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The ForumMigrant and Refugee Communities Forum

Annual Review 2010-11

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The Forum: Home Away From HomeThe nature of our work at the Forum – urgent daily interven-tions to make the lives of mi-grants and refugees better - can sometimes make it difficult to determine how our efforts help deliver long term change for the better. The year behind us is an exception to this rule.

In April last year, at a time of global economic uncertainty and with UK elections only a month ahead, we realised that assessing our effectiveness and impact on the frontlines of social change was more important than ever. This Annual Review is part of our reflection on our work not only with our members but also with our supporters, funders, partners and the general public.

Over the past year, MRCF has raised its public profile. As a team we had realised the need to do this as a result of the power analysis we did with the Carn-egie UK Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation which was published in Power and Making Change Happen.

This piece of work helped us to regain our power and recover our self-respect, both of which can seem very fragile in the hostile environment in which we work. We found our voice and spoke out at every opportunity against the immigration injustice and prejudice faced by our users.

We have re-designed and re-launched our website so that we

can use it to create the kind of debate we want to see on im-migration. We have trained 55 community leaders from across London to use digital resources to have their say and tell their stories of migrant life in Lon-don. We launched a YouTube channel and incurring absolutely no cost produced videos in 18 languages explaining the im-portance of participation in the 2011 census for the integration of migrant and refugee com-munities. And finally, through collaboration with English PEN we discovered hidden talents in our communities and our poets are now published authors in a joint collection of poems, The Wrestler.

MRCF Board, Staff, and Volunteers

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Through articulating in reports, poems, media articles and blogs what it is like to be integrated in London we have been rec-ognised by the government, funders, politicians, colleagues, the international community and most importantly our members as a positive, pragmatic force for integration and the Good Soci-ety regardless of its size.

We won a prestigious interna-tional award, Voices of Courage for our work with refugees in urban areas and caused a bit of a stir with our honest and prag-matic response in the Guardian’s Comment Is Free to the Prime Minister’s speech on immigra-tion.

In between these highlights, we have supported thousands of people from nearly a hundred countries. We have listened to their sometimes harrowing sto-ries of torture and loss and tried to reassure them that they are now safe, despite the prolonged suffering and indignity which is inflicted upon them by our in-competent bureaucracy. We have worked to make that bureauc-racy better and engaged with government departments when-ever there was a tiny chance that we might influence change.

We have worked hard and pre-sented credible arguments that helped persuade the Govern-ment to abandon an ill con-ceived policy on compulsory volunteering for citizenship. Joining forces with Citizens UK we also helped negotiate the end of the detention of children for immigration purposes.

We spent the year listening to conversations and complaints about the Big Society, con-stantly hearing how ‘we all have to do more for less’. But hon-estly, what is new? This is how we have always managed. Our communities could teach Big Society to the rest of the coun-try because survival is what we migrants and refugees excel at. And we do it through adapt-ability which is the essence of the migration project .What all of our members can tell you is – ‘it’s not easy, but it’s not impos-sible either.’

There is a lot of work ahead of us, but we are profoundly opti-mistic feeling stronger and more inspired than ever. We are asking you to celebrate with us our successes and bear witness to our challenges in the hope that a better, more inclusive and equal future for all of us is possible.

And, there are things YOU can DO too.

I would like to thank you all for your support so far and invite you to continue to stand with us. We need to stay independent with enough resources to sup-port the vulnerable and enable long term change. Everyone can help in their own way. This can be as simple as following us on Facebook. You can also tell your friends about us or start volun-teering with one of our projects. You can mentor some of our users or make a donation safely through our new website. What-ever you choose to do we are grateful that by acting you are choosing not to be bystanders.

Zrinka Bralo Executive Director

Zrinka and Liv Ullmann at the Women’s Refugee Commission’s Voices of Courage Award Ceremony in New York, May 2011

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•GoodPracticeGuidestoInterpretingin5languagesarepublishedbytheBMEHealth Forum as a result of the MRCF coordinated project on increasing ac-cess to health services.

•Britain’sthreemainpoliticalpartiescommitintheirelectionmanifestostoendthe detention of children for immigration purposes.

•MRCF’s1stDigitalActivismcoursefinisheswith10graduates.Studentshavelearned about online services such as NHS Direct as well as how to set up and run blogs and Facebook pages for organisations and how to make short videos.

•MRCF’snewwebsiteislaunchedcreatinganonlinespaceformigrantsandrefugees to contribute their voices to the immigration debate.

•MRCFpublishes-‘ShouldCitizenshipBeEarnedThroughCompulsoryVolunteering?’ Written in partnership with the Migrants’ Rights Network the report details how the government’s proposed policy on compulsory volun-teering for citizenship will both not achieve its integration objectives and will undermine genuine volunteering by migrants and refugees. It instead proposes that resources are put into supporting these groups to access existing volun-teering opportunities.

•MRCFcelebratestheendof itsfirstyearof Englishclasses.15studentshavebenefittedfromgroupandindividualclassesgivenbyourqualifiedvolunteer.

•Newstaff member,NickMicinski,CommunicationandTrainingOfficerjoinsthe MRCF team to manage and market the website and run our digital activism training.

•MRCFwelcomesstaff memberFrancesca’snewbaby,Ernesto.

•MRCFholdsitsAnnualGeneralMeeting.

•NegotiationsstartwiththeUKBorderAgencyabouthowtoendthedetentionof children for immigration purposes.

•MRCFendsthevoucherexchangeprogrammeduetoachangeingovernmentpolicy. The programme supported asylum seekers to exchange supermarket vouchers for cash.

