DCRS Annual Review 2010

DEVON & CORNWALL REFUGEE SUPPORT COMPANY LIMITED
A private company limited by guarantee
ANNUAL REVIEW 2010
Address: Telephone: Facsimile: Email: Website: Registered Company No. Registered Charity No. OISC Exemption No.
7 Whimple Street, Plymouth, PL1 2DH, Devon. (01752) 265952 0870 762 6228 dcrsc@btopenworld.com http://dcrsc1.cfsites.org 06271122 1130360 N200100427
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DCRS Annual Review 2010
CONTENTS
PAGE Mission Statement Editorial Comments A Review of 2010 A Calendar of Events Statistics Statistical Analysis Project Support Review: Part 1: Project Support Work Part 2: A Report on Age-disputed Minors Part 3: Interpreters Part 4: A Review of Outreach & Training Coordination Part 5: A Review of Sports & Fitness Coordination Part 6: Behind the Labels Theyre Still Human The Food Programme The Clothing Store The Internet Suite The Reception Desk The Website The Big Lottery A Special Article by Dr. Penelope KEY The Founding of the Masiandae Centre Annual Awards A Financial Statement A Financial Review Funders & Logos Acknowledgement Staff, Trustees & Other Volunteers DCRS Contact Details 3 3 4-5 6-8 12 13 14 --30 14 - 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 - 30 32 - 33 34 36 - 37 38 39 40 42 44 - 45 46 - 47 48 49 51 51 52 - 53 54
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MISSION STATEMENT
Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support aims to build a practical support system for Asylum Seekers and Refugees (ASR) and to ensure that they benefit from their legal rights by using all the available services. DCRS assists ASR to maintain their dignity and provides them with practical support in rebuilding their lives.
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support Council (DCRSC) became a Private Company Limited by Guarantee on st 1 January 2010. It is now officially known as a Registered Charity under the company name of: Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support Company Limited (DCRS Co. Ltd.) a Private Company Limited by Guarantee The shortened title will be DCRS.
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by Mrs. Lorna M. SEWELL Chair of the DCRS Board of Trustees 2010 will be remembered for our successful bid to the Big Lottery under the Reaching Communities Project for the next four years. This has enabled us to increase our staffing level by four. Two extra Project Support Workers and two Coordinators: one as Sport & Fitness and the second as Training & Outreach. Obtaining this funding, not only enables us to increase our support to our Service Users (Asylum Seekers & Refugees) and to do new work, but with this public funding we have commitments of targets to meet and regular reports to be sent to the Funder. We have not only dedicated staff but dedicated Trustees and Volunteers who are prepared to give a great deal of their time to this worthwhile work. Included in the targets of DCRS is to open for five days a week for Drop-in Sessions instead of the two we have had for a number of years. This has meant considerable re-organisation with extra volunteers needed and staff time re-allocated. We had hoped that this might have reduced the stress level with smaller numbers of Service Users attending each day, but so far this hasnt happened. The number of ASR still needing support and advice continues to grow. During 2010, the Plymouth Office of the national charity Refugee Action and Devon Law Centre closed due to lack of funding. Both these closures had serious repercussions on DCRS. RA dealt with cases that our staff were not familiar with, so with some training from RA before they left Plymouth, many more Service Users now rely on DCRS. Now that there is no immigration advice available locally, this has added problems as our staff are not permitted to give immigration advice unless they hold a further level of Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) registration. Whether we can rectify this, is something we shall be pursuing in 2011. One of our priorities in 2010 and will continue into 2011, is that our extra funding for the Reaching Communities Project does not cover our original support work and the cost of our premises, etc., and therefore we have and will continue to seek further funding. In this current economic climate this will unfortunately, become more difficult with all charities chasing the ever-decreasing funds available. We have been most grateful for the funders and individual donors who have supported us in 2010, and Funding will continue to be one of the Trustees priorities for 2011. I would like to thank, on behalf of the DCRS Board of Trustees, not only our dedicated Staff but also our Volunteers who have been involved in our Food Programme, the Clothing Store, the Internet Suite and Reception duties.
A REVIEW OF 2010
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Here are some statistics for the year that speak for themselves: Visits by ASR Interviews Food Parcels Internet Usage Clothing Issues 8,000 5,000 1,700 1,650 500
More specific Statistical Data is given later in this Review (on page 12).
Lorna M. SEWELL Chair DCRS Board of Trustees
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A CALENDAR OF EVENTS
After the last AGM in June 2010 till the time before the AGM in June 2011 Friday, 18 June 2010 Refugee Week. Asylum & Refugee Awareness Training delivered by Pat JOYCE & David FEINDOUNO at Plymouth Guild of Voluntary Service. Friday, 18 June 2010 Refugee Week. DCRS held an Open Day & Annual General Meeting. During Refugee Week in June 2010 Refugee Week. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Mary ASPINALL, and Lady Mayoress, Kate ASPINALL, met personalities from DCRS who have were seeking asylum from Afghanistan. Tuesday, 20 July 2010 Visit to DCRS by Frederick Street Staff. Monday, 26 July 2010 Wednesday, 28 July 2010 Placement of Police Officer in Training with DCRS. Monday, 2 August 2010 DCRS Volunteers Bill BUDGE and Paul RICKARD took three Service Users out to Mount Batten for a day of cliff climbing. Wednesday, 25 August 2010 Awareness Training delivered by Pat JOYCE, Irena ONIONS, David FEINDOUNO, & Patrick CHARY at Ernest English House for BTCV Programme of Volunteer Training. Wednesday, 25 August 2010 Visit of Katherine OGLEY, an artist from Falmouth who came to record Asylum Seeker & Refugee members, who shared their songs of influence from their homelands. Katherine used those recordings on a project in the Lizard to explore the link between war and refugees, using sound as a background to her exhibit. September 2010 Two Talks & Presentations to the Plymouth Integrated Probation Team and to a local school by Geoff READ and Christine REID.
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Tuesday, 7 September 2010 Trish BAXTER represented DCRS at a Stakeholders Forum with Housing Officers regarding the future of RHSS and future commissioning of housing support for the Asylum Seeker & Refugee community. Friday, 10 September 2010 Refugee Action facilitated training for DCRS Staff on support issues regarding Section 4 & Appeals. Tuesday, 12 October 2010 John JEBB manned the DCRS Display, representing volunteer opportunities at Marjon Campus. Monday, 25 October 2010 Jane FARLEIGH, Regional Director of the UK Border Agency came to Plymouth. Tuesday, 26 October 2010 DCRS welcomed Paul RIDLEY from the Big Lottery, who came to see how our Project Reaching Communities was progressing. Friday, 29 October 2010 DCRS welcomed Nuwa SERUNJOGI from Refugee Action, Bristol. Monday, 1 November 2010 Joanne HIGSON & David FEINDOUNO facilitated an Awareness Training Taster at the Staff meeting of Plymouth House, Atheneum Street. Tuesday, 2 November 2010 Migration Through Persecution - Awareness Training regarding Asylum Seeker & Refugee issues. Requested by Tutor Nicola TYRELL and facilitated by Pat JOYCE, David FEINDOUNO & Patrick CHARY, for approximately 50 University of Plymouth (Geography Faculty) students. Saturday, 6 November 2010 Bill, Christie, Paul, and Sam from Refugee First and about 20 Service Users were invited by Rosie to the Caf at Calstock. It was a wonderful trip. Tuesday, 7 December 2010 Visit of Introduction by new members of the local Diversity Team, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary. Wednesday, 8 December 2010 DCRS Coordinators Ellis RANSOM & Joanne HIGSON, together with Pat JOYCE visited Refugee Support Group (Devon) at Exeter. Sunday, 12 December 2010 Christine REID & Geoff READ gave a Talk & Presentation at the Annual Toy Service at Hope Baptist Church, Peverell.
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January 2011 Chrsitine REID gave a presentation about DCRS to the Plymouth Laryngectomy Club (PLC) at the Mustard Tree Cancer Support Centre at Derriford Hospital. Saturday, 8 January 2011 Ellis RANSOM, our Sports & Fitness Coordinator, took a group of Service Users onto Dartmoor for an Orienteering / Walking Taster Session. Tuesay, 11 January 2011 Mr. Oliver COLVILE MP visited the DCRS. Mr. COLVILE is the Conservative MP for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. Tuesday, 18 January 2011 Lorna SEWELL gave a Talk to the Ladies' Probus Club in Plympton. Monday, 24 January 2011 DCRS Sports & Activities Coordinator, Ellis RANSOM held an Open Day for Service Users to sign up for sports and activities. Friday, 28 January 2011 DCRS Awareness Raising Training held and facilitated by David FEINDOUNO, Jo HIGSON, Ellis RANSOM and Pat JOYCE. 21 individuals, mainly DCRS Volunteers, attended the three-hour session. Wednesday, 13 April 2011 DCRS was visited by a team from the Minster Church of St Andrews, the mother church of Plymouth, headed by The Reverend Nick MCKINNEL, Rector of St Andrews, accompanied by The Reverend Dr. Steve NICHOLS (Curate), Professor David HUNTLEY (Churchwarden), and the Reverend John MONEY, (Team Vicar of St Pauls Church, Stonehouse). th Friday, 15 April 2011 Mr. Gary STREETER, MP, visits DCRS.
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Photgraph courtesy of Christine REID
Mr. Gary STREETER, MP visited DCRS on Friday, 15th April 2011
Visit to the Lord Mayors Parlour on Tuesday 1st June 2010
Photographs from DCRS at Facebook, courtesy of Ellis RANSOM
DCRS Trip to Dartmoor with Ellis RANSOM On Tuesday, 8th February 2011
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Photgraph courtesy of Christine REID
A team from the Minster Church of St Andrews visited DCRS on Wednesday, 13th April 2011.
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Photographs courtesy of Christine Reid
Mr. Oliver COLVILE, MP visited DCRS Tuesday, 11th January 2011
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Compiled by Mr. John JEBB A DCRS Trustee & Triage Coordinator 2009 Number of Service Users who visited the Centre: Number of Consultations given to Service Users: Number of Service Users aged under 18: Number of Service Users aged between 18 24 years: Number of Service Users aged between 25 - 34 years: Number of Service Users aged between 35 - 44 years: Number of Service Users aged between 45 - 54 years: Number of Service Users aged over 55 years: Number of Female Service Users who visited the Centre: Percentage of Male Service Users who visited the Centre: Number of Food Parcels issued: Number of sessions that the Internet Suite provided: The number of Service Users that used the Clothing Store: 6,933 4,379 18 1,178 2.018 761 140 50 15% 85% 1,613 1,559 1,520 2010 8,093 5,106 546 1,566 1,867 885 177 65 558 4,582 1,721 1,655 494
STATISTICAL DATA
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STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
A Review by Mr. John JEBB A DCRS Trustee & Triage Coordinator

