Deng Yai

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WIDENING PARTICIPATION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS
AND REFUGEES IN LIFELONG LEARNING
Deng Yai Deng.Yai_at_RefugeeCouncil.org.uk Tel. 020
7820 3138 www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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1
INTRODUCTION
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SCOPE OF THE PRESENTATION
1.1

• ? Refugees and Asylum Seekers Barriers to
  Further Education
• ? The Impact of the Immigration Asylum Act 1999
  and the Nationality, Immigration Asylum Act
  2002 on asylum seekers and refugees
• ? Widening Participation Strategies Key Success
  Factors

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OBJECTIVES...
1.2

• After this session, you will be able to
• ? Identify needs of asylum seekers and refugees
  and barriers to further education
• ? Explain the impact of the immigration and
  asylum legislation on asylum seekers and
  refugees and
• ? Identify good practice in widening
  participation.

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1.3
THE CASE FOR WIDENING PARTICIPATION
Helena Kennedy Learning is central to economic
success and social cohesionThose who are
disadvantaged educationally are also
disadvantaged economically and socially equity
and viability dictate that all should have the
opportunity to succeed. P.15 FEFC (1997)
Learning Works Widening Participation in Further
Education. FEFC, Coventry
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THE ROLE OF FURTHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
1.4
Helena Kennedy We are convinced that further
education has a unique contribution to make to
widen participation in post-16 learning and the
creation of a self-perpetuating learning society.
It has a key role to play in reaching out to all
those who need to be engaged if the aspiration
for all to achieve level 3 is to be achievedIts
diversity means it has the potential to reach out
to adults who can become new learners in their
homes, in factories, in shops and offices, in the
schools where their children learn and in a host
of community venues. P.25
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1.5
AIMS OF THE HOME OFFICE INTEGRATION STRATEGY...
? To include refugees as equal members of
society ? To help refugees develop their
potential and contribute to the cultural and
economic life of the country ? To set out a
clear framework to support the integration
process across the United Kingdom and ? To
facilitate access to the support necessary for
the integration of refugees nationally and
regionally.
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ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
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ACTIVITY (1)

• Where do refugees come from?
• Why do refugees leave their countries of origin?
• How are refugees perceived and treated in the UK?

• Through out history, refugees have been
  contributing to the UK economy and cultural
  diversity.
• Ordinary refugees equally contribute.
• Many refugees are well qualified, skilled and
  experienced.
• Credit to the Nation, The Refugee Council (2002)

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IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM LEGISLATION
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3.1
THE IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM ACT 1999
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ACTIVITY (2)

• State whether the following statements are TRUE
  (T) or FALSE (F).
• The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 did
• ? Increase the number of asylum seekers detained
  without time limit AND no access to further
  education opportunities.
• ? Send asylum seekers to areas without refugee
  community support network and this made it
  difficult to know about and access learning
  opportunities.
• ? Result in less availability of good-quality
  immigration advice and delays in completing
  and sending asylum application forms to the Home
  Office on time.

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• The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 did
• ? Lead to rejection of over 26,000 applicants on
  the basis of non-compliance in 2000 which made it
  difficult for asylum seekers to prioritise
  further education.
• ? Deny new asylum seekers access to
  government-funded employment training programmes
  e.g. New Deal and WBLA.
• ? Impoverish victims of human rights abuses.
• ? Result in less availability of ESOL classes and
  long waiting lists of would-be learners.

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3.2
NATIONALITY, IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM ACT 2002
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THE IMPACT OF THE ACT 2002...
The Act could affect asylum seekers access to
further education and the labour market in many
ways ? Asylum Support arrangements have a
serious impact on thousands of asylum seekers

• Destitution
• Homelessness
• Health problems
• Asylum seekers are denied subsistence-only
  package

• Poverty
• Malnutrition
• Difficulty pursuing asylum claims

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THE IMPACT OF THE ACT 2002...