•ComicRelief awardsMRCFa3yeargrantof £120ktosupportitsmentoringproject. As a repeat grant it recognises the achievements of the project to date and marks the beginning of an increased focus on teaching self advocacy skills.

•MRCF’s2ndDigitalActivismcoursefinisheswith26graduates.Studentshavecreated blogs and run campaigns on a range of issues including the London LivingWage,indefinitedetentionof migrantsandhealthierliving.

•MRCFtakesa60memberdelegationtotheWestLondonCitizensAssembly.

•Thegovernmentannouncesitisabandoningits‘earnedcitizenship’policyoncompulsory volunteering for citizenship.

•MRCFisvisitedbytheDeputyMayorof London,RichardBarneswhowishesto learn more about how integration, mentoring and volunteering work in prac-tice.

•Thegovernment’spolicyof detainingchildrenforimmigrationpurposesisformally ended.

April 2010

August 2010

June 2010

October 2010

September 2010

December 2010

July 2010

November 2010

One Year At The Forum

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OverseasqualifieddentistsregisteredwithMRCFandusingouronlineself-helpforumtoprepareforverificationexamsinordertoworkintheUK.

Clients received advice on all aspects of social welfare law by our part-time generalist adviser and referred to specialist providers where necessary.

Mentors and mentees matched by MRCF’s New Beginnings project. Men-tors and mentees meet weekly for six months as well as attending group workshops at MRCF.

Leaders of migrant organisations trained on social networking, blogging, and digitial activism.

Refugee and migrant community organisations received community devel-opment support. Support ranges from help to develop projects and apply for funding to partnership brokerage and the facilitation of meetings with Councillorsandgovernmentofficials.

• Inresponsetothegovernmentconsultationonreforminglegalaid,MRCFhosts a policy event - ‘Will Legal Aid cuts prevent migrants and refugees from accessing justice?’. It includes speakers from the Immigration Law Practition-ers Association and the Justice for All Campaign and as a result MRCF and several of its members submit policy responses.

•MRCF’sExecutiveDirector,ZrinkaBraloisawardeda‘Voicesof Courage’award from the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York. The award recognises her leadership and work supporting refugees in London and her tirelessworktoinfluencelaws,policiesandmediacoverage.

•Tomarkthecentenaryof InternationalWomen’sDayMRCFhosts-‘Womenin Transition’ an event during which its female community leaders share their stories of exile, integration and empowering women and agree to launch a prize in 2012 to recognise grassroots community activism by extraordinary refugee and migrant women.

•Toencouragetheparticipationof refugeesandmigrantsinthe2011census,MCRF launches a mini website ‘Count Us In! Including Migrants in the UK Census 2011’ with videos in 18 languages and attracting over 2,000 hits in its firsttwomonths.

•MRCFpublishes-‘MigrantCommunitiesandtheBigSociety;StrugglingtoBelong in the Age of Austerity’ presenting the case for and exploring the critical role of migrant and refugee community organisations in improving the lives of London’s diverse communities. It calls on local and national Gov-ernment to include refugees and migrants in conversations about building a biggerandbettersocietyandremindsthemthattherearenoquickfixestoinclusion and integration.

•MRCF’s3rdDigitalActivismcoursefinisheswith19graduates.Studentshaveproduced videos on and run campaigns on personal budgets, children’s rights and social housing.

•MRCF’sExecutiveDirectorpublishesanarticle‘Immigrationisneithergoodnor bad’ featured in the Guardian’s Comment is Free in response to the Prime Minister’s speech on immigration.

February 2011

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Organisational Support

“If it was not for the support from MRCF, we would have gone by now.”

Senait EyobCoordinator - Ethiopian Women’s Empowerment Group

Education and Training

“I arrived in the UK in 2008 and I felt as if there was nowhere to turn to. MRCF has been instrumental in helping me to re-qual-ify as a dentist in the UK.”BenjaminMember of MRCF’s Overseas Qualified Dentist Club

Mentoring

“As a migrant, I understand how valuable a mentor can be. A short visit can mean so much to someone like my mentee.”

Ali Participant in MRCF’s New Beginnings Mentoring Project

What People Are Saying About...

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Policy

“MRCF makes a critical contribution to the immigration debate in the UK by ensuring that the voices of migrants and refugees are heard.”

Ruth Grove-WhitePolicy Officer - Migrants’ Rights Network

Advice

“You leave this place feeling happy and knowing that your problems will be re-solved.”

PatriciaClient with MRCF’s General Advice project

Digital Activism

“Many people ask me ‘What is digital activ-ism?’ I always have one answer:

It is what gives my voice power.”

Shatha BesaraniIraqi Women’s League UK

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Why are you interested in migration?I am interested in migration because I have lived a lot overseas - about four years in each of the countries mentioned above. I have a real interest in migration because it is an issue that will grow in importance in our evermore inter-connected world.

What do you do at MRCF? I teach English one day a week, working either with individuals on a one to one basis or with small classes. Some students are complete beginners, others are more advanced and want to get even better.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?MRCF has a wonderfully open feeling that all are wel-come and will be helped to gain an independence and a sense of achievement.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Feeling secure, living somewhere reasonable, coping with the bureaucracy, having access to medical and psychological services, and building up a network of friends.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I look forward to another year of volunteering and helpingthestudentstoincreasetheirself-confidenceby getting better at English.

Jeff SamuelsonVolunteer - English TeacherIhavelivedandworkedinIndonesia,Zam-bia,Zimbabwe,Poland,andtheUKworkingfor the British Council. My last job before starting to volunteer at MRCF was in Lon-don for about ten years with the international development charity Book Aid International. I live in London now.

