Idea: UCL Refugee Project

 
Default Idea Image
Become a fan
 
  • Created on: 18 Nov 2007
  • Idea status: Just a thought
  • Town: Addlestone, Surrey
 

Owners

 
 

What it's all about

At the UCL Refugee Project, we want student volunteers from UCL to interact with a group of refugees and asylum seekers in our community. We want to use group activities and mentoring to build their confidence and language skills, and ultimately to help them integrate into life in London. We feel that as students at London’s ‘global university’, we are in an excellent position to work alongside this vulnerable group, and to help combat the feelings of isolation and discrimination they often face; equally, we hope to use our project to highlight the difficulties faced by refugees and asylum seekers to the UCL community in general. We believe that the local community will also benefit from improved relations with a more integrated refugee and asylum seeker population. To our knowledge, the format of our project is new, as we want to emphasise reflective practice within our group (both volunteers and clients) alongside our group activities. We already have a diverse and enthusiastic group of student leaders and volunteers who are keen to make a difference, and a wealth of ideas for group activities; all we need now is some funding to turn our ideas into reality.

What's needed to make it a reality

Without funding, some of our planned trips and activities could not go ahead. We have had ideas such as a boat trip along the Thames, a ride on the London Eye, and possibly visits to exhibitions currently showing in museums and galleries in London. We plan to use these visits to reflect on cultural awareness and to provide our group with positive experiences that they may be lacking since their arrival in the UK. Furthermore, being out and about as a group in central London would be a social experience in itself. We would also like funding for some creative activities such as arts and crafts that can help our group express their individual and collective experiences. Our activities are going to be dependent on what we can afford to do.

Available actions

Fans of this idea

 
 

Comments

  • Avatar Nadia Cole 17:01, 19 November 2007 The UCL Refugee Project does great work in reaching out to refugees and asylum seekers and it is exciting to see that you are seeking to 'add value' to what you already do by extending your trips for them and that you also want to start doing some creative activities. As you know, this is a specific project running at UCL and another 14 unis across the country.I'll be in touch by email to discuss this further with you. Best wishes, Nadia Cole, Volunteer Development Worker (E: junction49@ucl.ac.uk)
  • Avatar zw!tch 17:51, 13 February 2008 If you need any more help and advice about this issue why not have a look at the Junction49 partner Time Together - a national refugee mentoring scheme.
You must be a registered user to post comments! Please log-in or register.
Log in  |  Register