Online event organised by Citizens UK

“After two and a half years of campaigning for a Community Sponsorship scheme for Afghans and almost a year of collaboration with the UK Government to turn the idea into a reality and secure the funding, the Communities for Afghans Scheme is now up and running. Citizens UK has been asked to act as sole Principal Sponsor for 100 Sponsorship Groups for 100 Afghan families eligible for resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme over the next six months. Our aim is that this serves as a model that can be opened up to a much wider range of people in the future if we can demonstrate the success of this. The programme includes financial support to help with costs, and dedicated training and support from our Sponsor Refugees Team.

Interested in playing a role? Well, we are looking for people who can:
Recruit a small team of at least 6 people committed to offering a warm welcome to an Afghan refugee family in your community for the next two years;
Help identify and secure a property to house the family (it needs to have its own front door and be of good quality);
Support the family to access benefits and public services, and move towards sustainable employment.
If this sounds interesting but you want to learn more, this session will provide some more detail about what you can expect along with an opportunity to ask any burning questions.”

Information and registration

Online event organised by Citizens UK

“After two and a half years of campaigning for a Community Sponsorship scheme for Afghans and almost a year of collaboration with the UK Government to turn the idea into a reality and secure the funding, the Communities for Afghans Scheme is now up and running. Citizens UK has been asked to act as sole Principal Sponsor for 100 Sponsorship Groups for 100 Afghan families eligible for resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme over the next six months. Our aim is that this serves as a model that can be opened up to a much wider range of people in the future if we can demonstrate the success of this. The programme includes financial support to help with costs, and dedicated training and support from our Sponsor Refugees Team.

Interested in playing a role? Well, we are looking for people who can:

• Recruit a small team of at least 6 people committed to offering a warm welcome to an Afghan refugee family in your community for the next two years;
• Help identify and secure a property to house the family (it needs to have its own front door and be of good quality);
• Support the family to access benefits and public services, and move towards sustainable employment.

If this sounds interesting but you want to learn more, this session will provide some more detail about what you can expect along with an opportunity to ask any burning questions.”

Information and registration

Event organised by Brightwell Supporting Refugees
Village Hall, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Wallingford  OX10 0RT

“Hear local adventurer Polly Vacher talk about her extraordinary exploits. Brightwell Supporting Refugees presents ‘Wings Around the World’ an evening with Polly Vacher MBE. Intrepid round-the-world pilot, skydiver, fundraiser & North Moreton refugee host.

Tickets £10 (£5 under 18) from the Village Stores. Bar available. ”

Online event organised by Oxford Brookes University

“This lecture explores recent legislative enactments including the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Act 2023, as well as forthcoming legislation such as Safety of Rwanda (Immigration and Asylum) Bill, in terms of their implications for refugees and asylum seekers attempting to access protection in the UK.

In particular, the lecture explores whether and to what extent these enactments are compatible with the UK’s international obligations under the Refugee Convention, The European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Rights, Customary International Law. and UN frameworks such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, before going to explore the broader political and legal context within which these enactments have been passed.

This exploration of the broader context includes an exploration of the risks these enactments, as well as executive actions undertaken by the UK government, pose for constitutional norms such as the Rule of Law and the Separation of Powers.

The lecture then concludes by arguing that the approach adopted by the UK government constitutes a fundamental shift away from the conception of the refugee envisaged by the refugee convention towards a far more nebulous idea of protection premised on states of national crisis.

The lecture will be given by Dr Alex Powell, Principal Lecturer in Law and Steering Group member of MRN. This talk is part of the annual Dialogue in Migration and Refugee Studies organised by MRN and is free and open to all to attend.”

Information and registration