“MRCF has a wonderfully open feeling that all are welcome and will be helped to gain an independence and a sense of achievement.”

Meet the Volunteers and Staff at The Forum

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Indrė GimžiūnaitėGeneral Adviser

Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I have been living in London for the last 7 years. I was born and brought up in Lithuania.

Why are you interested in migration?Iamamigrantmyself anditisdifficulttoexplainwhyI became one. It was a number of circumstances that made me come to the UK, rather than a conscious decision to migrate. I am now willing to help those whofindthemselvesinasimilarsituationandotherswho were forced to leave their country for one reason or another. I want to spread the word of what help is available, what rights and entitlements migrants may have, and assist them with integration and life in the UK generally.

What do you do at MRCF? I work with refugees and migrants providing generalist advice, information and guidance on various areas of social welfare law. I do a range of things for the cli-ents,includingformfilling,draftinglettersandmakingtelephonecallsontheirbehalf,assistingwithfindinga specialist solicitor, and accompanying vulnerable clients to their appointments with other specialists.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I found a job advert on www.charityjobs.com, applied and was lucky enough to be interviewed to prove that I could do the job!

What do you think is unique about MRCF?MRCF is unique in terms of its people and their dedication to work and to the rights and welfare of refugees and migrants. It’s an amazing place to be and to feel a part of. You get a sense of belonging here and experience an amazing atmosphere where everyone treats you as a friend and feels like one.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?To be aware of their rights and the services available to them. Life in a new country can be (and is!) so dif-ferent to the one we have been used to.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I am hoping MRCF will secure funding to continue providing advice services to even more individuals and willhopefullyregisterwithOISC(Officeof Immigra-tions Services Commissioner) to be able to provide the immigration advice and casework that is so important to our clients!

My name is Indre and I am from Lithuania. I arrived in the UK in 2004, having graduated from the Law University of Lithuania. For myfirstthreeyearsinLondonIworkedinacompletely different area – corporate cater-ing – during which time I also completed my master’s degree in Human Rights Law. I then volunteered with three different human rights-related charities to get some relevant workexperienceandlandedmyfirstjobinanimmigrationdepartmentof asolicitor’sfirm.I now work as an advice worker at MRCF and also as a senior legal assistant in a private solicitor’sfirm.

“You get a sense of belonging here.”

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Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I live in London now and lived in Belgrade in the past.

Why are you interested in migration?Migration is the movement of HUMANS and that is often lost when it comes to talking about immi-grants.

What do you do at MRCF? I run Drama workshops. I came to volunteer with MRCF through contacts and colleagues I know in other organisations.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?I think that MRCF is a place where people can get not only legal help and advice but they can also get training and skills. It is also a place where they can meet and talk, exchange experiences, creatively expressthemselvesandgainconfidencethroughartforms. This kind of place is rare in the world.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Legality (permission to stay, work, freedom to move and be recognised as an existing, visible part of society), integration (language, training, education), loneliness and isolation.

What are you looking forward to in the next year? Unknown happenings.

Maja Milatovic-OvadiaVolunteer - Drama Teacher

I am a theatre director in London. In addition to directing professional actors, I enjoy tak-ing theatre into the community through drama workshops with Most Mira, a Bosnian youth arts festival, and at MRCF.

“MRCF is a place where people meet and talk, creatively express themselves and gain confidence through art forms.

This kind of place is rare in the world.”

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Beth CroslandCommunity Development Worker

Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I live in north London. Previously I have lived in small villages in the south of England, Germany, Havana andbrieflyinBuenosAires.

Why are you interested in migration?I think it’s a combination of my experience of living in Cuba for a year when I was 18 and studying apart-heid South Africa at university. Cuba was a radically different society to the one which I had grown up in andonegoingthroughhugedifficultiesandchangeasa result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It made me start thinking about what a just society might look like. I had a great time but also experienced how iso-lating it can be to be in a new place, not to speak the language, and to know very few people. Studying the extreme limits to which South Africa institutionalised racism made me interested in how we relate to people who we think are different to us. When I left univer-sity ‘the asylum seeker’ was one of the big ‘others’ in BritishsocietyandsoIstartedvolunteeringtofindout more. I met people from all over the world and became increasingly fascinated by migration and by my then new home, multi–cultural London.

What do you do at MRCF? I support our member organisations who are self help community groups run by refugees and migrants. It’s very varied involving anything from assisting them to develop a service to help people in their community into work, to supporting a community leader to meet with their MP.

How did you come to work at MRCF?Previously I had worked for an organisation which researched refugees issues with the aim of increasing public understanding of them. I enjoyed this but was keen for a change and a chance to ‘do’ rather than read and write papers. I had been a fan of MRCF for

several years and so when the job came up I jumped at it.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?It’s a home from home for the people who use its services and also for its staff and volunteers. I think it’s a great example of community self help.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?WemainlyworkwithmigrantswhoarefindinglifeinLondonverydifficult–maybetheyhavenofam-ilywiththem,havefledcivilwarorspeaknoEnglish.Most of them are also very poor. Like many other groups in London they experience extreme social exclusion.Soit’sabouthowmigrantscanfindawayto feel like they belong in and can build a happy life in London. I’m also very worried about proposed cuts to legal aid.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I organised an event for the centenary of International Women’s Day. We rarely look at our work through a gender lens, yet many of our community leaders are extraordinary women. So I’m looking forward to see-ing how this might develop.