• increasing demand for ESOL courses
• disruptions to purposeful activities
• difficulties meeting needs

?Accommodation Centres could lead to

• racial tensions
• isolation
• difficulties accessing services
• Disappearance of learners

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WIDENING PARTICIAPATION OF REFUGEES
AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN LIFELONG LEARNING
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BARRIERS TO FURTHER EDUCATION

• ? Lack of knowledge of entitlements
• ? Lack of knowledge of education and training
  opportunities
• ? Poor English
• ? Dispersal scheme
• ? Voucher scheme
• ? Fees
• ? Cost of travel
• ? Lack of access to affordable childcare
• ? Lack of recognition of overseas qualifications
• ? Funding requirements

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OPPORTUNITITES...
Estelle Morris There is now wide acceptance
that to build an economy that will continue our
success in the global market place we will need
an even better educated and more highly skilled
workforce. Equally importantly, to build a fair
and inclusive society everyone must have the
opportunity to realise their full potential. P.2
DfES (2001) Education and Skills Delivering
Results- A Strategy to 2006. DfES, Suffolk
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OPPORTUNITIES...

• DfES Skills for Life- Adult Basic Skills Strategy
• DfES (2001) Education and Skills Delivering
  Results- A Strategy to 2006. DfES, Suffolk
• http//www.dfes.gov.uk
• LSC Successful Participation for All Widening
  Adult Participation
• http//www.lsc.gov.uk/

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KEY SUCCESS FACTORS...

• Governance and management
• Curriculum and teaching and learning
• Support for students
• General resources
• Quality assurance
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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ACTIVITY (3)

• In relation to refugees and asylum seekers, which
  of the following statements are similar to those
  in your widening participation strategy
• ? Governance and management
• Strong staff and governor commitment to widening
  participation and ensuring high-quality provision
  for all students
• Clear strategic goals set for widening
  participation underpinned by rigorous operational
  planning

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• Widening participation and raising standards are
  given priority
• Setting recruitment targets for under-represented
  groups
• Well-managed and effective strategies to raise
  retention and achievement rates for all students
• Capitalising on the synergies between
  developments in widening participation, inclusive
  learning and equal opportunities

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• Strategic use of external funding to widen
  participation
• A positive image of the college in local areas
  with high levels of deprivation
• Close and effective links with partner agencies
  in working towards the common goal of widening
  participation
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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• ? Curriculum and teaching and learning
• In relation to refugees and asylum seekers, which
  of the following statements are similar to those
  in your widening participation strategy
• High-quality teaching tailored to meet each
  students abilities
• A broad range of courses at all levels with
  flexible points of entry and clear progression
  routes

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• ? Curriculum and teaching and learning
• Provision designed for particular groups
• Off-site provision to engage new student groups,
  including effective use of information technology
  (IT) in the community
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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• ? Support for students
• In relation to refugees and asylum seekers, which
  of the following statements are similar to those
  in your widening participation strategy
• Carefully assessing each students potential to
  succeed and placing them on the right level of
  course with appropriate support
• Comprehensive support services for students in
  all the venues used for teaching and learning

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• Well-planned and effective tutorial support,
  including carefully structured tutorials for
  students at risk of leaving courses and not
  achieving
• Well-developed strategies to encourage students
  to progress to more advanced study or employment
• Celebration of students successes
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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• ? Quality Assurance
• In relation to refugees and asylum seekers, which
  of the following statements are similar to those
  in your widening participation strategy
• Rigorous and comprehensive quality assurance
  informed by widening participation commitments
• Systematic tracking of retention and achievement
  rates for different student groups and action to
  address patterns of underachievement

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• Staff development programmes carefully designed
  to support widening participation
• Innovation, research and development
• Celebration of the colleges successes in
  widening participation
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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• ? General resources
• High-quality accommodation that is carefully
  matched to students needs and that ascribes
  status to more disadvantaged learners
• FEFC (2000) Widening Participation and Raising
  Standards Colleges Case Studies

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QUESTION-AND-ANSWER SESSION