Preamble. It should be noted that the data we record does not refer to the total number of individual Service Users (SU) we have. This would be difficult to assess; new people arrive in Plymouth as some leave for a variety of reasons. In addition, people reappear after lengthy absences we were recently visited by someone who last came to us seven years ago! So instead, what follows records the number of SU Visits to our Centre, whether in person and through telephone / email /post or fax enquiries. This gives a far better picture of the work achieved by DCRS than a simple head-count, even if that were possible. For 2010 the data was inevitably somewhat complicated by important changes during the year. Put simply, from January to July 2010, DCRS was operating much as in previous years, but from August 2010 onwards, the effects of the two new Project Support Workers (funded by the Big Lottery grant) began to be felt. However, the following summary refers to the full calendar year except where otherwise stated
Ages & Gender of SU. Of a total of 8,093 visits to our Centre:

67% were in the age bands 18-34, and 88% were male.
Afghanis, Eritreans, Iranians, Iraqis and Sudanese account for 65% of the total, Chinese, Congolese, Somalis, Sri Lankans and Zimbabweans make up the remaining 35%.
Our SU are overwhelmingly young, single men. Casework Progress. Since our additional (Big Lottery) Staff took up post, 90% of the issues raised by SU have been progressed or resolved. Signposting & Referrals An important aspect of our project support work is signposting and referral to other agencies and approximately 1,000 such instances took place in 2010.
Health services, solicitors, social services and the Red Cross
These ten groups make up 79% of the total visits to our Centre. Languages 45 languages have been recorded.
Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish-Sorani, Pashtu, and Tigrinya make up 69% of the total. English, French, Mandarin, Somali and Tamil make up the other 31%.
These ten groups make up 85% of the total. Although, as mentioned at the outset, these represent visits to our Centre, and not the total numbers of people, they may give some indication of trends amongst the asylum seeker population, e.g.: the increased level of work with Sri Lankan and Chinese SU New SU These continue to arrive at quite a steady rate, averaging 24 per month from May to December 2010, with a total of 197. New Coordinators
featured prominently. Until September 2010, much work was also passed onto Refugee Action. The Plymouth of that organisation is now sadly closed and this has led to a consequential increase in the casework of DCRS. Nationalities Our SU encompassed 59 nationalities, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Training & Outreach and Sports & Fitness
Data on these activities will start to emerge early in 2011 as the pattern of their work is now becoming clearer and so easier to classify.
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PROJECT SUPPORT REVIEW

This review is in four parts:
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Project Support Work Age-disputed Minors Interpreters Outreach & Training Coordination Sports & Fitness Coordination Behind the Labels Theyre All Human! A Review by Mrs. Patricia BAXTER An Report by Mrs. Patricia A.M. JOYCE An Article by Mrs. Irene ONIONS A Review by Ms. Jo HIGSON A Review by Mr. Ellis RANSOM An Article by Ms. Helen LAOLU-BALOGUN
PART 1: PROJECT SUPPORT WORK

A Review by Mrs. Patricia BAXTER DCRS Lead Project Support Worker Practical and advisory support to those sanctuary seekers dispersed to Plymouth continued during the year, owing to the tireless efforts of the Trustees and Donors to make that possible. With the decreased number of employees down to Trish and Pat JOYCE during the first six months, the vast number of volunteers who gave their free time during 2010 enabled the demand of service users to be met, despite the challenges that we encountered. Our vision and outcomes remained firmly set in our endeavour to assist services users to access their legal rights whilst processing their claim for protection in the UK. It is for this reason that we are proud of those who have come to join the team in their various roles and gratefully record their efforts as genuine demonstration of their heart to serve the vulnerable individuals that attend our Centre and involve themselves in activities maintained for their well being. In the early part of 2010 Training Sessions were repeated for volunteers in Awareness of 1 Vulnerability / ASR Issues, and The Asylum Support / Immigration System, which provided valuable assistants from those 2 whose commitment enabled the PSW to effectively offer an efficient service to those who accessed our support. Our change of name to DCRS emphasises the reality of our SUPPORT to those reliant on our services to help them.
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ASR = Asylum Seekers & Refugees. PSW = Project Support Workers.
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SUPPORT = bear the weight of