I’m a Londoner with roots in the English coun-tryside, where I grew up and where my family is from. I like being involved in community initia-tives which is why I feel at home at MRCF. I have studied history and human rights. I’m also a free-lance photographer with an interest in portraiture and documentary work.

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ABosnianbybirth,Ifledthewarinmycountryin1992andhavebeenonthemoveever since. My migration to Canada was positive, enlightening and empowering. I’ve studied politics to understand why the war happened and some years later, I also stud-ied international development to learn how societies change (or not) for the better. The gratefulness that I feel for having these expe-riences encourages me and drives my work with others to make the best out of a given set of circumstances.

Kristina HemonPolicyandVoiceOfficer

Where do you live now and where have you lived?I live in one of the greatest cities in the world – Lon-don. I have also lived in Sarajevo, Toronto, Oxford and Washington D.C.

Why are you interested in migration?I have three migrations under my belt. From the war in BosniaIwenttoCanada,thentheUSAandfinallytothe UK. All of these experiences were enriching, inter-esting and welcoming. On these journeys I met amaz-ing people, studied at great universities and visited beautiful places. It changed me for the better for which I am grateful. I want to give back in return and share what I’ve learnt in the process.

What do you do at MRCF?I work on policy and research. I am working to under-stand migration experiences: what migrants and their communities do, including the reasons for and the way theydocertainthings;decisionsmadeontheirbehalf and the extent to which they have a say in those deci-sion,etc.Inshort,Iwanttofindaway,togetherwithothers, to make migrant life and experience better and moreenrichingforall.Ourmethodistofirstfindoutabout an issue of concern, write about it and share it with those who care or ought to care about it. Then, together with our partners, we go out and talk to rel-evant people to try to change decisions, and improve processes and ways of doing this.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I have known several people who have worked at MRCF over the years and liked their work. I wanted to become a part of the team and contribute. I have been lucky to be invited in.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?Our team and the way we get things done is what makes our work distinct and successful. This can be described, in short as, ‘helping people help them-selves’ and democratic active participation.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?For the majority of migrants, issues range from the lack of opportunities for education and employment to the lack of inclusion and representation. Currently, the three most pressing issues are: accessto learning the English language, obtaining advice on social welfare and education issues, and diminishing access to rights and justice.

What are you looking forward to in the next year? Makingalliesandpartners,findingawaytodomoreand better work and seeing improved lives for mi-grants in London as a result.

“I want to give back...and share what I’ve learnt.”

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I love meeting people, listening to their sto-ries and learning from their experiences. I like keeping in touch with the friends I’ve made throughout my life – even if it is never often enough! I value spending time with friends and family and with my husband James and our baby Ernesto. We always seem to have someone staying over at our place! As par-ents, we would like our child to learn how beautiful it is to welcome people into our home and that our door is always open.

Francesca ValerioMentoring Coordinator

Where do you live now and where have you lived?I was born in Italy in a small town called Este where I lived until 2001, when I came to London. After mov-ing many times around London (and away from Lon-don for a couple of years) during the past 10 years, I now live (hopefully more permanently!) in South London.

Why are you interested in migration?I am a migrant myself. While the changes I made to my life because of migration are relatively minor, I findstrengthinotherpeople’sstories.Theirreasonsfor change, the ways they cope with change and their ideas of what home can mean are very inspiring. Eve-ryone who decides to change where “home” is should be given a chance for a better life. The decision to change “home” and leave behind the things you know is never a simple one, so the reasons must be power-ful.

What do you do at MRCF? I coordinate the mentoring project and manage the volunteers involved. I also like to take my shoes off andwalkaroundtheofficebarefoot!

How did you come to work at MRCF?I was living in Italy at the time and had decided it was the right moment to move back to London. I was looking for a job that could challenge me and make this big step worthwhile. Three years on and I am still findingchallenges,butalsoalotof rewards.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?The passion of all the people who work and volunteer for the organisation. They come together to help give a voiceandfindequalityforthepeoplewhocometous.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Migrants are often denied access to the services that the rest of the community takes for granted. If mi-grantshadsimpleanddignifiedaccesstoeducation,health services, employment and even a sense of belonging to the larger community then many of the problems they face would be minimised.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I’m looking forward to meeting and working with new volunteers and learning from the experiences of the people who come to MRCF. I am also looking forward to forging stronger relationships with other charities, statutory service providers and professionals and using that to improve the experiences of the people who use our services. Finally, I’m looking forward to having some fun!

“Migrants are often denied access to the services that the rest of the community takes for granted.”

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Where do you live and where have you lived be-fore?Right now I live in the United Kingdom- London to be precise- but before I lived with my husband and children in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.

Why are you interested in migration? In my case, my interest in migrating to the UK was to allow my children access to better education.

What do you do at MRCF? I am a volunteer at MRCF. I handle most of the gener-aladministrativeworklikephonecallsandotherofficework. I generally assist in any way I can as I am given the chance to practise my skills.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I am a student of Westminster City college studying for an NVQ in Business Administration. I was placed on voluntary service at MRCF by my college.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?The total dedication to its members, protecting their interest in every way we can through our services. For example, the mentoring programs, digital courses in computers, English classes which are free of charge and many other facilities.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?The ability to exercise human rights like every other citizen of the land. Also being able to access help so migrants don’t feel isolated and unable to function normally.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?To see MRCF achieve its goals as an organisation through a joint effort of both the staff and its mem-bers.

Vera T.E. OkusanyaVolunteer - AdministratorMy name is Vera T.E. Okusanya. I am a wife as well as a mother to four beautiful children. I am of Cameroonian heritage, born in Ed-inburgh and married to a citizen of Nigeria. I enjoy cooking for my family as well as making hats in my spare time.

