We want Leicester to become known as a City of Sanctuary following on from the work started in Sheffield, building on the welcome previous new communities have experienced, and working together to find new ways to actively welcome those seeking asylum and those being granted refugee status
What does the word refuge mean to you? Enter our ’My Refuge’ competition anytime during June 2010, using any medium you choose: a poem, a photograph, a film clip, a drawing, in writing, an audio clip, a painting …..
Below is an example from the Refugee Week Simple Acts website, visit the site for many more ideas:
A refuge is not where I’m from or where I want to be, but it’s where I can go to to get back to being who I want.
Click on Refugee Week 2010 – 20 ‘simple acts’! to the right for full details and an entry form!
We recently secured funding from Faiths in Action for a short project to reach out to communities of ‘faith’ and ‘belief’!
Faiths – communities of faith and belief, including but not limited to: Baha’i, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Quaker, Secular, Sikh …..;
in Action – ….. taking positive steps to meet the needs of the asylum seekers and refugees in our wider communities.
Exploration of the valuable contribution to the lives of asylum seekers and refugees made by communities of faith and belief.
Looking in detail at projects already happening in and around Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and at those further afield from whom we can learn so much!
Engagement with local communities of faith and belief, with information and encouragement for those interested in establishing or participating in activities, events and initiatives in support of asylum seekers and refugees.
Click on the link to the right for latest developments!
Involving Refugees through Volunteering at Leicester Libraries
This case study is based on interviews with Leicester City Council’s Senior Community Librarian and a refugee who volunteers for Leciester Libraries.
Leicester Libraries have been working to involve refugees and asylum seekers in service development since 2001. Starting from a consultation exercise with asylum seekers about their information and stock requirements, the work took shape with the creation of a post in 2005 dedicated to service development and community involvement.
Time was invested into relationship-building with refugee organisations, and developing a refugee volunteer programme. This has led to a range of initiatives to involve the community, based at the library, including a partnership from 2008 with a community media social enterprise, Citizens’ Eye, and Hatnews, an associated news agency dedicated to refugee and asylum issues.
