Collaborators
- Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support
- Livewell Southwest
- PATH
- Provide Devon
- Migrant Legal Project
Briefly describe your project
The purpose is to assist asylum seekers who have lost their accommodation and financial support from the Home Office to re-enter the asylum process to gain refugee or humanitarian status. The project will pay for a 5-bedroom HMO property’s lease and management giving the destitute person accommodation andstabilisation whilst we work to fix their claim.
Describe what you hope your Collective will achieve
We aim to get 10 people through and back into Home Office support within a year.
For those with no opportunity of a fresh claim, with the help of the mental health team, we will discuss options and support around voluntary returns to country of origin. The client will then make their own educated decision as to their next steps.
There are 25 people recorded in the city that require this support so we are hoping to prove the project’s efficacy to support as many people as we can.
Describe how your Collective formed
Alex Vessis previously worked at PATH, moved across to DCRS and then took on management of the charity in December.
His experience working across both sectors allowed this idea to form and with each organisation using their expertise we can make it a reality. PATH will manage the property including the lease agreement with the landlord. DCRS will unpick the failed claims and repackage them ready for a solicitor. Livewell Southwest will provide 1to1 mental health support for each person. Provide Devon will provide food support to the property and Migrant Legal Project will represent each case once ready.
All organisations identified the need in the city and the important role this project plays in supporting Appeal Rights Exhausted asylum seekers.
Which collaboration “shape” do you expect will best describe your project?
HUB AND SPOKE – Like a bike wheel, one organisation holds things together at the centre, while other organisations perform specific tasks.
In which areas would you expect most of your grant to be spent on?
Other / Unsure