“The most important issue for migrants in London is their abil-ity to exercise their human rights like every other citizen of the land.”

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Claudia CovelliVolunteer - General Adviser

Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I currently live in London. Originally I am from Trani, a little town situated in Puglia, in the south of Italy.

Why are you interested in migration?In the last decades, the south of Italy has been a land-ing place for many migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East. In this context, I became pas-sionate about issues related to migrants and I wanted to be a lawyer to make a difference by advocating for their rights and to promote their needs.

What do you do at MRCF? I am a volunteer general adviser.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I became aware of MRCF through my work experi-ence as an intern at the Independent Asylum Commis-sion. I have always viewed MRCF as a respected and professional organisation with which I share values.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?It’s an energetic, positive and stimulating multicultural environment where staff, volunteers and members from several other organisations work with passion and dedication. People really care about the plight of migrants and refugees.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?

1. Cuts in legal aid for migrants and low levels of funding for the organisations that support them2. There are issues related to irregular migrants and how they are dealt with in respect of basic human rights and human dignity 3. Lack of access to the labour market for asylum seekers

What are you looking forward to in the next year?Toworkasaqualifiedimmigrationcaseworker.

My name is Claudia and I am an Italian law-yer specialising in migration and refugee issues. In Italy I worked for several years as a legal advisor for refugees at an Italian NGO. Later I decided to move to the UK in or-der to improve my professional skills in the fieldof migration.In2008,IgainedanMAin Refugee Studies from the University of East London and since then have been work-ing with several organisations as an intern researcher and caseworker. I am passionate about cinema, music and visual arts, includ-ing photography. As a member of Accademia Apulia, a social network promoting arts and culture in the UK, I am taking an active part in the organisation of a photographic award in 2012 on the topic of migration.

“I wanted to be a lawyer to make a difference by advo-cating for their rights and to promote their needs.”

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Nick MicinskiCommunicationsandTrainingOfficer

Where do you live now and where have you lived before?I live in London and have been in the UK for almost three years. I was born in a small midwest town in the US and have lived in Cairo, Washington D.C. and Oxford.

Why are you interested in migration?I am interested in migration because I am a migrant myself. I feel in my life how being a migrant gives me different rights from British citizens. I am concerned about a backlash in both British and American socie-ties against multiculturalism. The strength and vitality of our communities and our countries depends on how we treat and include both migrants and citizens alike. I also think that new technologies and online spaces provide an opportunity for migrants who are innovativeandcreativetobeinfluentialinshapingourglobalising world.

What do you do at MRCF?I run the 7-Week Digital Activism course for leaders of migrant and refugee organisations. I manage the Forum’s communication strategy and our accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. If you’re talking to MRCF online, you’re probably talking to me :)

How did you come to work at MRCF?I knew about the Forum from previous work with Most Mira Youth Festival where I did photography and media workshops with young people in north-ern Bosnia. When this position came up at MRCF, I jumped at the opportunity to work at such an innova-tive and grassroots organisation.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?The Forum is uniquely positioned between frontline, grassroots migrant organisations that do the hard work of day-to-day integration and the national policy framework which attempts to regulate and control migrants’ lives. These two worlds- that of the average migrant and of the policy maker- rarely meet. It is our job at the Forum to connect, empower, and advocate formigrants’rightsandweareuniquelyqualifiedbe-cause many of us are migrants ourselves.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Legal aid cuts. Hands down these cuts will prevent migrants from accessing justice. Without the threat of going to court, many service providers will not re-spond to simple complaints or letters of request. Jus-tice will only be available for those who can afford it.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?The Forum will be more creative and innovative online,sowatchthisspace.Wearefindingouronlinevoiceasanorganisationandarereadytoflexourdigital muscles!

I’m an American born in a small farming town outside of Detroit. I’ve studied and lived in the Middle East, worked as a re-searcher on youth projects, and helped found a new network called Young Professionals in Human Rights. Growing up, my parents took me to every community event there was and I saw the value of small organisations in the life of my family and community. One of my indulgent obsessions is taking photos of food and blogging about it.

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Where do you live and where have you lived be-fore?I grew up in a seaside town called Bournemouth in the south of England, and lived there until I moved to University in Southampton. I lived there for three years, until last summer, when I moved to east Lon-don.

Why are you interested in migration?Coming from a small town with residents who were predominantly White British, I often felt frustrated at the lack of diversity around me. However, I began to see small changes, with concentrated areas of Polish migrants and Asian communities. I knew very little about migration and wanted to learn more about the emotional effects of the movement of people. Work-

ing at MRCF has allowed me to understand in much greater depth the issues faced by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

What do you do at MRCF? I work on the New Beginnings Mentoring project, which supports isolated migrants and refugees by matching them with volunteers who can help with things such as learning English, providing emotional support and guidance, and going for a coffee. My job involves training new volunteers, matching mentees and mentors, and organising activities and workshops.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I gained a job on a Graduate Management Scheme with the National Skills Academy. This involves a one year placement gaining experience in leadership and management. I asked to be placed within a migrant organisation and took up the great opportunity to work at MRCF.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?MRCF is like no organisation I have worked for before. With a background in banking and retail, the small and friendly environment at MRCF is far from the corpo-rate world I had experienced. What stands out about MRCF- besides our warm welcoming atmosphere- is the diversity of the services we offer, from a library for doctors and dentists who are retraining, to advice, mentoring and digital activism courses.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Cuts to services which support migrants are worry-ing. One example of this is the dramatic cuts in ESOL classes. Cutting English classes will affect how con-fidentmanymigrantsfeelinaccessingservicesthatare meant to support them. ESOL classes also reduce isolation through meeting new friends and creating support networks.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?Watching friendships develop between people who have been through similar experiences is the best part of my job. So I’m looking forward to seeing this hap-pen as a result of the activities we provide.

