Evelyn Oldfield Unit and the Refugee Council working together to support RCOs in London

The Evelyn Oldfield Unit’s development team and the Refugee Council’s Basis Project team in London have recently committed to working more closely together. The Refugee Council’s Basis Project and the Evelyn Oldfield Unit’s Community Impact Project are funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s BASIS fund. Basis London Organisational Development Officers and the EOU Development Team agreed to collaborate on a number of key areas. We also hope to participate in each others’ events and share resources more effectively.

The key idea behind this is to provide an increased level of support for refugee groups that will be more coherent, complementing both teams’ strengths. Support will be more holistic and, as such, will meet more of refugee groups’ needs.

Groups can expect to be cross-referred across teams and will be encouraged to access training and events of both the teams. Ultimately we hope to be able to be more effective and efficient in managing and sustaining refugee groups.

For further details on this new venture please contact either This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the EOU This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the Refugee Council.

Evelyn Oldfield Unit and the Natural History Museum

The Evelyn Oldfield Unit is working with the Natural History Museum to encourage refugee and migrant organisations to access the Museum’s inspiring collection celebrating all aspects of the natural world.
If you’re interested in a Museum visit tailored specifically to your group’s needs or would like to discuss promoting this fascinating (and free) resource to a range of your users, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Development Worker.

Organisations advising and supporting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants


Asylum Aid
Advice Line: 0207 354 9264 (Tues 1-4pm)
Gives free legal advice and represents the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people seeking asylum in the UK in their asylum applications. Women's project: enables women seeking asylum in the UK to obtain protection and security, to maintain their dignity and to be treated with respect during the asylum process.

Bail for Immigrant Detainees (BID)
Works with asylum seekers and migrants in removal centres and prisons, to secure their release from detention.

British Red Cross
Tracing and Messaging Service: help contacting friends and family overseas/ being held in British Immigration Removal Centres, restoring contact between family members separated as a result of contemporary conflicts and disasters. Contact 020 7704 5670  or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Short-term emergency support and expert advice on accessing whatever limited resources are available for new arrivals and failed asylum seekers cut off from welfare benefits , Red Cross’ Women in crisis projects provide one-to-one social and emotional support, helping clients to access their basic rights and rebuild their lives.

Advice on family reunion and resettlement


Evelyn Oldfield Unit
Professional support and training to Migrant and Refugee Community Organisations; assistance to mainstream groups wishing to link up/work in partnership with migrant and refugee community organisations in London or find out how they can develop good practice in working with refugees  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 0207 697 4100 ext 4103

London Detainee Support Group
Supports immigration detainees in Harmondsworth and Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centres through volunteers regularly visit individual detainees to give emotional support to enable them to cope with their detention; offers a detainee freephone service; offers  asylum support advice, enabling asylum-seeking detainees to access statutory housing support, to prepare for release and to enable them to apply for bail; general practical assistance, including help in contacting solicitors, bail representatives, specialist service providers, community organisations, friends and family.

Mapesbury Clinic
Free culturally appropriate counselling and psychotherapy services, advocacy and information to refugee and asylum seekers aged 18+ (currently Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, English, Farsi, French, Portuguese, Serb-Croat, Spanish, Swahili, Turkish)

Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
Holistic response to physical, emotional and practical needs of torture victim.  Referrals made by doctors, schools, refugee community organisations, community mental health teams, family members and other voluntary and statutory bodies. Treatment may take the form of an initial medical assessment, individual casework and counselling, group therapy, physical therapy or psychotherapy. Where a client needs their injuries documented, as may be requested by a referring lawyer seeking a Medico-Legal Report, clients are referred to the MLR Team.

Migrant Helpline
provides advice to asylum seekers and refugees in Kent, Sussex and London, promotes awareness of asylum issues and works towards the integration of asylum seekers and refugees within the community. supports victims of human trafficking throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Migrant Organisations Development Agency (MODA)
Produces a free weekly e-bulletin with information about events and opportunities being run by/for people from migrant and refugee community organisations in London – to subscribe email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Migrants Resource Centre
A range of projects including Health and inclusion Project; ESOL; free counselling and psychotherapy sessions in different languages.

