Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Victims of Trafficking

With over 15 years experience of working with refugees, our core expertise is in training people to work sensitively and effectively with those seeking sanctuary. From the general issues of who refugees are and why they are forced to flee, to the specifics of their rights and entitlements in Scotland. From analysing refugee migration factors to best practice for frontline workers, we can focus the discussion on the needs of any audience.

Training topics might include:

  • Refugee nationalities: what causes people to flee countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea? Who are the groups at risk in these nationalities?  Are there common features between the main refugee nationalities?
  • The journeys of refugees: the vast majority flee to a neighbouring country where life may still be dangerous for them.  Why?  For those that do travel further, how do they do so and what factors decide where they end up?
  • Immigration terminology: what is the difference between the terms ‘asylum seeker’ and ‘refugee’?  What rights and entitlements are associated with these terms?
  • The asylum process: how does someone secure refugee protection in the UK?  What does the process demand of them and how can they be supported through it?
  • Women, children and LGBT+ refugees: how are their experiences different before and after they claim asylum?  How do their support needs vary?
  • Mental health and well-being: many refugees experience deeply traumatic events. Most live very isolated and uncertain lives in the UK.  How can we provide the most effective support?
  • Trafficking: a person who has been trafficked will have been exploited here in the UK so the asylum system may not be appropriate for them.  What are the systems to recognise and protect victims of trafficking?
  • Cultural awareness: refugees and asylum seekers represent an immensely diverse group.  How can we ensure that our work is responsive to the many different barriers they may face?

Refugee Women and Girls

Female refugees experience many additional barriers and challenges.  Our training can focus specifically on the issues related to working with refugee women and girls:

  • Gendering the asylum process: a woman seeking safety in the UK will often find that the system fails her.  Why is this and what can we do to support her through the process?
  • Harmful cultural practices: genital cutting, forced marriage, honour based violence.  Female refugees have often experienced many forms of violence and subjugation.  To assist her we must understand how she perceives her experiences.
  • Rape and sexual exploitation: in many refugee nationalities sexual violence is endemic but fleeing may put her at additional risk.  What may be the impact of sexual violence on how she presents and what does this require of workers?

We can provide training, awareness raising and public speaking on all aspects of working with refugees.

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