Here are some examples of the many diverse conferences, seminars and lecturesthat have taken place throughout the UK
1) Location: Sheffield
Venue: Quaker Meeting House
Title of Event: The Real Africa
Summary: Lectures from various speakers looking at the history of Africa and how this relates to Africa today, from an African perspective.
2) Location: London
Venue: City Hall
Title of Event: Refugees into Teaching: re-training and re-employing refugee teachers
Summary: A conference aiming to encourage dialogue between those responsible for selection and recruitment decisions and those seeking to become fully qualified teachers. The event was aimed at refugee and other teachers, employers and advisors, senior management in schools, headteachers, CPD coordinators, school governors, local authority staff, school workforce advisors, teacher trainers, and those with an interest in the topic. It explored issues surrounding diversity in the school workforce and links to individual pupil achievement as well as drawing on lessons learnt from employing refugees in the National Health Service.
3) Location: Glamorgan
Venue: University of Glamorgan
Title of Event: Refugee Awareness and Staff Development Conference
Summary: Refugee Employment in Wales – This workshop allowed participants to learn more about what it is like to be a Refugee or Asylum Seekers looking for employment in Wales and what challenges they face. Participants were encouraged to challenge their own existing views on asylum.
4) Location: Leeds
Venue: Leeds Metropolitan University
Title of Event: The Big Asylum Discussion
Summary: An open discussion about asylum and destitution in the local area following the findings of an inquiry into destitution among asylum seekers in Leeds. Key speakers included local MP’s and representatives of various refugee related agencies and communities.
5) Location: London
Venue: ORT House Conference Centre
Title of Event: The International Child
Summary: This conference asked the question “Are we culturally competent to meet the needs of the diverse range of children with whom we work?” and aimed to provide delegates with an understanding of the implications of global migration on delivering children’s services in the uk, good practice examples of working with diverse groups and an action plan including identifying training gaps within the workforce.
6) Location: Liverpool
Venue: Blackburne House
Title of Event: Question Time
Summary: Using the BBC question time format, an evening event was held where audience members had a chance to ask various speakers, including local MP’s and journalists, questions around the issues of media and how if affects refugees in the UK.
7) Location: Ilford
Venue: Young People’s Project, London
Summary: Screening of documentaries on countries where refugees have fled from. Afterwards refugee speakers discussed the progress they have made since arriving in the UK, their joys and strategies for integration. The event targeted the local community and the general public, with the aim of informing them about the realities of political conflict, and the great strength that refugee and asylum seekers have to exert in order to integrate in a new and challenging environment.
8) Location: Liverpool
Venue: Liverpool Football Club
Title of Event: Human Rights, Human Wrongs
Summary: A conference addressing the social, medical and legal needs of vulnerable female asylum seekers, including a variety of guest speakers. The conference aimed to build awareness and a momentum for putting in place support services in the area.
9) Location: York
Venue: University of York
Title of Event: Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Health
Summary: A discussion on the issues surrounding asylum seekers and physical and mental health matters was held with contributions from the Hull York Medical School and an asylum counselling charity.
10) Location: Bristol
Venue: The Pierian
Title of Event: Trafficking Human Beings: The Role of Asylum
Summary: An open discussion with informative presentations on survivors of trafficking being ineligible to claim asylum and noting that people whose asylum claims have been rejected become vulnerable to trafficking. The event discussed the current situation in the UK and compared it with other parts of Europe with speakers from the University of the West of England and Responding to Conflict.
