Welcome to SASS – Swansea Asylum Seekers Support

sass logo smallAll welcome at our 2 dropins every week! English classes, various activities, refreshments, meals, friendship…

Fridays at St James Parish Centre (off Walter Road), SA1 4QF, 4pm to 7pm

Saturdays at York Place Baptist Church, York Street, SA1 3LZ, 12-3pm.

Thank you to all volunteers! New volunteers always welcome – refugees, asylum seekers, anyone – you can help. Contact us.

flyer dropins


Free informal English classes in Swansea

2023march22

Download this timetable – ESOL informal timetable (pdf)

HOW TO JOIN THE CLASSES

SASS (Swansea Asylum Seekers Support) – contact George on 07719876193 or georgefw1@gmail.com. Or visit our Friday and Saturday social drop-ins.

UID (Unity in Diversity):  contact David on 07431294145 or jendavebrowell@gmail.com or visit the Thursday social drop-in.

Swansea University:

Grow Cymru (women’s group): contact Yvonne on 0791865675 or info@growcymru.org.uk

FAN (Friends and Neighbours): contact Philippa on 07938978397 or philippa.wisdom@thefancharity.org

ACC (African Community Centre): contact Chizobam on 07826596900 or chizobam@africancommunitycentre.org.uk or use this link to register.

Welsh Refugee Council: use this link to register.


‘Thank You to SASS’

Alhaji Kamara has written a poem called ‘Thank You to SASS’, in his book Afromantic. Alhaji has been part of SASS for nearly 20 years. He lives in Birmingham now, but he comes back here whenever he can!

Here he is reading his poem on Youtube

hearthandcrop50


Animated film for Refugee Week 2022 by our Hafan Books project – ‘No Friends But the Mountains’, made with Kurdish refugees: on Youtube, click here

Capture72


MORE ABOUT SASS AND PARTNER ORGANISATIONS ON THIS PAGE…


For information (2022): the SHARE TAWE hosting project is no longer managed by SASS: it’s now with EYST. Contact: Awder 07519 551192 / awder@eyst.org.uk 


SASS Support and Other Organisations

SASS provides drop-ins, volunteering opportunities, friendship, English language skills, meals, practical help and advice and generally a warm welcome. We work with many other local organisations to provide other services including emergency help. Please call SASS on 07853 717017 if you or someone you know is in need of help. This is for people who are in the UK asylum system (or used to be in it).

Information about most of the helpful local organisations is on the HOPE IN SWANSEA app for smartphones

hopeinswansea

SASS community members and supporters can find updates, information and advice on the Swansea Asylum Seekers Support (SASS) Facebook page. Contact SASS to become a member.

English Language Classes

To join classes, please contact George on 07719 876193 or georgefw1@gmail.com.

Some classes are in-person (face to face). Some are on Zoom. Various levels. Provided by SASS and by Unity in Diversity. Taught by volunteers.

OPEN THIS LINK – English Classes SASS and UiD Apr 22

OTHER LOCAL ORGANISATIONS

EYST

EYST provides vital support for asylum seekers and refugees in Swansea: phone  0808 8010720

For partner/agency referrals- unless you already have a referral process in place with EYST, please use the Asylum Seeker & Refugee Support Referral Form:  https://forms.office.com/r/1ftApKJYQa

Welsh Refugee Council

• Support for newly granted refugees
• Welfare Benefits
• Housing
• Asylum support applications (call Migrant Help first)
Tel: 07918 403 666  from 10am – 2pm Monday to Friday
The call will be triaged by one of our team and if we are able to help you will be called back by a caseworker. If an interpreter is required we will do our best to have an interpreter on the phone.
This is not a freephone number, and we would suggest people firstly seek help from Migrant Help, Jobcentre Plus or another organisation offering a freephone number.

