Choices History

1
Choices History

• March 1997 Refugee Action initiated a process
  of consultation
• around the issue of voluntary return (refugee
  agencies, RCOs,
• IOM and UNHCR)
• Identified voluntary return as a taboo subject,
  need for
• independent organisation, trusted by refugee
  communities, to
• provide advice and information
• 1998 Refugee Action established a pilot advice
  and
• information service for refugees and asylum
  seekers
• considering return Voluntary Return Project
• 1999 - 2000 Long term funding obtained and a
  specialist
• service set up to support Kosovans under the
  UK
• Humanitarian Evacuation Programme
• 2002 service renamed Choices and expanded to
  provide
• advice in Leeds, Manchester and London. 2004
  to Leicester
• as well

2
What does Choices do?

• Provides advice and information to refugees and
  asylum seekers
• Provides guidance to other advisors working with
  people considering return
• Promotes good practice
• Works to raise awareness of issues surrounding
  voluntary return
• Campaigns for more support for returnees
• Meets regularly, along with other refugee
  agencies, to raise issues with Home Office

3
Choices works with Vulnerable Groups

• Asylum seekers who have been fully refused
• People with physical and/or mental ill health
• Unaccompanied children and young people
• Women suffering domestic violence
• Trafficked women
• Older people

4
Principles

• Choices does not take part in forced return
• The service is not funded or evaluated in terms
  of the number of people returning and has no
  vested interest in return
• The service is impartial
• Advisors respect decisions to stay or return.
  There is no expectation that people receiving
  advice will eventually return
• The service is confidential
• Promotes informed choice

5
Choices Current Activities

• Advice and information to clients, and agencies.
  5000 enquiries in 06/07
• Outreach activities eg information share with
  RCOs /training sessions to advice agencies. 250
  outreach activities in 06/07
• ERSO European partnership project to give
  better opportunities to returnees by linking with
  partner agencies in countries of return
• Monitoring / feedback project questionnaire for
  returnees to help us build a picture of what
  happens when people leave the UK

6
Motivation of Return

• Push Factors
• Asylum system
• Refusal of asylum/appeal
• Time waiting
• Refusal of a friend/acquaintance/family member
• Unhappy in the UK
• Poor accommodation
• Lack of money
• Limited access to Legal Advice
• Unable to seek employment
• Harassment, racial, physical
• Destitution
• Unable to practise religion
• Language difficulties/barriers
• Isolation/loneliness
• Cultural differences/way of life

• Pull Factors
  
• Significant country improvement
  
• Change of government
  
• Peace agreement
  
• Militia overthrown
  
• Political climate change
• Personal Factors
• Family Illness (no other family to care for them)
• Death/bereavement
• Offer of employment
• Marriage
• Wife and family ask you to return
• Cultural differences/way of life
• Wishing to return to what youre used to
• Familiar with country and own routine

7
Key Areas of Advice

• Motivation for return
• Immigration status
• Situation support in the UK
• Health
• Security
• Family issues
• Help in country of origin
• Route planning and travel assistance

8
How to access Choices Services

• Choices has staff in London, Leicester,
  Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds. Choices
  workers also do a lot of work over the phone with
  clients from all over the country.
• We always use interpreters where necessary.
• Please see our English/ translated leaflet for
  our contact details. These translated leaflets
  are in RA offices and are also available on the
  Refugee Action website. www.refugee-action.org.uk