Charlene LeggGraduate Placement - Mentoring ProjectMy name is Charlene, and I am 24. I recently graduated with a degree in Sociology, which engaged my interest in human rights and led me to move to London to work for MRCF. I am very interested in women’s rights, and have just started an online magazine for women called RealWomenMag.

“Cutting ESOL will affect how confident migrants feel

in accessing services that are meant to support them. ”

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Sofia AmanOfficeManagerandFinanceOfficer

Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I live in St John’s Wood in north west London and I used to live near Queen’s Park in west London.

Why you are interested in migration?Because I came to the UK as a refugee.

What do you do at MRCF? IworkastheAdministratorandFinanceOfficer.Ialsowork on the Overseas Health Professionals project.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I volunteered for MRCF for a few months and after a vacancy opened up I applied and became a paid worker.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?MRCF is unique in terms of supporting and providing our services to the community. We all reach out to oth-ers and make them feel at home and wanted. It’s such a diverse organisation and has a very good understand-ing of basic human needs. We are especially prepared to go the extra mile to help “outsiders”.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Thefirstandmostimportantthingformigrantsistobe welcomed. Once you have that it makes it easier to integrate.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?To see positive global change for migrant and refugee rights and that everyone is treated equally regardless of their background.

I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I came to the UK sixteen years ago as a refugee. I like to meet people from different back-grounds and listen to their stories. I’m lucky because my job gives me the opportunity to do this. I like Sundays very much because itisthedayof rest;Igotochurchandvisitfriends and family. I enjoy cooking and love the Ethiopian coffee ceremony- not only for the coffee but because it helps me to imag-ine my hometown where I grew up and my friends and neighbours.

“We all reach out to others and make them feel at home and wanted... We go the extra mile.”

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Margaret SiegelVolunteer - English Teacher

Where do you live now? I live in Bayswater.

Why are you interested in migration?I really admire the strength and courage it takes to move from a harsh situation to a new life in another country, and I would like to help smooth this transition for migrants and offer support and encouragement.

What do you do at MRCF?I started out by joining the mentoring program and am now observing Jeff ’s English classes and offering one-to-one tutoring. I am also co-leading the Blog Team with Nick and participating in Charlene’s Women’s Empowerment Group.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I knew that I wanted to work with refugee communi-ties, and when I came to London I contacted Refugee Action, who put me in touch with MRCF.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?The friendly staff at MRCF effectively create a wel-coming environment and a real community. Frequent and varied activities make MRCF an engaging place.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?I think it is very important for migrants to feel like they have support and are not alone. I would say health, housing and legal status are the most pressing issues facing migrants.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I am looking forward to dedicating myself to the ac-tivities in which I am already involved at MRCF, as well as participating in new activities and getting to know more members of this community.

Last November I moved with my husband to London from New York, where I spent the last 5 ½ years working for Travelers Aid at JFK Airport, assisting stranded passengers.

“It is very impor-tant for migrants to feel like they have support and are not alone.”

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James IngramVolunteer - Social Enterprise Project

Where do you live now? Where have you lived before?I’m currently living in the same house I was born in, just a short walk from MRCF in London. A life-long resident of RBKC...apart from when I was working in Siem Reap (Cambodia), Nairobi (Kenya) and studying in the (slightly less) exotic city of Bristol.

Why are you interested in migration?Afewgenerationsagomanyrelativesof minefledasrefugees from Russia and Eastern Europe, and I’ve always been interested in migrant and minority identi-ties. While working with Sudanese exiles campaigning at the International Criminal Court, I became very interestedinEuropeanasylumsystemsandthediffi-culties they create in everyday situations.

What do you do at MRCF? I’ve been designing and setting-up a fellowship for mi-grant and refugee social entrepreneurs which launched in March.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?That it’s a user-led community forum enabling real participation for migrants and refugees – consolidating old skills, learning new ones and helping individuals and communities to develop and support themselves and others. The MRCF community hub building is unique and valuable.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?The same issues that are important to everyone - housing, employment, family, community, happiness etc.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?Working collaboratively to come up with innovative solutionstobuildcapacityandfinancialsustainabilityforcommunityorganisations...andfinallyfinishingmyMaster’s degree.

I volunteer at MRCF part time and am cur-rentlyfinishingaMaster’sdegreeinMigrationand Diaspora Studies at the School of Orien-tal and African Studies in London.

“We are... consolidat-ing old skills, learning new ones and helping individuals and com-munities to develop and support themselves and others.

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Amina El guenuniVolunteer - Mentoring Project

Where do you live and where have you lived?I have lived in London pretty much all of my life. I haveneverlivedanywhereelse;Londonishometome.

Why are you interested in migration?I feel fortunate to live in the country of my birth, along with most of my family. Although I am not an immigrant, I still feel migration is very much close to my heart because both my grandparents and parents were immigrants. They migrated to Wiltshire at a time when ethnic minorities were not treated as fairly as theyaretoday.Theysufferedagreatdealof financialand emotional hardship and racism which have detri-mental effects on them today. Many migrants and asy-lum seekers still suffer the same prejudices and lack of opportunitiesthatmyfamilyfacedbackinthe1960’swhich will hinder the emotional well-being of future British generations.

