The Benefits of Community Sponsorship of Syrian Refugees
27 February 2018This event has passed. You can watch it below:
Location: 1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London SW1H 9JJ
Time: 6.30pm-9.00pm – Free event.
Opportunities for the Expansion and Diversification of Refugee Sponsorship
In July 2016 the UK government introduced the Community Sponsorship scheme, giving local communities the opportunity to assume greater responsibility in the global refugee crisis by taking up a leading role in resettling refugee families into their neighbourhood.
The UK scheme is based on the successful Canadian model of Private Sponsorship of Refugees where businesses and schools combine opportunities for employment and higher education with resettlement.
The Canadian model highlights that employment and educational pathways do not only empower refugees, but they offer a creative way to integration transforming the lives of individuals, families and whole communities involved.
In the UK, businesses, community groups and universities are already putting their time into helping refugees by offering housing, employment, on-the-job training, language support, bursaries and various scholarships. This event is to raise awareness of Community sponsorship and the opportunities to expand and diversify the resettlement scheme.
Panellists:
- Michelle Manks – Manager for Campus Engagement and Student Refugee Program at the World University Service of Canada
- Emma Williams – Chief Executive of Student Action for Refugees
- Prof Ansems De Vries, Leonie – Lecturer in International Relations at King’s College London and Coordinator of the Migration Research Group
- Chris Clements – Director at Reset
- Pranav Chopra – CEO NEMI
- Bekele Woyecha – Senior Project Manager at the foundation of Sponsor Refugees of Citizens UK
- Major Nick Coke – Refugee Response Coordinator for The Salvation Army
- Baroness Hamwee – a Liberal Democrat politician and their Lead Home Affairs Spokesperson in the House of Lords.
Video message from Jim Estill, CEO of Danby Products Ltd. who sponsored the resettling of 50 Syrian refugee families in Canada