The grant of funds from the Big Lottery financed necessary staff members to take the weight of workload generated by those who are unable to cope without our help and advice. Augmenting our Advisers to four, with the appointing of Helen LALOU-BALOGUN and Irena ONIONS, complimented the team with added skills and insight they brought, as experienced people in the area of refugee issues and cultural diversity. Irena, an Arabic speaker, also enhances the services by her interpreting skills. She has started to develop a strategy for us to use for maintaining good practice in the area of communication with those who do not speak English. Since the government cuts affected an already widening gap in provision of ESOL classes to the ASR community, the Big Lottery Funds enabled the recruitment of two essential staff in roles necessary to provide hope in ever decreasing services for reducing isolation and despair. When the funding was granted, our two open sessions for drop-in were increased to four per week and then with the addition of staff, we finally started to open each weekday for drop-in so that the service users could not only obtain advice and practical assistance, but use the premises for a safe social venue and access our Internet Suite for continued contact with others. The addition of the two Coordinators, one in Sports & Fitness (Ellis RANSOM), and the other in Training & Outreach (Jo HIGSON), offered our service users the benefit of positive activities to relieve some of the pressure they feel when everything seems to overburden them with anxiety and depression. Ellis quickly surveyed the views of the service users and began by implementing sporting activities with the co-operation of Plymouth City Council, Blue Sound and other agencies gladly offering their support. Jo soon built on the foundations we have had with local providers and increased the network with other sources which will be able to bridge the gap in the current lack of ESOL provision in the city. Her life experience enhances the team with skills and insight that, demonstrated in the area of connecting service users with training and volunteer opportunities, benefit the community as a whole. It has been a year of perseverance and development, which I know will bring positive results in the years to come. The gratitude from service users is always the best recommendation of how affective we are and illustrates how privileged we remain in what can appear to be a thankless task.
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ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages.
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SUPPORT = speak in favour of

In these days of financial constraint and the cut backs that have decimated other services, the PSW have constantly been advocating for the rights of the service users. When the first Legal Aid-funded Solicitors office closed in Plymouth, it affected our services adversely but when the last remaining Immigration Advisor ceased to be funded by the Legal Services Commissioner we felt the detrimental impact it had on our ASR community who were then totally abandoned in an already negative climate within the Immigration System. The local One-stop Service at the Plymouth office of Refugee Action had become more and more depleted by cuts that finally brought the closure of the office and resulted in more demand on our services by the middle of the year. If it werent for the faithful voluntary support of Tom BANNAN, David FEINDOUNO, Berekhet GHIDE, Helen LALOU-BALOGUN, John SHINNER, Colin STARES and Wiktoria WIEWIADOMSKA and our service users would not have received the full support they required. Other persons joined us on temporary placements, like Teresa from Italy and students from the University of Plymouth on International Studies, together with those mentioned in our volunteers list. They all did a fantastic job of supporting us in various roles and complimented our long-standing volunteers in their gifts and abilities. We cannot express more how vital and how appreciated all our volunteers are and our heartfelt gratitude goes out to them all. Since the expectation of those seekers of sanctuary making claims in the UK is to access good legal advice there arose much expressed desperation amongst our service users during the last seven months of the year. The passionate outcry of Staff and Trustees joined with others of like mind, in the city to seek a way forward to resolve the gulf this lack of 4 provision had created. Due to the partnerships we enjoy with other agencies and the swift action of ILPA representative Rosie BRENNAN, representation was submitted to the Legal Services Commissioner and the Home Office, which has brought some temporary resolution to this, albeit not in 2010.
ILPA = Immigration Law Practitioners Association.
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SUPPORT = provide the necessities of life for

Apart from the on-going provision of our Clothing Store and our Food Programme for the destitute and those in financial crises, 2010 was a year when the UK Border Agency began to alter the rules of support to the detriment of unsuspecting service users, unaware of the strict nature of their support contract. Refused asylum in the UK, a mother with children, whose experience of torture had been disbelieved was asked to make their way to Heathrow to go back to the country where she would become a victim again. Whilst she remains in the City, her support is reduced to provide only for her children as a way to influence her to agree to leave the UK voluntarily. Those already suffering destitution after termination of their support would ask for Section 4 Support provision after submitting further evidence of their right to protection here in the UK. The processing of these applications takes 15 days under the New Asylum Model (NAM), in order to allow the Caseowner to make a decision on the further submissions. Naturally the poor claimant remains destitute until a decision refuses Section 4 Support on account that the decision is negative and thus does not meet the criteria, or the decision on the claim is a grant of leave and thus is entitled to public funded benefits instead! The introduction of the AZURE Card in 2010 brought numerous complaints from those who continue to endure a cashless provision of 35 per week. Although the old Tesco vouchers were scrapped it appeared that some of the 6/7 designated retail outlets were unprepared for the changes and refused the cards in the early days which, naturally created much cause for feeling humiliated and deprived of dignity as well as leaving them frustrated and hungry.
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SUPPORT = give practical or emotional help to

For those totally destitute in community, we continued to rely on those kind-hearted donors to supply much needed financial relief to enable service users to access Solicitors in Bristol, or London, as well as travel to Liverpool or Cardiff where they are obliged to take any fresh representations in person. Those in Section 4 Support continued to be denied the use of public transport without this source of relief. As well as the clothes and household goods donated by our supporters, we were given a large quantity of food items from the City College Plymouth. Geoff and Christine left Hope Baptist Church in December with a carload of toys and the Nutkins Nursery Group sent wrapped Christmas gifts for children of refugees which were a delight to all. Other church groups sent gifts for distribution when About Time, who offer ESOL classes and social time, over a hot meal, provided Christmas dinner again for those who attended their Christmas Day event. The greatest gift provided by the wider community of support is the open hearted attitude that welcomes the alien and reduces the isolation that often engulfs new arrivals. The necessity to feel accepted and valued was demonstrated by those who welcomed visitors to their villages, like Bere Ferrers or Calstock in 2010, as well as those families and individuals who opened their homes to befriend service users in that way. We were privileged in 2010 to have such support from those who continue to care in various ways to provide these bare necessities at their own cost. Recruitment of willing volunteers continued throughout the year with an ever supply of talented and compassionate people. The activities at the beginning of the year were only able to carry on with the support of Bill BUDGE, Bethany BUCK, Paul RICKARD, Finbar RICKMAN and Wiktoria WIEWIADOMSKA, who valiantly accompanied services users to a variety of appointments, activities and social venues.
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SUPPORT take an active interest in

Since DCRS is well established in the local area and has a reputation of concern for the ASR community, there is a good network of other professional bodies and groups that take an active interest in the well being of our service users. During 2010 we increased these partnerships and were grateful to the good practice expressed by others such as: START (Students & Refugees Together), Refugees First, Plymouth & Devon Racial Equality Council, PATH (Plymouth Access to Housing), Mental Health Team (Plymouth), Devon & Cornwall Police Diversity Unit, Open Doors International Language School ( ODILS), City College Plymouth, Devon Law Centre (now ceased trading) Fursdon & Knapper Solicitors, and those Children & Family Services which made the year a successful provision that will go forward into 2011, with increasing commitment.
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PART 2: A REPORT ON AGE-DISPUTED MINORS

