Swansea Voluntary Hosting
Who Are We?
Swansea Voluntary Hosting was started by the Destitution Working Group of Swansea City of Sanctuary. The Group was formed out of a concern for the increasing number of destitute asylum seekers in Swansea, estimated to be between 100 and 200.
On the Swansea Voluntary Hosting steering group are representatives from
Asylum Justice, Caer Las, Oxfam, Red Cross,
City & County of Swansea, Displaced People in Action,
Swansea Quaker Meeting, Welsh Refugee Council,
Swansea Bay Asylum Seeker Support Group, Gwalia.
Swansea Voluntary Hosting has nothing to do with the Home Office or NASS.
What is our aim?
To offer hospitality, in the form of accommodation, meals, welcome and solidarity, to destitute asylum seekers in Swansea.
How do Asylum Seekers become Destitute?
Asylum seekers become destitute because they have been refused sanctuary by the Government and all financial and other forms of support has been withdrawn from them. (asylum seekers with children under 18, whose asylum application is refused, will continue to get section 95 support (accommodation and cash)
In very limited circumstances refused asylum seekers can apply for ‘Hard Case’ support, or Section 4, as it is known. But only a small number of the people who apply for this support are successful, which means many end up destitute.
Many other asylum seekers don’t apply for Section 4, because they are afraid, as it means they will have to agree to return home to countries where there is on-going conflict, violence or human rights abuses, so they remain here, cold and hungry on our streets. For more information on destitution watch the video at the bottom of this page.
So what can we do to help?
Swansea Voluntary Hosting is looking for Hosts who will:
• Offer a room in your Home to a destitute asylum seeker for a Night, a Weekend, 2 Weeks or longer.
• Support a Host by inviting their Guest to Dinner, once a week, once a month….
• *Buy a Mobile Phone Top-up Card for a Guest
• *Buy a Bus Pass
(*set up a Standing Order for these options)
How does the Hosting process work?
In its simplified form:
• The Host first registers, then provides dates of availability that are put onto the co-ordinators’ database
• The Host will be contacted when we have a referral to check that those dates are still free.
• The Hosting Co-ordinator will arrange a time to collect the Guest and bring them to the Hosts’ accommodation.
• The Guest will then meet the Host, go through the basic ground rules and if both are happy, set a day for the Guest to move in.
How are Asylum Seekers referred to the Project?
Asylum seekers can’t refer themselves, they have to be referred by the Welsh Refugee Council
More information for Hosts and More information for Guests
Are you interested in finding out more about hosting?
e-mail cards@cityofsanctuary.org
We’ll be delighted to hear from you!
For more information on destitution watch the video below and visit the website. www.stillhuman.org
