Deanery Synod News
Deanery Synod – 29 September 2009
The meeting was held at St Mary Magdalene, Clitheroe and The Vicar, Rev’d Andy Froud, led opening devotions.
The main item was a presentation by Mary Keane, who works for Refugee Action, an independent national charity that works with refugees and asylum seekers.
Mary, who is based in
An asylum seeker is a person who flees their homeland, arrives in another country and makes themselves known to the authority in order to exercise their legal right to apply for sanctuary.
A refugee is a person who has proved that they would face persecution back home and has had a successful asylum application allowing them to stay in the country where the application was made.
The Home Office provides support whilst the application process is underway. If there is a positive outcome, the refugee is eligible to access mainstream benefits, housing and employment, although this is by no means straight forward and much support is needed from Refugee Action. Refugee Status is usually awarded for 5 years.
If the application is turned down the support from the Home Office ceases (unless there are children under 18) and the person becomes destitute. Refugee Action work with many people in this situation who find it very hard to understand why their application has been refused when they were being tortured and persecuted.
Mary explained that decisions are being made much more quickly under the new asylum model (weeks rather than months) and this is helpful.
Drop-In Centres are available for people to seek advice at any stage of the process. In two days a Drop-In Centre is likely to see up to 70 people with at least 50% being destitute. Hot meals, food parcels, paid transport and a small amount of money are usually the only practical form of support, although there are a few church based organisations which offer short-term accommodation. It was noted that any financial support is in the form of vouchers rather than cash, which can also present difficulties.
A Choices Service is available to support people who want to return to their own country, although for many people the danger they fled from is still very apparent. Many people would rather live destitute in this country rather than return to the persecution they left. This sometimes leads to behaviour which wouldn’t previously have been contemplated including theft, prostitution or committing a crime to be arrested.
As well as providing practical advice and support Refugee Action have a Training Team to deliver sessions to raise refugee awareness. There is also a campaigning element in terms of responding to new policies which appear to be unfair.
Mary provided a number of ways in which we can help including:
• Talking to people to dispels myths and explain it is a harsh system and not a ‘soft touch’
• Write or talk to MPs about fair and humane treatment for asylum seekers and refugees
• Make donations
Literature was provided which gives much more information and ideas on practical support which can be given.
Food for thought for us all!
Julie Bradshaw
Church of England News
Blackburn Diocese
Church Times