A Report by Mrs. Patricia A.M. JOYCE DCRS Project Support Worker In our Annual Review for 2009, I wrote that one of the challenges for our organisation was the sudden influx of those under the age of 18 who were dispersed to Plymouth as adults because their age had been disputed by the Home Office and also, for the majority, by a Local Authority following an age assessment. This challenge continued into 2010. Over the past two years, approximately 15 - 20 age-disputed asylum seekers the majority young men from Afghanistan have accessed our services for advice. The numbers of those living in Plymouth dropped considerably by the end of 2010 but we were still seeing around six on a regular basis. Under the New Asylum Model, introduced in March 2007, age assessments can determine not only the care of an asylum seeker but also how their claim is processed. The implications for being treated as an adult include:
fast tracking a claim which might then be decided in as little as two weeks; finding it harder to get continuing legal advice; being housed with adults; and, possibly being detained as an adult and being forcibly removed without safeguards.
In addition, if judged to be over 18, they are not protected and supported as a child and their needs as a child will not be addressed. This has had devastating consequences for several wrongly aged young people over the years. The main problem is that many children arrive without identity documents, birth certificates or any form of satisfactory evidence of their age. This lack of evidence is not surprising, when you consider that almost two fifths of the worlds children are born without their births being registered and in several cultures birthdays are not acknowledged or celebrated as they are in the UK. Therefore, many children do not know their age and will thus offer a wrong age when asked. Some are often forced to give the wrong age to protect agents or traffickers or, they have adopted a different age to protect themselves from these groups. Those that fall in the age range of 15 to 18 years are the most difficult group to assess accurately and, without documental evidence, they have the most difficulties proving how old they are. It is this age range that is most likely to be disputed by Immigration officials and Local Authorities following an age assessment and it is this age range that access DCRS for assistance, although we have had one young man who was later assessed as 13-years-old!
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DCRS has come to understand over these last two years that the process experienced by our age-disputed service users does not always seem to be in accordance with the law, policies and procedures that are in place. The long delays in arranging and making decisions on reassessments of age has had, in several cases, sever consequences, not only for a young persons mental wellbeing but also for their asylum claim. On many occasions we have had to refer the matter to welfare solicitors in London (there are no legal aided welfare solicitors in Plymouth) to put pressure on the Local Authority and on the Home Office. All these young men, whether in detention or in the care of the local authority, have needed, in addition to advice, a lot of emotional support and guidance from DCRS. The uncertainty of their situations and the poor treatment of two of our young service users, who are currently in detention, has affected the behaviour of those who remain in Plymouth and their ability to respond to help, even from our own organisation. We see those that are left as extremely vulnerable and the uncertainty of their predicament is causing them continued distress.
Editorial Comment: This report is a shortened version of speech given by Pat during the 2011 5 th rd Awareness Week for YPSS in Plymouth held during the week Monday, 28 March - Sunday, 3 April 2011. Pats full report can be seen on the DCRS website at: http://dcrsc1.cfsites.org/
Young People Seeking Safety.
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PART 3: INTERPRETERS
An Article by Ms. Irene ONIONS DCRS Project Support Worker My experiences with DCRS over the last year, first as a volunteer, and more recently as a Project Support Worker (PSW), have shown me that we need an effective and evolving approach to our use of interpreters. During this time, the needs of DCRS have shifted, and will of course continue to shift as events both in Britain and internationally affect the circumstances and options of our service users (SU). As a multi-lingual person I have been able to deal with Arabic-speaking SU in their language of preference. However, the number of non-English-speaking SU, and the variety of languages spoken, means that, useful as it is, multilingualism will never be more than a convenience in the context of asylum casework; our reliance on interpreters is inevitable. This said, in order to ensure the best results from this practice, it is important to identify our specific goals when using interpreters. The first of these goals is obvious, to convey information between PSW and SU. Our first priority is always to provide practical assistance to SU, and to facilitate their involvement with the asylum system. However, successful interpreting must go beyond simple literal translations of information. Our SU are all, by the nature of their situation, vulnerable individuals. This vulnerability is amplified for those with no or insufficient English. Unless interpreting deals effectively with the difficulty of their position and the cultural divide between SU, PSW and the expectations of the asylum system, it will be a flawed tool for empowering SU. Therefore it is important to use interpreters who are capable not just of translating the words used, but of conveying cultural context and significance between speakers of different languages. The two main effects of achieving this are to communicate intention more effectively, and to allow the SU to present their needs and experiences in a way that is comprehensible to caseworkers and the asylum system. We know that the system frequently fails our SU by misunderstanding the cultural or practical significance of their reason for seeking asylum. Hence sophisticated and effective interpretation is not just icing on the cake, it is an integral part of improving the service that we offer to our clients. Furthermore, good interpreting practice can serve as an incentive for SU to improve their English. While this initially may sound counter-intuitive, properly engaging the client with their case and support-worker gives both a reason and a channel for communication, encouraging further interaction. On the other hand, weak practice may leave a SU feeling confused, helpless and disconnected from their own case, providing them with little reason to seek the skills that will enable further engagement. The interpreting facilities we currently use are, while adequate, not yet sufficiently suited to the task at hand. We are currently in a situation that forces us to over-rely on English speaking SU to interpret for their peers. There are a number of difficulties with this. The first is that few of these SU have either experience or training as interpreters. The difficulties of interpreting are varied, and require a range of skills.
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As an example, in order for me to effectively communicate with our Arabic speaking SU, it has been necessary for me to develop awareness of and ability in a variety of different forms of Arabic. This has only been possible due to the number and range of SU I deal with. Conveying between languages and cultures the sense and meaning of what someone says takes skills and awareness that we cannot fairly expect of our SU. This leads on to the second point that the English language skills and, just as importantly, cultural understanding of Britain of many service users providing this help is limited. Some of them have not been in Britain for long, while many others, as a product of the relative cultural exclusion caused by their status as asylum seekers or refugees, do not have a broad insight into British culture. These factors impair good communication and maintain a cultural and linguistic barrier between DCRS and its SU. Furthermore, SU still in the asylum process have their own difficulties and anxieties about it, which may hamper calm and effective communication. Given finite resources, we cannot significantly increase our use of professional interpreters. However, greater use of volunteer interpreters outside of our current SU could help to overcome the difficulties outlined above. People living and working in Britain have a broader linguistic and cultural knowledge of the country, and those with past positive experiences of the asylum process are able to make it less daunting for current service users. Plymouth presents some difficulties with this, as it does not have the variety of well-established ethnic minority communities available in many other cities. However, continuing to improve our community outreach work, and investigating training options for volunteer interpreters should be considered in order to reduce our reliance on SU in this role, and to maximise their effectiveness where they are used.
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PART 4: A REVIEW OF OUTREACH & TRAINING COORDINATION

An Article by Ms. Jo HIGSON DCRS Outreach & Training Coordinator I joined DCRS as a Staff Member right at the end of 2010 as part of the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Project. My role is to support the people accessing our services with some of the issues that affect their ability to access services and settle into our local community. The most 6 pressing of those is accessing English Language (ESOL ) classes but I will also be involved in helping people access other local services (GP, etc.,) and assist with training, volunteering and employment opportunities where appropriate. It is essential for wellbeing of our Service Users that once they are here that they can learn to communicate, access the services, and develop a support network. I have come from the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) where I lead on Equalities issues for the region, and previously I was London-based working with race and gender issues nationally. I have worked as a facilitator, trainer, mentor and coach, including working with large groups of volunteers in other voluntary bodies. One of the experiences I enjoyed most was teaching English to refugees in London. Here at DCRS, I am starting to use my connections and build working relationships with others in the city who are offering services we can use, and establishing where there are gaps in provision, and how we might best meet those gaps.
English for Speakers of Other Languages.
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Geoffrey N. READ and the Gold Star Award! Tuesday, 8th March 2011
"I work as part of a team (DCRS) so I will accept it on behalf of that team."
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A REVIEW OF SPORTS & FITNESS COORDINATION

