The SASS 2025 Annual General Meeting will take place on Friday 19th September, 7pm-8pm at St. James’ Church Centre (SA1 4QA) after the regular Friday drop-in. You can add this event to your calendar.
The meeting will include an overview of our activities, achievements and finances from 2024. We will also be appointing Trustees for the year 2025/26. All SASS members, volunteers and supporters are invited to attend. Please see the relevant documents for this meeting below.
Agenda 1. Welcome and apologies 2. Minutes of last AGM 3. Trustees Report for 2024, questions and approval – Sandra Morton 4. Financial Report for 2024, questions and approval – Tom Cheesman 5. Appointment & Reappointment of Trustees for 2025-26 6. Questions, discussion, suggestions, future plans 7. Any other business, Close.
The SASS 2024 Annual General Meeting will take place on Friday 11th October 2024, 7pm-8pm at St. James’ Church Parish Centre (SA1 4QA) after the regular Friday drop-in. You can add this event to your calendar.
The meeting will include an overview of our activities, achievements and finances from 2023. We will also be appointing Trustees for the year 2024/25. All SASS members, volunteers and supporters are invited to attend. Please see the relevant documents for this meeting below.
Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Apologies 3. Minutes of last AGM 4. Trustees Report for 2023, questions and approval – Sandra Morton 5. Financial Report for 2023, questions and approval – Tom Cheesman 6. Appointment & Reappointment of Trustees for 2024-25 • Achuil Monytoch • Aruni McShane • Clare Jones • Fru-Delvis Ngang • Kathryn Jones • Kevin Donald – new • Lilian Kujabi – new • Mehdi Askari – new • Phil Nicholas • Sandra Morton • Shahsavar Rahmani • Sherry Coates – new • Sweeta Durrani – new • Tom Cheesman Thank you to Funmilayo Olaniyan who is retiring as a SASS Trustee, after many years of loyal and committed service. 7. Questions, discussion, suggestions, future plans 8. Any other business, close.
by Ibrahim Badawi and Margie Cheesman, volunteer editors
SHARE Tawe: Addressing major challenges with asylum accommodation in Wales
Social justice campaigners have recently been calling for the UK Home Office to end the use of army barracks to house asylum seekers. The #CloseTheBarracks campaign recognises military camps, such as Penally camp in Carmarthenshire, as unsafe and inhumane living conditions for asylum seekers and refugees. Hundreds of people have been forced to live in Penally camp, where there have been allegations of ‘cover-ups, poor access to healthcare and legal advice, and crowded conditions.’ From today, 22nd March 2021, there will be a ‘phased exit’ from Penally camp, following much campaigning, legal action, and an inspection by government authorities.
Despite this win for social justice in Wales, the quality and availability of asylum accommodation continues to be a critical issue. Sourcing adequate housing for people in need is a major ongoing challenge. In Swansea, the SHARE Tawe Project has been doing positive and inspiring work to address this challenge.
Swansea’s SHARE Tawe Project
SHARE Tawe provides a warm place to stay for homeless asylum seekers who have lost their accommodation. The project connects people with local hosts in Swansea.
Mr Alan Thomas, who gave the project its unique name said: ‘”Share” refers to people being prepared to share their homes. It is a two-way thing, because the local hosts often gain a lot in terms of friendship and understanding as a result of getting to know someone from another country. “Tawe” is the Welsh name of the river that flows through Swansea and connects the community. The Welsh name for Swansea is “Abertawe” (where “Aber” means “mouth of”).’
SHARE Tawe was started as a small project by a subgroup of City of Sanctuary, with several aims. The most important aim is “To offer hospitality, in the form of accommodation, meals, welcome and solidarity to destitute asylum seekers in Swansea. The project goals cannot be done without volunteers who offer a room in their home, or who support the scheme in other ways.” SHARE Tawe has been running for over ten years, and for the last four or five it has been run by SASS, which says that its ultimate goal is “to provide sufficient support and security to enable people to focus on gaining the right to stay in the UK”.
15-20 people on average have benefitted each year, for both shorter and longer periods, and there are 6-10 people in hosted accommodation at any one time. 5-6 people have been hosted throughout the lockdown.
Despite the major challenges and unknowns surrounding Home Office policy and the closing of military camps as accommodation, volunteers are optimistic to see the continuing positive impact of the project in the Swansea community. Please click here for more information and to support the SHARE Tawe, and join our workshops on Wednesday 24th & 30th March to learn more:
Please see message below from Charlotte Rogers, Outreach Officer for Swansea Council / Dylan Thomas Centre:
“Hello all,
There are still places available for our fantastic and FREE writing workshop with Eric Ngalle Charles on Wednesday at the Dylan Thomas Centre. We are happy to accommodate last-minute drop-ins but if any groups are planning on attending we would encourage you to let us know numbers so that we can adequately prepare the room.
Swansea bus tickets will be reimbursed after completion of the workshop.
We look forward to seeing you!”
Writing Workshop for Asylum Seekers and Refugees with acclaimed poet, Eric Ngalle Charles
FREE EVENT with reimbursed travel*
October 4th 2017, 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Children welcome
We are very excited to offer a FREE writing workshop for asylum seekers and refugees with the published poet, dramatist and novelist, Eric Ngalle Charles. Having come to the UK in 1999, Eric now runs writing workshops that specifically consider the trauma of the refugee experience.
