1. Sue Waddington European Development Officer NIACE
ASSET UK
Sue Waddington
European Development Officer
NIACE

2. ASSET UK ( )
An EQUAL Development Partnership which aims to test new ways to advance the social and vocational integration of asylum seekers.
Partners include:
British Refugee Council, NIACE, The Basic Skills Agency, Language and Literacy Unit, Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit & Sheffield College.
Presentation based upon experience gained through the EQUAL/ESF initiative.
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3. ASSET UK in the East Midlands
NIACE has undertaken skills and qualifications audits with asylum seekers leading to social and vocational integration through education, volunteering and work orientation placements.
Worked with over 500 asylum seekers; 80% of participants involved in one or more placement.
In depth skills audits in Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln and Northampton. Tailor made placements arranged.
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4. Some findings
A high percentage of asylum seekers have qualifications and work experience.
From Oct 02 – Dec 04, 24% had attended university in their country of origin.
From Oct 02 – Dec 04, 77% were in paid employment or were self-employed in their country of origin.
Asylum seekers possess high levels of motivation to work and learn.
There are significant barriers to overcome to use their skills and qualifications in the UK.
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5. Barriers include: Prohibition on asylum seekers working.
Lack of access to information on qualification equivalences.
Lack of recognition of work experience outside the UK.
English Language proficiency.
Lack of financial resources for education and training etc.
Personal problems, e.g. isolation, trauma, loss of confidence, anxiety, health difficulties.
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6. Volunteering – the ASSET UK experience
Asylum seekers have benefited from volunteering:
By using their skills
Learning new skills
Gaining an understanding of the UK and it’s social and working environments
Practising English
Making new social contacts
Feeling valued
Gaining references and employment
Voluntary work has enabled many asylum seekers to overcome some of the barriers.
Receiving organisations have also benefited by gaining new skilled volunteers and extending their community networks and diversity, e.g. Complete Wasters.
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7. Finding volunteering placements
Tailor made placements have been sought in a number of mainstream organisations including:
Hospitals
Schools and colleges
Businesses
Local authorities
Voluntary organisation bureaux.
The difficulties encountered include:
Prejudice and stereotyping
CRB checks
Lack of information about regulations
Lack of understanding of asylum seekers situations
Prejudice and stereotyping –
Seeing asylum seekers as unable to make any contribution.
CRB Checks –
Not having required documentation.
Lack of information about regulations –
Believing that asylum seekers can not be volunteers.
Lack of understanding of asylum seekers situation –
Financial, personal and legal problems.
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8. ASSET UK’s Contribution
Training for voluntary organisations
Training and practice opportunities for asylum seekers in adult education
Working with voluntary organisations, FE Colleges and Universities regarding accreditation
Contributing to a handbook for volunteer managers
Providing positive publicity and case histories of asylum seekers as volunteers
Providing information about regulations concerning asylum seekers, volunteering and CRB checks
Training for voluntary organisations –
e.g. in Lincoln training for voluntary organisations about how to interview people whose knowledge of English is limited.
Training and practice opportunities for asylum seekers in adult education – In Derby and Leicester many asylum seekers undertook the C & G adult teachers training, which requires 40 hours of teaching practice. NIACE staff helped to provide voluntary places for the trainee adult tutor to practice their teaching.
Working with voluntary organisations, FE Colleges and Universities re: accreditation –
Asylum seeker volunteers in Derby are building up portfolios of evidence for an Open College Network accreditation. Some have become learning advisors.
Contributing to a handbook for volunteer managers –
Providing information sources to enable volunteer managers to provide careers advice to asylum seeker volunteers in Leicester.
Providing positive publicity and case histories of asylum seekers as volunteers –
e.g. Coolmilk at School Ltd – Jon Thornes (Managing Director).
Providing information about regulations… -
e.g. when asylum seekers want to practice as volunteer teachers, CRB checks as required. NIACE has been able to help asylum seekers produce acceptable documentation to gain positive outcomes.
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9. The Next Steps ASSET UK ends in Nov 2005 NIACE will be:
Collecting data regarding the opportunities and barriers to social and vocational integration and producing a policy report and recommendations.
Producing a skills audit manual for practitioners, including voluntary organisations.
Training organisations working with asylum seekers.
Beginning a new EQUAL project ‘Progress GB’ which aims to address the barriers in the labour market faced by refugees and migrants.
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10. Thank you Further information can be obtained from: Sue Waddington
Fiona Aldridge
Anne McLoughlin
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