A Review by Mr. Ellis RANSOM DCRS Sports & Fitness Training Coordinator I was in the position of Sports & Fitness Coordinator for the last month of 2010, as part of the Big Lotterys Reaching Communities project. My role is to improve our Service Users (SU) physical and mental wellbeing by coordinating and signposting activities. We see many of our SU suffer mentally and physically because they are so absorbed by their individual cases and by simply surviving in a foreign environment with little support. It's a privilege to be in this position where I can help to put a smile on some peoples faces and see a real improvement in mental health and overall fitness! I have Recreation & Leisure and Immigration & Asylum qualifications and have enjoyed working in both environments. I have great enthusiasm for building this project over the next few years and plan a steady ramp up to the middle of next 2011.
A fortnightly five-a-side football tournament, regular gymnasium and swimming sessions, a weekly running club, weekly youth sessions, monthly orienteering, fishing and individually- tailored activities
...are examples of what I believe are achievable by that time.
( Sports icons from Clk.com, Hope FC, Eden Project, and Wikipedia.)
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Plymouth Hope FC Football & Family Fun Day at Brickfields Saturday, 10th July 2010
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BEHIND THE LABELS... THEYRE STILL HUMAN!

A Review by Msr. Helen LAOLU-BALOGUN DCRS Project Support Worker Having been a volunteer in various capacities and a Service User (SU) for about five years, I became a DCRS Staff Member in late 2010. Whilst the experience of having been through the system and volunteering over the years both at DCRS and with Refugee Action has come in extremely useful in my new role, the closure of the Plymouth office of Refugee Action shortly after I resumed as a staff brought with it additional challenges. The workload at DCRS has become unprecedented and in line with the DCRS ethos of not turning SU away, we have certainly become overstretched. Not only this, we now have to deal with the more complicated cases and applications like the Section-4 Cases which we would normally have referred to Refugee Action. Thankfully, Ms. Agnieszka ZAMONSKI (formerly the Assistant Manager at Plymouth Refugee Action) made out the time to give us, the new DCRSC Project Support Workers, one-to-one training on Section-4 and other support issues before the closure of her organisation; and she was always a telephone call away to answer any queries. This was most helpful at the initial stages as I was so apprehensive of getting things wrong! I appreciate (maybe just too well) the implications this can have on the lives of our SU. Surprisingly, even some of the staff at Bristol Asylum Support Team pointed me in right direction when I became stuck. But as time went by, with practice and training, we are acquiring the necessary skills. It is such a relief when we get the great news of SU being granted Leave to Remain, and we know that they are at least safe and can move on with their lives. The aspect of the job that has proved practically impossible to deal with are the problems encountered by those that are said to be at the end of their claims and have acquired the dreaded three letters label: Failed Asylum Seekers. This happens when:
the UKBA says the SU has exhausted all rights to appeal, the solicitors say there is nothing more they can do, NASS Termination Letters arrive, all support ceases and SU have to leave their accommodation in a matter of days, SU say they cannot get any evidence for a fresh claim as family members will get into trouble with the authorities for trying to send documents, some go through the trouble of obtaining evidence from their countries of origin at great risk to family and friends; then this fresh evidence is turned down as not amounting to fresh claims.
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It is so difficult when due to obligation, I have to explain the options of voluntary return to individuals who are in fear of their lives or horrible human right abuses on return to their countries; and worse still, when destitute SU are told to come back in six months for a review as they are no longer eligible for the token 10 per week Red Cross Vouchers after just six weeks. While some single individuals who cannot return to their countries of origin for various reasons go underground and find ways of coping with destitution, often barely surviving from day-to-day in the most inhumane conditions, sometimes ending up at the mercy of friends or others who often take advantage of their situation. The most vulnerable, mainly families with lone mothers and their children, wait in fear and helplessness for the inevitable dawn-raids... an experience that leave victims scarred for life. Recently, a very vulnerable SU in this precarious situation asked what to do when this happens; I told her I honestly did not know. Because inasmuch as I have gone through this harrowing experience, there is nothing one can do at this particular time, not when surrounded by numerous officers... most of whom can easily pass for heavy-weight champion wrestlers because of their sheer sizes. Except for those who are fortunate enough to have competent solicitors which are becoming rarer by the day with the cuts in legal aid, dedicated supporters and above all, by Gods divine intervention, it could be a foregone conclusion. Another group are those who end up in limbo. They cannot be removed and are not granted any form of Leave to Remain. One example of this group are some of our SU from Eritrea whose cases have been refused. They lose all support and are simply left destitute. Most of these do not bother to go underground as the UK Border Agency (UKBA) do not bother to remove them. They could not apply for Section-4 Support as they do not sign up for voluntary return because they dare not to return home. Most are fleeing persecution because of their faith or to avoid mandatory military service and, for instance, the Eritrean Government is well-known for hunting down and torturing suspected draft evaders. Another example of those in limbo are those at the Kuwaiti Bidouns (stateless Arabs) whose claims have been refused. Some have signified their wish to return home; and signed up for assisted voluntary return and in receipt of Section-4 Support. It is common knowledge that a large portion of the Kuwait Bidouns were born there, but are not deemed for authorised citizenship under Kuwaiti law. Some are Bidouns simply because their male ancestor failed to file for citizenship in 1960 when Kuwait achieved independence. Most are not allowed to work or obtain a drivers license, nor are they allowed to travel because they lack any travel documents. Following the Iraqi invasion in 1991 some, who fled the country to take shelter, were not allowed back. The government issued a series of measures to force and keep them out of the country, and thousands were forced to seek asylum and 7 live in exile in any country that would take them .
http://www.demotix.com/news/621816/kuwaiti-bidoons-protest-outside-london-embassy
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According to a report by Human Rights Watch in May 2010, the Bidouns frequently cannot obtain essential state-issued documents such as marriage licenses or birth and death certificates. Refugee International stated further that adults who have managed to obtain an ID card describe the renewal process as interrogation as they try to prove that your family roots are from any other countries. Despite the above, this group of SU are required by the UKBA to obtain travel document from their embassy, but on approaching the Kuwaiti embassy in London, they told us they are turned away and warned not to return as they are not regarded as Kuwaitis. In essence, the UKBA has refused to grant them leave to remain and their country has refused to recognise them as citizens, and as such will not issue them with travel documents... another Catch-22! For those living in limbo, their lives are simply on hold; no one is sure of how long they will remain in this situation, with the uncertainties impacting negatively on their mental health and total well-being. For us at DCRC, we can only do our best to keep our SU going, although at times, the hopelessness of some situations leaves us feeling simply quite helpless. It is my dearest hope that all those who encounter and deal with this group of SU would always have it at the back of their minds that behind the label that says Failed Asylum Seekers, there is an individual person who is somebodys father, somebodys mother, somebodys brother, somebodys sister or somebodys child... they are still human!
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A Review by Mrs. Christine REID DCRS Trustee & Food Programme Coordinator Overview. Members of our Food Team steadily issued food parcels to our destitute asylum seekers throughout the year 2010. Nearly 1,600 food parcels were issued to individuals and a small number of families. Funding. We gratefully received funding from our main funder, the LankellyChase Foundation, for a further three years. Expenditure. This meant that we could keep to our Food Expenditure Budget to 640 per month. Together with the donations we received, that figure covered the expenses of our Food Programme. We still managed to keep within budget whilst giving our Service Users the same level of support throughout the year. Opportunities also arose during the year to purchase occasional Nice-to-have items. Our expenditure continued to be closely monitored week-by-week, month-by-month. Donations. The donations of food and other goodies continued to be delivered to the Centre or collected by Members of our Food Team. Donations continued to be received from schools, faith groups and other organisations, and individuals, and we are so very thankful for these as they supplement the very basic diet that we are able provide. Our annual Harvest Festival Appeal brought in extra items, including a large donation of toiletries and Nice-to-have items from the Notre Dame School and Widey Court Primary School. We have continued to build on our links with other providers, such as the Shekinah Mission and About Time. This gives DCRS the opportunity to share surplus food with one another. Fresh Produce. We were delighted to receive some fresh vegetables and fruit at Harvest time from various groups. Some of our Volunteers have allotments or gardens, and brought in some fresh fruit and some of their surplus homegrown vegetables. This gave our Service Users that little bit extra which is always appreciated. Organisation. We operated a four-day opening for the distribution of the Food Parcels. During 2010 the Centres Drop-in Days were increased from two to four and as time passed the distribution gradually started to even out over the four days. The food we purchased from the local supermarkets continued to be delivered on Tuesdays.
THE FOOD PROGRAMME
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The Food Team. We have a very hard working team of Volunteers on our Food Programme and some of Service Users also volunteer. They beaver away in the kitchen dispensing refreshments as well as preparing food parcels. The increase in DCRS Drop-in Days and the closure of the Plymouth Office of Refugee Action has meant additional demands on the Food Team but they coped admirably. And do they find it a chore to make endless cups of tea and coffee? The answer is No! Its all part of the practical support and hand of friendship that is the Masiandae Centre! The Devon & Cornwall Food Association (DCFA). In May 2010, a new charity was formed... DCFA. Its aims are twofold: To stop surplus short-date food from going to landfill which is both costly and a waste of good quality food. To help relieve some of the poverty in our community.
Spare Food is Share Food! DCRS is just one of the dozen or so charitable organisations in the Plymouth area that will benefit from the services of DCFA. Thank You! A big thank you to the members of the Food Team for all their hard work and commitment during 2010, and also to the Trustees for their continued support. Further Information. Further information regarding our Food Programme can be seen by visiting our website at: http://dcrsc1.cfsites.org/ You will find our Food Brochures there which you can download and print off required.
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THE CLOTHING STORE