Eric is an experienced tutor with an impressive dedication to the arts. In collaboration with Hafan books, he has co-edited and published several poetry anthologies by refugees, migrants and indigenous artists. His memoirs are due to be published by Parthian books in 2018. He is also the founder of Black Entertainment Wales, an organisation that showcases the work of BME artists.
* Bus tickets will be reimbursed at reception after the completion of the workshop. Taxis and other modes of transport will not be refunded. Swansea area only.
Gweithdy Ysgrifennu ar gyfer Ceiswyr Lloches a Ffoaduriaid gyda’r bardd clodwiw Eric Ngalle Charles
DIGWYDDIAD AM DDIM gyda chostau teithio’n cael eu had-dalu*
4 Hydref 2017, 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Croeso i blant
Rydym yn gyffrous iawn i gynnig gweithdy ysgrifennu AM DDIM i geiswyr lloches a ffoaduriaid gyda Eric Ngalle Charles, sydd wedi cyhoeddi gwaith fel bardd, dramodydd a nofelydd. Ar ôl dod i’r DU ym 1999, mae Eric bellach yn cynnal gweithdai ysgrifennu sy’n ystyried yn benodol drawma’r profiad o fod yn ffoadur.
Mae Eric yn diwtor profiadol y mae ei ymrwymiad i’r celfyddydau’n drawiadol. Ar y cyd â Llyfrau Hafan, mae wedi cyd-olygu a chyhoeddi sawl blodeugerdd gan ffoaduriaid, mewnfudwyr ac artistiaid brodorol. Caiff ei hunangofiant ei gyhoeddi gan Parthian Books yn 2018. Ef yw sylfaenydd Black Entertainment Wales, sefydliad sy’n tynnu sylw at waith artistiaid o leiafrifoedd ethnig a du.
* Caiff costau tocynnau bws eu had-dalu yn y dderbynfa ar ôl cwblhau’r gweithdy. Ni chaiff costau tacsis a dulliau cludiant eraill eu had-dalu. Ardal Abertawe’n unig.
A note from Emily, who is going to do a sponsored swim on 3rd August 2017 to raise money for Unity in Diversity (UiD) and SBASSG.
See below for details:
“In two weeks time, I’m going to take on my biggest swim challenge yet: 22 miles around the Pembrokeshire coast. From Amroth to Freshwater East, finishing back at Swanlake Bay.
I’m raising money for 2 fantastic organizations: Unity in Diversity (UiD) and Swansea Bay Asylum Seekers Support Group (SBASSG), that provide friendship, support, advice and services to people who have fled their homes and are seeking refuge in the UK.
I’m swimming in loving memory of two friends who were instrumental in motivating me to swim but tragically died last September. Rache Dougherty, my closest childhood friend, and Russ Ward who coached me first to do the Solent and then the Channel relay.
This swim is a big deal for me as I’ll be swimming round all the tricky headlands and rocky outcrops, through Caldey Sound and past military artillery zones. And the Pembrokeshire sea is swarming with jellyfish at the moment.
But I’m spurred on by the great work of UiD and SBASSG, and from the ongoing inspiration from Rache and Russ whose positivity and encouragement are still great drivers in my life.
Dan will kayak alongside me. He’s hoping to catch fish along the way and cook up fresh mackerel on a fire in the evenings. Yum.
If anyone would like to join us in swimming, kayaking or just enjoying the Pembrokeshire coast, do get in touch…. http://jellyfishjemboree.co.uk/about/
Kenyan Inspired Menu with food cooked with help from local Cardiff refugees.
The movie “Warehoused” gives an intimate look at the plight long-term refugees face worldwide, by exploring life in Dadaab, Kenya, one of the largest refugee camps in the world. We see the camp’s inner workings through one man’s journey to do everything in his power to provide for his family.
What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the event?
The closest local train station is Queen Street Station and is 5 minute walk away. Limited car parking is available behind the church. Lots of pay and display car parking is available in the surrounding streets, and in nearby parking garages.
What can I bring into the event?
Bring your own wine, and pay a 50p cost per glass
How can I contact the organiser with any questions?
Written Response by the Welsh Government to the report of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee entitled “I used to be someone”: Refugees and asylum seekers in Wales
Swansea is a city of welcome and there are a great number of existing services available to asylum seekers and refugees. It is our aim to connect the people we support with much needed help in their new communities.
With the aim of improving the capacity of individuals/organisations in supporting Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the Swansea area, Unity in Diversity (Swansea 2015) and Swansea BayAsylum Seeker Support Group invite you to complete the following activity. Participants who demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate referral routes will receive a certificate of acknowledgement in using effective signposting.
Using our Directory of Services, appropriate referral routes will be identified using example case scenarios. As this is designed to improve our collective capacity participants and organisations that contribute extra information on new/existing services will have specific feedback and acknowledgement for improving the directory as contributors.
This training is provided free of charge and is open to any individual/organisation with an interest in supporting asylum seekers and refugees. Organisations that have a number of staff participating will receive acknowledgement in the form of an ‘Organisation Certificate’. It is very important to note that many of the services in our directory support the general population, not just asylum seekers and refugees.
Let’s get Started
Please browse/study our directory of services
↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ Navigate the directory using these buttons
2. Identify appropriate referral routes and enter on our online form
Thank you very much for your participation!
Participants who demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate referral routes will receive a certificate of acknowledgement in using effective signposting.
Resources
Our Directory of Services and Links is free to print, use and share 🙂
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