Integration Matters: A national strategy for refugee integration

1. The Home Office consultation paper Integration Matters: A national strategy for refugee integration outlines the second national strategy for refugee integration in England. It sets out to offer an analysis of the concept of integration and the ways in which central and local government, the voluntary sector and the private sector can promote it. It brings together the major developments since the publication of the first strategy: the report of the Life in the UK Advisory Group, the development of the National Asylum Support Service’s accommodation strategy for asylum seekers, and the proposals for a tailored programme to help new refugees produce Personal Integration Plans.

2. This response is from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). NIACE works to encourage more and different adults to engage in learning of all kinds. Its functions include research, development and consultancy; advocacy to inform and influence public policy; information services and dissemination; and campaigning for, and celebrating the achievements of, adult learners. Established in 1921, NIACE is an independent non-governmental organisation, a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Its corporate and individual members come from all sectors concerned with adult learning: colleges, local authorities, universities, voluntary and community organisations, churches, broadcasters, employers and unions.

3. Since 2001 NIACE has been engaged in a wide range of activity around issues affecting asylum seekers, refugees and other new migrants. We believe that learning has a key role to play in supporting the integration of refugees into the UK economy and society, enabling them to fulfil their potential and make a significant contribution to their new community. Integration is a two-way process and we also believe that learning has a vital role to play in preparing host communities to welcome new arrivals. In light of this, we are therefore disappointed in the relatively little attention given to the role of learning in the consultation paper. While some reference is made to English language provision and education for citizenship and nationality, NIACE believes that the government should develop more concrete proposals for developing and providing access to relevant education and training provision for social and vocational integration. We would be keen to work with the Home Office in developing this issue further.

4. NIACE welcomes the publication of a Strategy that confirms the government’s commitment to providing refuge for those fleeing harsh treatment, violence and suffering, and acknowledges the wide range of experiences and skills that refugees bring with them and the potential contribution that they have to make to our communities. We would like to see politicians and key public figures use this positive tone in public more widely and more often. We believe that the government’s often-negative media statements about asylum seekers have had a direct impact both on the media’s portrayal of asylum seekers and refugees and on the attitudes of the British public.

5. NIACE considers that the process of integration for refugees begins on arrival in the UK. We are therefore extremely disappointed that the Strategy excludes those whose asylum applications are still being considered. The consultation paper recognises that the experiences of refugees during their stay in the UK as asylum seekers have a significant effect upon their later integration. We therefore consider it to be a grave mistake to exclude asylum seekers from the Strategy, especially when our experience of working with this group shows us that many can spend months or years in the UK before their case is settled. Given the government’s commitment to making an initial decision on asylum applications within two months, we would suggest that asylum seekers waiting longer than this should be included in the services outlined in the Strategy. If the government does not wish to support the integration process until status is granted, then targets for reaching a fair initial decision within a reasonable time frame must be achieved.

6. One of our major concerns about what we consider to be an artificial distinction between asylum seekers and refugees is that the community into which refugees are expected to integrate, but asylum seekers are not, is often unable to distinguish between the two, creating confusion and impacting negatively upon the individual concerned. Professionals in a range of sectors, including further and higher education, are already struggling to distinguish between the array of immigration statuses, resulting in eligibility rules often being interpreted in ways that restrict access to provision in cases where access should be allowed and would support the integration process.

7. We believe that many of the key challenges identified in the Strategy, including that of providing easy access to up-to-date information about services, stability of service delivery, and comprehensive and accurate data to assess and plan the provision of services are not only pertinent to refugees, but would also aid long term integration if begun earlier in the asylum process.

8. NIACE welcomes the Strategy’s recognition of the talents and potential of refugees entering the UK, and the need to provide appropriate support to ensure they are able to communicate effectively in English and gain employment appropriate to their abilities and skills. We share the government’s concern that despite possessing a wealth of skills, qualifications and experiences, unemployment among refugees is about six times the national average, and believe that some of the work that we have developed in the past few years has the potential to make a considerable difference to this picture if adopted nationally.

9. The Strategy correctly recognises the key needs facing most refugees in relation to employment and training. We agree that Jobcentre Plus services need to be accessible to refugees, however at present we believe that this agency is vastly ill-equipped to undertake the highly specialised guidance required to adequately meet refugees’ needs. While a number of localised specialist services have been successfully developed, including our own EQUAL funded Skills Audit project, at present there is no systematic mainstream provision of this expertise covering the whole of the UK.