A Review by Mr. John JEBB DCRS Trustee & Clothing Store Coordinator 494 Service Users visited the Clothing Store in 2010 resulting in actual issues of items rather than just browsing. The store is still only open on Mondays and Wednesdays despite the Centre being open a full five days a week. We may extend to another day if both demand and volunteer availability allow for this. We have made considerable progress in matching the demand for items within the very limited storage space available. In view of this, although we are always most grateful to all our donors, we would ask if they could provide mainly the items which are in most need, as mentioned from time to time in our monthly newsletters and Thank You letters. At present, this includes: Curtains, Duvet Covers, Mens Belts, Mens Shoes, Pillows, Towels, and Underwear in good condition.
We are also re-assembling some Rough Sleepers Kits and so the following would also be welcome:

Gloves, Scarves, and Warm Weatherproof Jackets.
We cannot usually accept electrical goods, but it is always really helpful if prospective donors telephone the Centre if they have any queries about items they may wish to donate.
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Photograph courtesy of Trish Baxter
The Staff of DCRS together with some of our Auxiliary Caseworkers on an Away Day Trip in 2010
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A Review by Mr. Martyn TYRELL DCRS Volunteer & Internet Suite Coordinator The increased offering of our DCRS services has meant that over the past year the Internet Suite has become a more frequently available facility. In the course of the year we have increased our opening hours from two mornings to five mornings a week. So it has been a year of much change. Our Internet Suite opens during the regular Centre drop-in hours. This means that it is available for three hours a day and is supervised by volunteers each day. We have four desktop computers offering broadband internet access in the downstairs room of our Centre. As there can be over twenty people seeking to use the Internet Suite during the opening hours of the busiest days, we do have times when people are queuing to use a computer. We aim to ensure everyone gets access in turn by limiting the duration of individual sessions to 30 minutes at peak times. This system works well and has also created opportunities while people are waiting for a computer session, to chat with volunteers and play various board games such as backgammon, or even work on completing a 1,000 piece puzzle! Apart from the busiest moments, often found on Mondays, our Service Users get access to the computers with little delay and enjoy the chance to check emails, read news, browse web pages and most popular of all, watch video from their country of origin. For many of the people who come to our Centre for help, there are significant language barriers in their everyday lives amongst us. The internet access gives them a chance to reach culture, news and entertainment in their first language. Some will read web pages in their first language; others will watch news clips or music videos. Email is an important service that we all rely on and the internet service enables many people to check their emails and keep in contact with friends and family that way. Naturally enough, mainstream English news services are limited in their coverage of most of the world news, so the internet is often the only medium that enables people to find out detailed news of what is happening in other continents. During the past year we have introduced the use of headphones with disposable hygienic covers. This has allowed people to listen to their own music of choice without competing volume levels with their neighbour. Overall this has been a positive change and the quality of experience listening to music delivered via the headphones is higher than the previous arrangement of using desktop speakers. The layout of the room has been changing as the potential uses of the room develop. What was known as the stage-end of the room was developed into the area for the computers during the course of the year. This step of moving the computers to the end of the room has opened up the large floor area for other uses. With new plans and funding to increase the number of computers and to refurbish the downstairs room, 2011 should see an even better Internet Suite available for use.
THE INTERNET SUITE
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It is thanks to the large number of volunteers that have helped over the course of the year that this service has not only been able to continue, but to increase to five days a week. Thank you to those of you who have given your gift of time and effort to help each day. From what I have witnessed in our Internet Suite, this has been making a very big difference to the lives of the people who rely on and benefit from the internet access at DCRS.
INTERNET USE IN 2010 A GLOBAL VIEW! In 2010 over 51 million people in the UK were using internet access. This is approximately 83% of the population. How does this compare with some other areas of the world? The number of people estimated to be using the internet:
Middle East: 63 million or 30% of the regions population. The country with highest percentage of its population using the internet is Bahrain where 88% of people use the internet. The lowest is Yemen where just over 1% of people use the internet. Africa: 111 million or 11% of the regions population. The country with highest percentage of its population using the internet is Tunisia with 34% of people use the internet. The lowest is Sierra Leone with just 0.3% of people use the internet. Asia: 825 million or 22% of the regions population. The country with highest percentage of its population using the internet is South Korea with 81% of people use the internet. The lowest is Myanmar (formerly Burma) with just 0.2% of people use the internet.
Source: InternetWorldStats.com; US Census Bureau, International Telecommunications union.
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THE RECEPTION DESK

A Review by Mr. John JEBB DCRS Trustee & Triage Coordinator This has become a very effective operation thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers who represent the first point of contact within the Centre. This is far from a low key role as it frequently involves: Multi-tasking, Signing-in new arrivals, Answering the telephone, Issuing Clothing Store and Internet Suite tickets, often, seemingly, all at the same time! Thank you to all our Volunteers!
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THE DCRS WEBSITE