Unity in Diversity Community Drop-ins and Women’s Group

The following support is available;

  • English classes at beginner and pre-intermediate level.
  • Clothes, toys, house things. We will bring things to you.
  • Food. We can refer to food banks or bring some food to you especially in the Manselton and Penlan areas.
  • Somebody to talk to especially if you are on your own
  • Advice or support
  • Opportunity to volunteer and support other asylum seekers

Please call David 07531 294145 

Swansea CVS – The “Better Welcome to Swansea” Project

  • Phone mentoring of new people seeking asylum in Swansea
  • Signposting and or providing information as needed

Contact
Email: involve@scvs.org.uk
Tel: 01792 457299
Monday to Friday 10am-5pm (Call, Texts or Whatsapp messages)

British Red Cross

  • Services offered to asylum seekers, refugees and those who are appeal rights exhausted:
  • Destitution support, including applications for Discretionary Assistance Fund, signposting to Foodbanks, referrals to Housing Options for people with NRPF
  • Cash based assistance to destitute asylum seekers and refugees with no other means of support available, following an assessment
  • Remote casework and support

Telephone: 07715163869 (Lara Danielli) or emailLDanielli@redcross.org.uk

African Community Centre

  • Food parcel referrals
  • Volunteer drivers for food parcels and other essentials.
  • REACH:ME one to one counselling for adult  asylum seekers, volunteers and BAME people
  • REACH – one to one counselling for asylum seeking children and young people.
  • Man Talk – group sessions
  • Girl Talk –  group sessions

Telephone: 01792 470298 or email info@africancommunitycentre.org.uk

Oxfam Bookshop – The first UK Shop of Sanctuary

Website  The shop welcomes many asylum seeker volunteers. So does the other Oxfam shop in Swansea: website.

FAN Groups

FAN Groups

FAN stands for Friends And Neighbours. We have weekly meetings in Swansea – both online and ‘in-person’. A friendly and relaxed way for local people and those from around the world to meet, talk and listen to each other. We sit in a circle, talk about our daily lives, our ideas and experiences.  Website:  www.thefancharity.org

Swansea contact:  Philippa Wisdom   Philippa.wisdom@thefancharity.org        Phone – 07938 978397

Swansea Council Local Area Coordination(Website for info)

Help in various ways including shopping

Telephone: 01792 636707

Refer to/Support our Local Food banks and Community Initiatives

WARNING – SOME OF THIS INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD BANKS MAY BE OUT OF DATE!

Contact for referrals and/or donation drop-off times. Times provided below are for pick-up times.

Swansea Mosque
Take away hot meals are available every day 7pm-8pm at Swansea Mosque.

Available to EVERYONE (25th April to 23rd May).
Address: 159a St Helens Road, Swansea. SA1 4DQ (Map)

Caer Las’ Community Fridge
Food packs available Wednesdays 1pm to 3pm
Customs House, Cambrian Place
Swansea. SA1 1RG  (Map)

Red Cafe – Mondays 1.00pm – 3.00pm
646 Mumbles Road, Mumbles SA3 4EA
Contact: 07815 534095

City Church – Wednesday 10.00am – 12 noon
Dyfatty Street, Swansea SA1 1QQ
Contact: 07815 534095

Life Point Church – Fridays 11.00am – 1.00pm
Fynone Road, Swansea, SA1 6BT
Cotact 07815 534095

Sketty Foodbank
Sketty Park Community Centre
Heather Cres, Sketty SA2 8HS
Contact: 07790 972407

Swansea Muslim Community Service
A group set up by Muslims in Swansea in response to help those who have been hit hard by the crisis in our communities. Providing food packs and essentials items and delivering it to those most in need.

For referrals contact: 07949 033493 | 07882 188573

Facebook:  (link)   |  Donate: (link)

2015-paypal-donate-button

Support the work of SASS with a single or regular donation

Volunteer to help us at this difficult time.

SASS – Volunteer Expenses – Claim Form (printable)

SASS Contact

Tel: 07853 717017

Email: vol.sbassg@gmail.comCapture72