SMILE blog

SMILE newsletter for July 2010 now available online

 

 
After a busy Refugee Week for SMILE, our latest newsletter is now available to read online.

 

It details all the many activities SMILE has been up to around the country in the past few weeks, including a trip to Roundhay Park in Leeds, bike workshops in London and Refugee Week celebrations in Birmingham.

 

Refugee Week saw us get all sporty with our involvement in the Alternative World Cup and the Refugee Cricket Project’s victory at Eton College.

 

Photos of the events, as well as information about upcoming activities, including our forthcoming conference in February 2011, are included.

 

Read the newsletter

 

Kelly

Website Coordinator

Cricket achievement of young mentee

A  young person who was mentored through SMILE has been picked to play for the First team of a semi-professional Birmingham cricket club!

Read more about his achievements and how SMILE assisted him along the way on our website.

SMILE film project videos now online

Eight of the short documentary films made by young people as part of the SMILE film project are now available to watch online on our website.

The films cover subject matters such as journeys to the UK, the reality of being an asylum seeking teenager in a new country and experiencing education in the UK told with the unique and fresh voice of young refugees in the UK.

Mustafa's film, LONELY WAR, is about his escape from a dangerous life in Afghanistan. Ezatullah and Muhamedulah talk about their long journeys to the UK, British born and non British born young women discuss being a teenager in the UK in Girls Talk and Rezhwan talks about his experiences as an asylum seeking young person and his hopes for the future in Chicken burger and banana milkshake. Leaving it all behind looks at life in "The Jungle" in Calais and a group of young refugees interview people about what education means to people's future.

Kelly Arnstein

SMILE Website Coordinator

Fundraising for the Anchor Project - Anchor goes acoustic

Anchor Rocks is back, in an acoustic from after a mellow make over and
migration north of the river!

You are invited to the Green Note in

Camden

on the 22nd of January for
a night of musical delights. All funds raised will go towards Anchor's
summer residential.

There'll be music from:
The Cedars www.myspace.com/theonlycedars
Skinny Lister www.myspace.com/skinnylister
We Used to Make Things www.myspace.com/weusedtomakethings

We'll also be raffling off your unwanted Christmas gifts!

The venue is small and cosy so advanced booking is recommended. You'll
be able to do this via the Green Note's website closer to the day.
www.greennote.co.uk

For now, its time to look forward to those grey hung over January
nights! brrrrrrr

The Anchor Project

 

Refugee Council Conference 2010

From theory to practice: How asylum policy impacts on the refugee experience

5th February 2010

Our 2010 conference focuses on asylum policy and how changes in legislation impact on the experiences of refugees.

Come and learn about the key developments in asylum policy over the past year and how these impact on the day to day lives of refugees in the UK today.

The conference will also discuss which policies the sector should be campaigning for over the next 12 months.

Delegates will participate in two workshops from a choice of seven, on topics such as health, asylum support, detention and unaccompanied children. Read a full list of workshops here.

	Download a booking form (PDF)
	Read biographies of the speakers and workshop leaders
	Read a full list of workshops
	Sponsorship packages
	Information on the conference venue, including map, transport, directions and accommodation

Photovoice / SMILE Project Photo Exhibition - Wed 18 Nov

SMILE was delighted to organise and host the Photovoice exhibition in the Refugee Council's Day Centre on Wed 18 Nov. Over a period of 8 weeks young people supported by SMILE were given the opportunity by Photovoice to take photographs of their choice and add a textual element reflecting their state of mind, experiences in London and simply show the world how they saw it. We are very grateful to Photovoice and their team, particularly Liz Orton, for giving young people a great opportunity to express themselves and host a very inspiring exhibition at the Refugee Council. We know how proud and good the experience, from start to finish, made them feel. 

The Photovoice exhibition will remain in the Refugee Council's Day Centre until next week

Arnaud Vervoitte

SMILE Project Manager

Call for School Talks volunteers

Do you live in the West Midlands? Are you confident about public speaking and want the opportunity to work with children in an education setting? Would you like to raise awareness about issues facing asylum seekers and refugees? Perhaps you are a refugee yourself and would be willing to share some of your own knowledge and experience.

If you fit this description then becoming a School Talks volunteer in the West Midlands could be the role for you. We are currently looking to recruit volunteers in this area. If you are interested then please apply through the website or contact Sarah at sarah.hislam@refugeecouncil.org.uk or on 0121 2341962.

SMILE Research Dissemination Seminars

The SMILE Project is organising seminars in February 2010 during which we are planning to disseminate our research findings, promote our work and progress to practitioners involved with asylum seeking and refugee children and their education, and present some of the issues to policy makers and education specialists. The events are to be held at the following locations and dates:

Birmingham Event:

Birmingham &

and Midlands Institute (BMI) – Tue 2 Feb 10, 2:00-5:00

 

London

Event:

The Bridge, DCSF – Tue 9 Feb 10, 1:00-4:00

 

Leeds Event:

 

Town Hall

– Tue 23 Feb 10, 2:00 – 5:00

If you would like more information or in order to reserve a place please contact Arnaud Vervoitte, SMILE Project Manager at: arnaud.vervoitte@refugeecouncil.org.uk

Many thanks

Arnaud 

 

 

 

Yorkshire and Humber Homework Club

The homework club has been running since the middle of July and was set up to enable young people to have a quiet place to do homework and also an opportunity for those young people awaiting ESOL classes to learn some English.

The club has been a great success. We have started slowly with 6 regulars and the emphasis being ESOL. Two students already access education and wanted a chance to recap, the others had no esol classes and this was their first chance to learn English in a formal environment. The club is run by volunteers with support from paid staff from SMILE and the Children's Society LEAP project.

With the advent of colleges returning from the summer we have had different people coming. Yesterday two young women arrived wanting help with homework - they give an overwhelming list of requests - science, geography, Shakespeare. The volunteer dealing with them smiles bravely 'I'll do my best!'

Another bonus for this club is an opportunity for isolated young people to have a chance to socialise with people in a similar position to themselves. One young man has no friends of his age and was very pleased to bump into another Iranian boy whom he had met in initial accommodation and had since lost contact.

To finish - one of the volunteers visiting the club for the first time sent me an email this morning saying: "Just to let you know i had a fantastic time at the homework club.  I came out of there feeling so elated. The three guys were lovely to work with and showed such appreciation. I can't wait to get started [with my mentee]"

Homework club meets every Monday 4 - 5.30pm. To make a referral or to volunteer contact Iona  (see website contact page)

SMILE Film Project Update

The SMILE film project is already half way through. We have now 3 films from the London workshops run in July and August, and will have at least 2 from the Birmingham workshops lasting until mid September.

The workshops will then move on to Leeds on Friday 16 October for the last 6 weeks. We are looking for young people to take part. The workshops will take place for 6 Friday afternoons, from 12:00 to 4:00. We are particularly looking for young women to join the project to tell and film their story. For more information or to join you can contact Iona Lyons in the SMILE Leeds office (see Contacts page).

Once all the films have been made the SMILE team will organise showings accross the 3 regions. A big thank you to Miray, project coordinator, the great team of volunteers in both regions so far and to the amazing young people who trusted SMILE to come and tell their story. We will keep you updated....

Download Leeds SMILE Film Project Poster

Arnaud, Project Manager