A Review by Kanda P. The DCRS Webmaster Its been a few years since I was invited to volunteer to produce and run the DCRS website. Im really honoured and Im quite content to work away quietly in the background. As you may have known I started out as an amateur with somewhat limited know-how in webpagemaking. Thanks to this opportunity Ive gained so much confidence in the basic tasks. My love for the technicalities of the web and my belief in what DCRS is trying to achieve for mankind, and its community, keeps me continuing in this volunteer role. However, as a completely self-taught webpage-tweaker who only started to learn all the web and graphic technicalities just a few years ago from a near-zero experience... my work for DCRS isnt as smart as those produced by the real professionals! Friends and Supporters should know that were not paying for our DCRS website, indeed, you should also know that theres been absolutely no monetary expenses on my part at all! Thanks to cfsites.org, webs.com, photobucket.com, Scribd.com, MediaFire.com, slideshare.net, and etc., for the free space on the internet! If anyone has any suggestions or comments regarding our website then do please feel free to inform the DCRS Newsletter Editor who will pass them on to me.
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THE BIG LOTTERY

A Review by Mr. John SHINNER DCRS Trustee & Project Director The award of nearly 400,000 from the Big Lottery Fund over a four-year period was an enormous encouragement to DCRS. There are serious responsibilities that come with it however, and principally these are regular reporting to them of our progress against a list of targets and outcomes that DCRS is expected to meet and matching their funding to support the work already in place before we received the award. In November 2010, we received a visit from our Big Lottery contact, Mr. Paul RIDLEY, to review our work over the first six months. He was encouraged by the progress we had made but there were still a number of questions that needed to be addressed... largely about our part of the financial commitment. In December 2010 we were able to supply him with the answers he needed. In March 2011 we undertook a telephone conference at the nine-month point of our contract. In preparation we had sent details of the present financial situation and a detailed description of our position against targets and outcomes. Normally the conference should last between thirty and forty minutes but having read our submissions Paul stated that we had answered already most of the questions he intended to ask. Our conversation centred on our Sports & Leisure 8 activities because Paul is at his happiest in the great outdoors! He was delighted with Ellis's plans for camping on Dartmoor, orienteering and family activities at the beach. Paul was also pleased to 9 learn that Irena and Helen were well on the way to achieving their OISC Level-1 status 10 and that Jo HIGSON's plans for language classes and one-to-one sessions were progressing well. All-in-all Paul wanted to congratulate DCRS on a unique experience for him in that he had never received such a comprehensive and positive report from a charitable organisation such as ours.
8 9
Ellis RANSOM is our Sports & Activities Coordinator. Irene ONIONS and Helen LALOU-BALOGUN are two of our Project Support Workers. 10 Joanne HIGSON is our Training & Outreach Coordinator.
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Volunteers and Staff at DCRS:

Left: Bethany BUCK preparing a display for Awareness Raising
Photographs courtesy of Trish Baxter
Middle-left : David FEINDUONO, Theresa (Italian Placement from Tell-us), Tom BANNAN; Middle-right : Helen LALOU-BALOGUN and Irena, happy newly appointed PSWs;
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WHY I STILL CARE... AND WORK!

A Special Article by Dr. Penelope KEY, A Founder DCRS Trustee... and still working! Many friends and relations tell me it is time that I resigned from my DCRS responsibilities. I am old and not in good health. I was Chair of the Board of Trustees for a long term and handed that job over into the capable hands of Lorna SEWELL. She too has been involved from the beginning. But we both care enough to persist. Because we care! When I feel I cant do more, then I see Sams smiling face Sam KALLON our Founder, who died so sadly, so young, and so sincere about the plight of the incomers asylum seekers, migrants, refugees whatever you name them. I am proud that we have kept alive our Masiandae Centre in Plymouth. You can read the numbers of people... our neighbours... who seek us out and rely on our staff and volunteers to love them and help them. I remember the first small room where I watched and listened to Sam as he held out his hand to all comers right through the day. Sams grave has a picture of his handshake, symbolising the sort of person he was, and what he wants all of us to be in his name and through our Centre which he started with his wife and daughter. The Refugee Council reminds us that 2011 is the 60 Anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, the international treaty which guarantees the rights of refugees. The Refugee Convention has saved countless lives and no country has ever withdrawn from it. 2011 also marks 60 years of the Refugee Council and despite through the lack of funding support, they're determined to celebrate this anniversary in style! Refugee protection is part of our national history and is something that the UK should take pride in. We want the British Government to know that were proud to protect refugees. Refugees are people who simply want safety... something that we all take for granted... and we must always be prepared to welcome them. Countless good people in Devon and Cornwall have worked through these last years at providing our new neighbours with smiles and handshakes, food and clothes; even at times a place to sleep. I want to do more than I have done yet. I am getting old and cant walk... but I can still smile, shake hands and provide a listening ear!
Editorial Note: Please see the next article that gives information on the Founding of the Masiandae Centre and a picture of Sam.
th
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Thank you!
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THE FOUNDING OF THE MASIANDAE CENTRE

A Special Article by Mr. Geoffrey N. Read A DCRS Trustee & Newsletter Editor
DCRSC was started by a group of refugees and local community members in 1999 with the purpose of providing assistance to refugees and asylum seekers (ASR) in Devon and Cornwall. DCRSC endeavours to ensure that ASR enjoy the full benefit of their entitlements under UK and International Law. It aims to provide a culturally sensitive practical response to the needs of the refugee community. Samuel Moinina KALLON founded DCRSC in 1999 together with his wife Sarah. He named and opened the Masiandae 11 Centre as a safe place for ASR and black and minority ethnic people to meet in Plymouth. He was the first Project Coordinator of DCRSC, and as such, he became well known and loved throughout both the black and white communities in Plymouth.
(Photograph courtesy of Dr. Penelope Key)
Sadly, Sam died on 26th April 2002 aged 39 years but DCRSC is committed in continuing to run the Masiandae Centre as a memorial to Sam and his devoted work. The following is an extract taken from the local press at that time: SAMUEL MOININA KALLON, one of Plymouth's most influential refugee support workers, has died at the age of 39. Mr. KALLON was the founder of the Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support Council and worked in the Masiandae Centre based in Wesley Methodist Church.
11
Masiandae comes from Sams tribal language in Sierra Leone, of which there are many, and means Lets Help One Another.
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DCRS Annual Review 2010 Vice-chairman of the Support Council, Mrs. Lorna SEWELL said: "Samuel KALLON was a person who felt very deeply about the plight of asylum seekers and refugees, as he was one of them. He was a very gifted man who spoke six languages, as well as being a qualified professional in his own country. All his friends and colleagues are saddened by his death... In a book of condolence at the church one of his friends has written in tribute to Mr. KALLON: "Sam, you were our help and our big brother. You did for me so many things.' Mr. KALLON had said he found the work in Plymouth rewarding and that he was happy that the community was growing well.
Picture shows the exterior of the Masiandae Centre
(Photograph courtesy of Dr. Penelope Key)
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ANNUAL AWARDS
A Review by Mr. John SHINNER DCRS Trustee & Project Director The following short report may be an embarrassment to those mentioned, including the Editor of the DCRS monthly Newsletters and this Annual Review! However, I believe the following is worth recording. In the past six years, five of our Staff Members and Volunteers have received major local awards for the work that they have undertaken in the voluntary sector. DCRS has provided three winners in successive years of the Sam KALLON Memorial Trophy honouring work with Asylum Seekers and Refugees in our City. Isatta KALLON, Sam's wife and one of our Trustees, was the first to receive it followed by Trish 12 13 BAXTER and Helen LALOU-BALOGUN who was a DCRS Volunteer is now a valued Staff Member. This was followed by David FEINDOUNOs award of the trophy given to the volunteer of the year for their contribution to Sports & Leisure. In addition to being a Founder Member and Company Secretary of the recently incorporated Devon & Cornwall Food Association, Geoff READ, a DCRS Trustee and Communications Coordinator, was a recipient of one of the Plymouth Herald and First Devon & Cornwalls Gold Star Awards in 2010. Finally, just so that grass doesn't grow under his feet Geoff has set up a charitable support group, the Plymouth Laryngectomy Club, to help those suffering or who have suffered, from throat cancer! Congratulations to all! What a remarkable group of Staff and Volunteers with which DCRS is blessed!
Gold Star Award

