What can you do in 28 days? – Get a new job? Plan a trip? Read a book?
28 days, for most of us, passes by in a blink of an eye. Now imagine, you’re in a strange country, you don’t speak the language, you’ve gone through a long and arduous asylum process.
You finally gain asylum and the relief is almost indescribable. However, following the asylum, you are told you have 28 days to find accommodation and then you’re homeless.
28 days, no alternative.
Most refugees in the UK are living in some of our largest city where housing is difficult to find for many who have jobs and speak the language. Add to that a lack of support with relevant paperwork and needless bureaucratic processes. For those who’ve recently claimed asylum in the UK it is almost impossible and many end up homeless.
By pushing people into destitution we are creating a problem that doesn’t need to be. Once someone is homeless it becomes even harder to address education, employment and health issues.
In a recent article with the Independent, Anas from Syria explained, how he was left unable to access jobseekers support or secure accommodation after the Home Office made a spelling mistake on his official paperwork, which resulted in him spending five months homeless, jobless and without any financial support.
“Isis and Assad mean that it’s no longer safe for me at home. When I arrived in Britain I was so thankful to have been offered safety. All I wanted was to be a good person and give back to the country which sheltered me – but I couldn’t for no better reason than because my paperwork was wrong and it took five months to fix it. I will always be grateful to Britain, but I will never understand a system which stops people like me from getting on my feet and contributing to society.”
People seeking asylum in the UK are looking for a fresh start in safety, and in order to do that many people seek to integrate and gain education and employment as soon as possible.
100% of students between the ages of 18 and 60 on our RefuAid language program are going on to higher education or requalification in a previous profession. Without programs such as this many would be forced into survival jobs or unemployed and facing huge language barriers to integrate into the community.
To continue to support the RefuAid: Language, A Gateway program we need you’re help, £785 pays for a student to gain the qualification they need for university or employment, it’s a life-saving opportunity if you’re able to support today please visit: www.refuaid.org /donate
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Have a spare room in your house and want to help someone facing destitution, consider becoming a host with our friends @RefugeesAtHome, visit www.refugeesathome.org/ to find out more.