General enquiries 0207 834 2505 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Poppy Project
accommodation and support for women who have been trafficked into prostitution or domestic servitude. It has 54 bed spaces in houses nationally. Outreach Service to improve safety and wellbeing of trafficked women from all over the UK in need of short-term support and advocacy.     For referrals call 020 7735 2062

Praxis
Centre providing advice and support services to migrants and refugees from all over the world, as well as a welcoming meeting place for displaced communities. Enables newly granted refugee status to link with trained volunteer mentors from established UK communities.

Praxis, 1 Pott Street, Bethnal Green  London E2 0EF   020 7729 7985

Refugee Advice and Support Centre (RASC)
supports refugees and asylum seeking communities in West London with ESOL and IT classes and advice and guidance. Supported volunteer placements for young people aged 16-24 to gain nationally recognised certificates of volunteering.

RASC. Palingswick House 241 King Street Hammersmith W6 9LP  020 8748 0155

Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit (RAGU)
supports refugees with high level education or professional qualifications into employment and education through 1-1 guidance and support for job search, professional requalification and entry/re-entry into education and training; work placement schemes; specialist training.

Refugee Action
national charity that works with refugees to build new lives in the UK. provides advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees in the North West, the Midlands, London, South West and South Central.

Refugee Council
largest UK organisation working with asylum seekers and refugees. free advice and information to refugees and asylum seekers in mother tongue languages through  London Advice Line: 020 7346 6777 . One Stop Shop offices at 240-250 Ferndale Road Brixton London SW9 8BB (opens at 9am Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri) and at West London Office Units 4 & 5, Hounslow Business Park Alice Way Hounslow Middlesex TW3 3UD (020 8607 6888)

English language classes; support to refugee women fleeing domestic violence; volunteer support to those who are particularly vulnerable; referrals of people with mental/physical ill health to Refugee Council Specialist Team, help with application for Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme, connect people with refugee community organisations or other agencies offering longer-term support; help clients fill out a Section 4 application for accommodation and voucher support, if they are eligible; Refugee Integration and Employment Service.

Refugees Into Jobs
free service that provides impartial, confidential careers information, advice and guidance and training to gain employment for refugees living in London mainly in West London boroughs.

Refugee Therapy Centre
psychotherapy, counselling, Individual therapy, group therapy, child and adolescent psychotherapy, family therapy, couple therapy (bi-lingual support Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Dutch, Deri, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Italian, Lingala. Pashto. Serbo-Croat, Somali . Tigre. Tigrinia, Turkish), mentoring, support for refugee volunteers Delivered at: 1A Leeds Place,Tollington Park,London, N4 3RQ.

Toynbee Hall Legal Advice
Free General advice (including immigration) Wednesdays from 7pm -  advice on family reunions, visa extensions, outstanding claims for British citizenship and passport problems.

Women only general advice including domestic violence, forced marriages, and immigration advice provided by volunteer women solicitors only (Bengali translators available) Saturday 11am – 1pm

Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street London E1 6LS (nearest tube Algate East)

For further information:

AsylumSupport.info
focuses on all matters that concern people seeking asylum and provides a directory of online resources.

Economic Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
pan-European network of refugee-assisting non-governmental organisations, aiming to promote the protection and integration of refugees in Europe.

Human Rights Watch
protects human rights around the world.

Home Office
Government department responsible for internal affairs and immigration control (permission to stay, citizenship, asylum) in England and Wales.

Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
promotes and improves the advising and representation of immigrants, and provides information to members on domestic and European immigration, refugee and nationality law.

Refugee Stories
The Refugee Communities Oral History Project is a project led by the Evelyn Oldfield Unit in partnership with refugee community organisations and the Museum of London – listen to people from refugee backgrounds talk about their own experiences of living in London

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
agency co-ordinating international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide

 

Use this page to access service providers in the areas such as legal, community accountancy and information technology services. Useful links for RCOs are also provided for key government and statutory bodies.

http://www.cripplegate.org/