- Help Desk
- Accommodation
- Panel
- Welfare Payments
- Events, Fundraising and Awareness (EFA)
- Advocacy
- Befriending
Help Desk
Aims of the team
- Signposting service to appropriate agencies
- Provide information re: free food, conversation clubs etc.
- Make referrals to the ASSIST panel
- Support individuals to access help with their cases
- To look for a way forward from their present situation
How the team works
A team of people staff the table at Conversation Club and Council drop-in at Victoria Hall on Wednesdays (2-4pm). Using interpreters where required, asylums seekers are interviewed and, where it seems appropriate, referral forms are filled in.
Team co-ordinator – Margaret Spooner
Accommodation Team
Aims of the team
- To prioritise new referrals for ASSIST accommodation/housing,
- To review the existing individuals in receipt of ASSIST accommodation/housing.
- Recruit, train and support new hosts.
- Make arrangements for new and existing guests to be transferred to hosts.
How the team works
The accommodation team is made up of about 5 members who meet on a monthly basis to update each other on key decisions and events in the previous month as well as to prepare for future weeks.
The majority of the work is done by the member who is on phone duty. This means they have the accommodation team mobile phone and are responsible for co-ordinating transfers, making arrangements to see new hosts and are the first point of contact for referrals. Members are on duty for two week periods and then transfer the phone to the next member on duty.
Team co-ordinator – Cath Roberts and Paul Harvey
Panel Team
Aims of the team
- To prioritise new referrals for ASSIST support (financial support),
- To review existing individuals in receipt of ASSIST support (financial support).
How the team works
The Panel is made up of three or four members (out of a small pool of volunteers) that meets weekly (Tuesday evenings) to discuss and prioritise all new referrals for financial support (this is done using existing criteria).
After this discussion the Panel processes the claims (includes keeping records of all decisions) and completes a list for the Treasury Team regarding the individuals who will receive financial support for the week and the amount for each individual grant.
In addition there is a Panel review meeting once a month to review all cases and take any appropriate action — stop funding, contact agencies for more information etc. A wider selection of people, particularly treasury team members are encouraged to attend this meeting.
Team Coordinator — Janice Brocklebank
Welfare Payments
Aims of the team
- To pay out weekly grants to destitute asylum seekers.
How the team works
The Treasury Team usually pay out grants on Wednesdays at the Central United Reform Church.
Asylum seekers receiving grants are asked to sign (after showing their ID cards) on the weekly sheets (emailed from the panel co-ordinator).
A record of ongoing payments is also kept on a separate sheet for both the grant scheme and the accommodation scheme. (Host expenses are sent monthly with requests for receipts for auditing purposes).
Volunteers from the church provide refreshments and friendly chat.
The money paid out is rarely the same as that initially placed in the envelopes.
This is because there are always some who do not turn up despite being due to be paid, and sometimes others who receive extra in a particular week due to extraordinary circumstances.
In addition the team invariably gets involved with other problems of those individuals receiving ASSIST support, or alternatively with asylum seekers who have not been through the Panel, but are desperate to be helped.
This often means that the work of the Treasury Team continues into the afternoon, with paperwork to be completed in the office, and asylum seekers to be accompanied to the drop-in centre for further help.
Team Coordinator - Richard Chessum
Events Fundraising and Awareness Team
Aims of team
- Talking with the general public and raising awareness regarding asylum seekers and the issue of destitution
- Raising awareness regarding the work of ASSIST in meeting the needs of destitute asylum seekers in Sheffield
- Arranging fundraising events (small to medium sized) in order to support the work of ASSIST, this includes getting other groups and individuals to arrange events for ASSIST.
- Arranging two larger scale fundraising events each year in order to support the work of ASSIST (aiming to raise at least £1000).
How the team works
Currently this team consists of a few people who take on the responsibility for:
- booking venues
- arranging publicity
- arranging for speakers (including Asylum Seekers) from ASSIST to attend events etc.
The team works closely with a number of other groups, e.g. STAR group at the University and the Conversation Club, for example, the recent street collection in Sheffield. Raising awareness, preaching and speaking to church and other groups includes testimony from asylum seekers and refugees.
Team co-ordinator — Daniel Stanley
Advocacy Projects
Aims of the team
- Helping asylum seekers with their cases
- Giving emotional support
- Enhancing the work of the ‘Help Desk’
How the team works
Volunteers are trained to interview clients comprehend the legal system and to search for information relevant to case work.
Appointments with clients are mainly made at Tables and Treasury.
Interviews take place in the Sheffield Advice Link (SAL) premises on Tuesday afternoons.
Asylum seekers are assisted with their cases by volunteers in conjunction with the NRC, under the supervision of an accredited solicitor.
Team Co-ordinator – Paul Snell
Befriending Project
Aims of the team
- Befriend Asylum Seekers new to the area
- Go with them to appointments etc
- Other activities as appropriate
How the team works
Volunteer befriending activities are at times to suit both volunteer and Asylum seeker.
Volunteers are trained to the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation specifications and levels.
Befrienders will normally work with individuals for approximately 6 months. In this time we hope that friendships will develop and asylum seekers will be empowered enabled to grow in confidence.
Other tasks include; financial, secretarial, grant application, and general publicity work including website master, administering Bus Passes, voucher exchange and free bicycles
Team co-ordinators include – Teresa Gibson, Tendero Makwenha, Richard Chessum and Robert Spooner