10. We agree that the availability of English language classes and flexibility of class times is crucial. In particular, we believe that there is a need for vocational ESOL provision to be developed and delivered across a range of occupations to enable refugees to develop language skills specific to their occupational areas. At present qualified and experienced refugees with experience in medical professions, teaching, business, engineering, accountancy, skilled trades etc. are often unable to continue in their occupations because appropriately focused ESOL provision is unavailable.

11. A significant proportion of refugees hold overseas qualifications that are not recognised. We have come across examples of those with medical degrees stacking shelves in supermarkets, of graduates being required to begin their higher and professional training from the beginning, while struggling to support themselves and pay fees. This is a waste of talent (often in areas of shortage in the UK) and a long-term cause of frustration. We believe that it is now time for a system to be introduced which will allow overseas qualifications to be assessed and validated, and for more bridging courses to be established to allow qualified refugees to convert their qualifications for use in the UK. Research into and analysis of the current situation is required. An audit of existing bridging courses, their subjects, locations and costs should be undertaken as well as an investigation into the need for more courses in particular fields and locations. NIACE recommends a review of the current NARIC system with the aim of establishing an identifiable point where refugees can apply to have their overseas skills and qualifications assessed and recognised. The consultation paper makes little reference to this issue.

12. At the national level, IND has an important role to play in ensuring that refugee issues are fully considered in other government initiatives that may influence the conditions under which integration can take place. The Department for Work and Pensions 16-hour rule which restricts refugee health professionals, for example, from being able to dedicate sufficient study time to requalify as soon as possible is an important example of where IND can make a difference.

13. At the regional and local level, service providers have a key role to play in the front line delivery of services, advice and support to refugees. However there is a need for training and support for frontline staff in these organisations to enable them to understand and deal with refugee issues effectively.

14. NIACE agrees that refugee community organisations and other voluntary sector organisations are enormously valuable in helping refugees to acclimatise to life in the UK. We therefore consider it to be important that efforts are made to build capacity and provide sustainable funding for the voluntary and community sector. In particular we believe that funding should be made available to sustain and extend good practice, rather than simply being associated with developing innovative provision.

15. The excellent work showcased in this chapter is to be celebrated. NIACE would like to see much of this work mainstreamed to ensure sustainability, and rolled out nationally so that refugees are not disadvantaged by where they live.

16. NIACE is a major partner in one of the good practice examples cited in 4.9. The three EQUAL funded initiatives referred to work exclusively with asylum seekers rather than refugees and have all proved that working with people while they are awaiting a decision on their asylum application enhances their ability to integrate once permission to remain has been granted. Although not everyone who applies for asylum will be given permission to remain, using the waiting time in a productive way is valuable for all. As the British Refugee Council have argued, the fact that some will not succeed does not mean that all should be treated as if they will not succeed.

17. NIACE agrees that the 28-day window is a crucial time for refugees, and that any additional support that can be provided during this time is to be welcomed. We look forward to seeing more details on the programme, especially in relation to how such a service will be organised and offered. We believe that more attention needs to be given to establishing an infrastructure to support integration; to examining integration measures in relation to the host community; and to offering appropriate levels of continuing support beyond the initial 28-day period to produce long-term plans and achieve sustainable outcomes. Our Skills Audit project has led us to believe that 28-day intensive support followed by contact on a quarterly basis is likely to be insufficient for many.

18. NIACE is concerned about plans to abolish backdated income support payments, and replace them with the new Refugee Integration Loan. As recognised in the Strategy, refugees suffer high rates of unemployment. It is often the case that they also have no savings and no or few family support networks. We believe that to be faced with repaying a loan for essential requirements would create further long-term problems in relation to integration. Furthermore, a system of loans may be culturally inappropriate for some groups of refugees. As an alternative, we believe that a resettlement grant tied to the proposed personal integration plans would be a much fairer arrangement for individuals and families alike.

19. It is important to remember that many refugees are skilled and educated people who have shown that they can survive and overcome considerable difficulties in their lives. Dispersal on a no choice basis, poor quality accommodation, lengthy legal processes, confusion around entitlements to work, education and healthcare, and racial harassment all create further problems which need to be overcome to successfully integrate into the UK. As well as introducing measures to help people overcome such obstacles, an effective national integration strategy will also need to look at removing these barriers to integration. This will involve evaluating current policies and working with host communities, rather than simply placing full responsibility of refugees to integrate themselves into the UK.

20. NIACE would be pleased to elaborate on any matter in this response. In the first instance please contact Fiona Aldridge, Development Officer (Research), NIACE 21 De Montfort Street, Leicester, LE1 7GE. Telephone: 0116 2044246 Email: fiona.aldridge@niace.org.uk