addressing the backlog of processing asylum applications and appeals
  • Discussing how to foster and facilitate coherent policy and international collaboration with neighbouring countries on border control and migration deal
  • Ensuring a safer and more secure application process for people seeking asylum and refugee statuses in the UK
Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP, Chair, Home Affairs Select Committee
10:00am
Keynote address: Working collaboratively to support refugees and asylum seekers
  • Exploring the possible forms of high-level collaboration such as humanitarian visas and a special task force
  • Reducing instability for individuals and families undergoing application processes by offering the right to work and suitable accommodation
  • Recognising the need to guarantee another layer of protection to vulnerable groups, including children and young people to rebuild their lives and avoid further exploitation
Zrinka Bralo, Chief Executive Officer, Migrants Organise
10:20am
Keynote address: Supporting Ukrainian nationals in the UK
  • Routes for entry and support for life in the UK: looking back on the last year
  • Looking beyond the statistics and understanding the experience of Ukrainian refugees in the UK
  • What more could be done to offer support and address negative stereotypes about migrants from eastern Europe in the UK?
Sara Jones, Professor of Modern Languages & German Studies, University of Birmingham
10:40am
Audience Q&A session
11:00am
Break and networking
11:30am
Panel discussion: Bridging the divide: perspectives from frontline case workers
  • Fostering a welcoming community for refugees and asylum seekers
  • Discussing different approaches, such as the trauma-informed approaches, to assess and support the need of individuals and families
  • Listening to the need of individuals through non-verbal communication, including emotions, body language, and tone of voice
  • Recognising their struggle, resistance, and journey and building trust in the process
Nelida Montes De Oca Arreola, Bristol Law Centre; Mahmuna Hasnath, Casework Manager, Refugee Support Group; Kate Wisbach, Senior Caseworker, North East Law Centre
12:10pm
Keynote address: Supporting children and young people's education and emotional wellbeing
  • Understanding how resettlement, asylum and previous experiences of education impact the UK classroom experience
  • Key academic and wellbeing challenges for children: a research and practice overview
  • Support strategies for professionals: understanding how you can make a difference
Catherine Gladwell, Chief Executive Officer, Refugee Education UK
12:30pm
Keynote address: Protecting displaced children seeking protection in the UK
  • An overview of Barnardo's strategy for supporting children and families arriving in the UK 
  • Providing a holistic support service with the Ukrainian Support Helpline: assessing the different services and their impact
  • How have collaborations and partnerships impacted Barnardo's services? 
Meta Randles, Senior Policy Advisor, Barnardo's
12:50pm
Audience Q&A session
1:00pm
Lunch and networking
1:45pm
Keynote address: Diversifying support and confidence building for refugee women in the UK
  • Rebuilding the lives of hundreds of refugee women and transforming hostile environments by empowering them to start a new life in the UK
  • Collaborating with local workshops and regional networks to help women develop a wide-range of skills
  • Encouraging refugee women and women seeking asylum to utilise their own skills and develop their career paths in the UK setting
Comfort Etim, Director, Refugee Women Connect
2:05pm
Keynote address: Supporting young people through their education and new life in the UK - The Mentoring Project
  • Mentoring as an effective framework for supporting the integration and empowerment of young refugees
  • Centralising youth participation and engagement strategies to achieving meaningful outcomes
  • Understanding the crucial role of education in enhancing and supporting prospects of refugee youths
  • Providing additional support to young migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, to maximise their opportunities
Matt Blacker, Chief Executive, Hope for the Young
2:25pm
Keynote address: Re-housing refugees: Where we are at now and what are the next steps?
  • Helping refugees and asylum seekers access housing: understanding the current situation
  • In what ways are the housing and cost of living crises bringing added pressures for refugees and asylum seekers in need of housing?
  • Collaborating across the public and private sectors: looking for housing options in new places 
Fuad Mahamed, Chief Executive Officer, Ashley Community & Housing
2:45pm
Audience Q&A
3:00pm
Chair's summary and close

*Programme subject to change without notice

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