What do you do at MRCF?I support mentors and mentees by giving information, advice and providing emotional support. I help facili-tate fortnightly group sessions for women to promote health and well-being.

How did you come to work at MRCF?I was told about MRCF by a member of my fam-ily who also volunteers with the organisation. After meeting with Francesca and other members of staff, I learnt more about the project and immediately knew it was the right place for me.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?Every person that walks through the door at MRCF is treated with so much respect, empathy and dignity. I have been told by others who have attended activities at the centre for years that MRCF is one of the only

organisations that didn’t shut the door in their face- that it was a place where they felt safe and like they werepartof afamily.Manypeoplewhofirstcometo MRCF as vulnerable and fragile grow into strong members of society and are now helping support new members who are in a similar situation. The sense of community and belonging at MRCF is overwhelming, especially to members who have never had the oppor-tunity to be part of something before.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Culture shock is a big issue for immigrant families, especiallywhenmigrationisforced(likefleeingfromwar). The ground, quite literally, has moved beneath their feet. People who were successful or well off in their homeland are placed in a completely different countrystartingfromscratchandattemptingtofitinto a different society and deal with prejudice and misconceptions.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?Expanding the services, activities and support groups available and more generally continuing to offer sup-port and help to a larger number of people.

My family is originally from Morocco but I was born and bred in the UK. I recently graduated with a Psychology degree and hope to do a masters in Clinical Psychology in the future. I have worked for other organisa-tions where I helped run mental health work-shops, youth groups, fundraising and cultural evenings. I love writing poetry, making and listening to music, all forms of art and any-thing psychology/philosophy related. Oh and bookshops! I love reading.

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Suzanne LongVolunteer - English Teacher

Where do you live? Where have you lived before?

I live in north west London but have lived in Reading, Suffolk, New York, and on top of a Chilean hill.

Why are you interested in migration?

I like the diversity and excitement of having mi-grants living in the city.

What do you do at MRCF?

I teach ESOL to migrants.

How did you come to work at MRCF?

IknewandadmiredZrinka,theDirector,fromwhen I was part of the Asylum Rights Campaign.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?

The relaxed atmosphere.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?

Housing and language- and changing the attitude of some Londoners towards migrants.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?

We need more balanced reporting and opinion in some of our tabloid newspapers and a more realistic government policy about migrants.

I retired from an NGO (United Nations Association) and was previously a second-ary school teacher. Before that, I was a local musician- teaching and playing.

“We need more balanced reporting in our tabloid newspapers.”

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Mahdi OmarCaretakerMy name is Mahdi and I am a family man. I have three children- two boys and one girl. Myhobbiesaretofixandrepairthings.Iamalways interested in new technologies, espe-cially those that help other human beings to live better and feel comfortable in their lives.

Where do you live? Where have you lived before?I live in Ealing Broadway and I used to live in Wem-bley.

Why are you interested in migration?Migration is important because it brings together dif-ferent people, different backgrounds, different experi-ences and different cultures. It helps you see different sidesof globalissues.WhenIfirstcametothiscoun-try I never thought I would immigrate here. I thought I would go back the next day. But when I started hav-ing children and settling down, it became a part of my life. Now that I have settled here, that’s it. I want my kids to grow up here.

What do you do at MRCF?I am the caretaker at the Resource Centre.

How did you come to work at MRCF?Through a friend of my family who told me about the job. She knew I had the skills and needed a job. I ap-plied, interviewed and have been at MRCF for 7 years.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?It has people from all different backgrounds, different communities, and different types of migrants. We have our own place at MRCF where we know what’s going on and can create whatever we want.

I get to meet so many people. It is amazing when you hear their stories and what made them come to the UK. I am always impressed by their achievements before they came to the UK. I know they will add a lot of value to this country.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?The most important issues are about settlement- where migrants feel safe, and how accepted they are and what communities are here to accept them. The more help they get the quicker they will integrate and start to give back.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?My daughter is starting full time school this year and I hope to see her happy there. I also hope this year is much better on global issues. 2011 was not a very good year. Let’s hope 2012 is much better!

“We have our own place at MRCF where we know what’s going on and can create

whatever we want. ”

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Zrinka BraloExecutive Director

Where do you live? Where have you lived before?I now live in north London. I was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was then Yugoslavia. I also spent some time working and living in Germany when I was a student.

Why are you interested in migration?IhadaverydifficulttimewhenIarrivedintheUK.Ihad no idea what to do, what the procedure was and this made my war trauma even worse. I had friends and spoke English and still it was a struggle. As I went through the system I felt it was very unjust and unfair and that it treated all refugees as if they were criminals. Also, as a journalist I was beginning to be aware of the extremely negative public discourse on immigra-tion and the role the media plays in it. Although I did some work as a journalist in the UK, and was even morefiredupbytheinjusticeIsawallaroundme,Ifelt I could no longer report it - I had to do something about it.

What do you do at MRCF? I have been Executive Director at the Forum for ten years now and it has been very exciting work which combines policy, advocacy and training. There are aspects of my job that are very easy, like staff manage-ment– easy because we have brilliant team of profes-sional and committed staff. In fact the hardest part of managing the team is to stop them from working too much. One of the more challenging aspects of my workisfundraising.Thisishardforallnot-for-profitorganisations, but for us at the Forum it is even more challenging as we are not the most popular cause and not that many funders want to support us. That is why we are even more grateful to our funders who recognise the importance of our work both now and long-term.

What do you think is unique about MRCF?The Forum is its members. Through what we do we see a lot of misery, injustice, pain, and inequality and it would be easy to be bitter and depressed. But we- the staff, trustees, volunteers and our members- have somehow managed to establish a way of working and

living that acknowledges the pain and injustice but then we jointly focus on solutions. We do not have time to be bitter and our doer mentality is what I am most proud of. We are very innovative – look at our pioneer-ing work with overseas health professionals, or more recently with digital activism training.

What issues do you think are most important to migrants in London?Those who are working must be paid the London Liv-ing Wage and exploitation of migrant workers must endimmediately.Thosewhoarequalified,likeourdentists should be provided with a pathway to voca-tionalverificationtrainingurgentlyasitisahugewastefor them and for our society and economy that they are not able to contribute in their professional roles. The integration of all migrants needs to be a strate-gic, two way process and include social, economic and cultural elements.

What are you looking forward to in the next year?I am very much looking forward to the Olympic Games. As a young girl in Sarajevo I took part in the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics and remember the games as the happiest time of my life. I am very excited about London proving that its super diversity is an asset.

I came to London from war torn Sarajevo in 1993.Iwasajournalistbeforethewarandduring the war I worked with foreign war cor-respondents. My journalist friends helped me getoutandfindsanctuaryinLondon.

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Board of Trustees

Ali LaziziWest London Moroccan Widadia

Lorrain GilbertNotting Hill Housing

Rahwa ZerinkelSt. Antonio Eritrean Women’s Group

Judith BlakemanCllr Lab. RBKC

Judy QuinNWL Vietnamese Association

Mohamed FarahHodan Somali Community

Nazek RamadanMigrant Voice

Roz PendleburyIndependent Facilitator

Waris Mohamoud - ChairMidaye Somali Development Network

Not pictured here:

Edward ChowChinese Migrants Network

Tecle GerbemichaelEritrean Elders Welfare Group

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March 2011 ‘Migrant Communities and the Big Society: Struggling to Belong in the Age of Austerity’

July 2010‘Should Citizenship Be Earned Through Compulsory Volunteering?’ This report was written in partnership with the Migrants’ Rights Network anddrewonapublicmeetinginvolving40communityleadersand179responses to an online survey. It details how the government’s proposed policy on compulsory volunteering for citizenship will both not achieve its integration objectives and will undermine genuine volunteering by migrants and refugees. It instead proposes that resources are put into sup-porting these groups to access existing volunteering opportunities. Partly in response to this report, the Government dropped its policy proposals in December 2010.

This report was written in partnership with the Migrants’ Rights Net-work and presents the case for and explores the critical role of migrant and refugee community organisations in improving the lives of London’s diverse communities. It calls on local and national Government to include refugees and migrants in conversations about building a bigger and better societyandremindsthemthattherearenoquickfixestoinclusionandintegration.Itfeaturescasestudiesof fiveMRCFmembers–TheChineseNational Healthy Living Centre, Midaye Somali Development Network, Shpresa Programme for the Albanian Speaking Community, West and NorthWestLondonVietnameseAssociation,andZimbabweWomen’sNetwork in the UK.

Publications and Blog Series

August 2011 ‘Supplementary Schools: Isolation or Integration?’

This blog series explores the impact of supplementary schools on migrant children and how these schools play an active role within the community promoting social cohesion and integration into British society. The series examines integration from the perspectives of parents, teachers, admin-istrators, and children through interviews, videos, and case studies. It recommends that there should be more partnerships between supplimen-tary and mainstream schools and greater outreach to new students and families. The series also recommends that supplementary schools should become more independent of government funding.

To download a copy of any of these reports or to view the blog series, go to MRCF’s website.

www.mrcf.org.uk/whatwedo/research-policy/publications

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For years, the debate on migration in the UK has been driven by negative attitudes towards migrants and refugees. It often overlooks the British people who actually welcome and support migrants.

MRCF is hosting a year-long blog series that invites community leaders, activists, politicians, entrepreneurs, authors, journalists, artists, and others to have a different, more positive conver-sation about migration by answering a simple question:

What would you tell a recent migrant or refugee to the UK to welcome them to our country?

If you would like to contribute, please contact Nick at welcome@mrcf.org.uk. Responses should be short (around 300 -500 words) and share both cultural knowledge and personal expe-riences.

Need a Space for Meetings and Events? Book with MRCF!

MRCF Training Room

The RoomsMRCF has three rooms available for hire:

• Hall&Kitchen(upto50persons)• Trainingroom(upto25persons)• Studyroom(upto10persons)

Theyareavailable7daysperweekfrom9.30amuntil10 pm. All rooms and facilities have wheelchair access.

Room Hire The charges for all rooms are the same, however dif-ferent rates apply for different types of organisations:

•Migrant&RefugeeOrganisations£5.50/hr•VoluntaryOrganisations £20.00/hr•StatutoryOrganisations £33.00/hr

Inaddition,thereisa£10chargefortheuseof equip-mentsuchasflipcharts,projector,etc.

Booking a RoomBookings are necessary and we advise you to plan in advance.Formoreinformationpleasecall02089644815 or email sofia@mrcf.org.uk

We look forward to welcoming you to the Forum!

New Blogs Series by The Forum

MRCF is grateful to its funders:

AB Charitable Trust

Wimborne Refugee Trust

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2 Thorpe CloseLondon, W10 5XLtel. 020 8964 4815www.mrcf.org.uk

Charity No: 107716 ● Company No: 3673737

/LondonMRCF

/londonmrcf

@MRCF_london

Photographs by Beth Crosland