I work as part of a team (DCRS) so Ill accept it on behalf of that team."
12 13
TrIsh is our Lead Project Support Worker. Helen is a Project Support Worker.
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Award Winners
Photographs: top row - courtesy of Trish BAXTER, bottom rows - from The Herald
Top:
Isatta KALLON, Trish BAXTER, Helen LALOU-BALOGUN
Bottom: Geoff READ, David FEINDOUNO
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A FINANCIAL STATEMENT14
Compiled by Ms. Svetlana STOUPNIKOV DCRS Trustee & Treasurer INCOME Balance brought forward from 2009 Big Lottery Fund Migration Impact Fund General donations received Anonymous donations received Hilden Charity Trust The LankellyChase Foundation Lloyds TSB Foundation for England & Wales Plymouth City Council Plymouth Diocese Reimbursements & Other Funding Investment Income J Franklin Fund Frank Pleske Fund 35,031 56,320 6,000 12,352 10,000 4,500 10,000 8,000 10,921 1,500 8,758 167 500 1,920 EXPENDITURE Staff costs Recruitment Staff expenses Rent rates Utilities Office expenses Equipment & stationery Food Programme Telephones & fax services Volunteer Expenses Training Insurance th AGM & 10 Anniversary costs Service User Relief Repairs & Renewals Travel costs for Service Users Photocopier rental Miscellaneous small programmes Postage Health & Safety Other expenses TOTAL: Balance carried Forward: 58,048 1,435 1,184 8,139 4,110 440 2,318 6,744 2,571 1,354 642 1,009 22 2,961 1,036 6,465 1,330 1,503 725 1,018 204 103,258 62,711
TOTAL:
130,938
14
DCRS Annual Accounts are independently audited in accordance with current Charity Comm ission guidelines. Copies of the complete accounts are available upon request.
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A FINANCIAL REVIEW
A Review by Ms. Svetlana STOUPNIKOV DCRS Trustee & Treasurer I am very pleased to present the Financial Review for 2010. The Auditor's Report on the Annual Accounts for 2010 are contained in a separate document and can be obtained on application to DCRS. However, a Financial Statement is given on the preceding page. We can report that the finances of the DCRS are sound. Once again we are extremely grateful to receive grants and donations to support our work. DCRS needs regular funding in order to operate effectively and I would like to record my personal appreciation to our funders and those individuals who have given their financial support. A list of or funders for 2010 is shown on the following pages. Without their generous support we could not have provided the services we have. General donations from faith group; organisations and individuals were 14,283 2010. Over the past few years DCRS has had considerable financial support from the Lankelly Chase Foundation to run its Food Programme. The Food Programme has been running effectively since 2005. I would like to sincerely thank all those corporate and individual donors who supported and helped DCRS during the year by providing food and monetary donations to support those service users in need. In 2010 we received funding from the Big Lottery Fund and from a new project Community Engagement Project to expand our activity and provide more effective and comprehensive service for asylum seekers. The grant allowed us to employ four new members of staff... two Project Support Workers, a Training & Outreach Coordinator, and a Sport & Outreach Coordinator. Our finances are divided into two basic business functions, Restricted Funding and Unrestricted Funding; which means that some funds arrive with conditions imposed upon their use (restricted) and some without set conditions (unrestricted). Our total income in 2010 amounted to 130.938 compared to 71,438 in 2009. Our total expenditure in 2010 was 103,258 compared with 82,907 2009.
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Our receipts from funding are divided into two broad headings: Restricted Funds are funds meant for specific projects or activities which are declared by the donors. The total Restricted Funds in 2010 were 89,191. Unrestricted Funds are donations that are available for DCRS to use towards any purpose. The total Unrestricted Funds in 2010 were 41,747.
During 2010 DCRS received income from grants towards the costs of certain activities. DCRS also relied on voluntary income to fund our work and to enable investment in the maintenance of our current work and the development of new initiatives and activities. As a result, we believe that DCRS is in control of its spending, ensures priorities are addressed, takes advantage of opportunities to improve services as they present themselves, and strives to improve services for our service users. As a result of the efforts of the DCRS Staff and its Board of Trustees, DCRS is convinced that it is well-placed to continue to meet the opportunities and challenges that the future undoubtedly holds. Numerous funding applications have been submitted for 2011 and DCRS has already been successful with the J. Paul Getty Jnr. Charitable Trust (a grant for three years). DCRS is optimistic in its hope to reach relative financial stability. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the tremendous generosity of all our staff members, supporters and volunteers as well as the outstanding efforts of our Trustees who have been involved in our fundraising efforts, either directly or indirectly. Thank you all!
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FUNDERS
DCRS is currently funded by .
J. Franklin Frank Pleske Trust Fund
and Voluntary Donations.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Our grateful thanks to :
ROUTEWAYS (http://www.routeways.org.uk/)
THE PLYMOUTH DIOCESE (http://www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk/)
for their assistance in reproducing copies of this review.
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STAFF, TRUSTEES & OTHER VOLUNTEERS

BOARD OF TRUSTEES15 Mrs. Lorna M. SEWELL Chair Miss. Elizabeth A. HARDINGE, MBE Personnel Coordinator (Staff & Volunteers) Dr. Penelope KEY, OBE, MSc, MBBS Fundraising Sub-committee Coordinator Mr. John JEBB Triage Coordinator & Clothing Store Coordinator Mrs. Christine REID Food Programme Coordinator Mr. Colin G. STARES Auxiliary Project Support Worker & Fundraiser Mr. Arnold MELHUISH Vice-Chair & Secretary Mrs. Isatta (Sarah) KALLON Trustee Ms. Svetlana STOUPNIKOV Treasurer Mr. Geoffrey N. READ, MCIM Newsletter Editor & Annual Review Editor Mr. John SHINNER Project Director & Assistant Treasurer Ms. Lucy BECKWITH Co-opted Member to the Board
15
All Trustees are Volunteers.
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STAFF16 Mrs. Patricia BAXTER Lead Project Support Worker Ms. Sophie JOYCE Assistant Administrator (until March 2010) Mr. Ellis RANSOM Sports & Activities Coordinator (since November 2010) Ms. Irene ONIONS Project Support Worker (since August 2010) Mrs. Patricia A.M. JOYCE Administrator & Finance Officer (until July 2010) & Project Support Worker Mrs. Helen LALOU-BALOGUN Project Support Worker (since August 2010) Ms. Joanne (Jo) HIGSON Training & Outreach Coordinator (since December 2010) Mr. Robert NEWELL Administrator & Finance Officer (since July 2010)
VOLUNTEERS WITH DESIGNATED RESPONSIBILITIES Mrs. Aferdital ALIMADHI Assistant Food Programme Coordinator Mr. David FEINDOUNO Auxiliary Caseworker Mrs. Kanda PHATIPATANAWONG Webmaster Mr. William (Bill) BUDGE Activities Group Coordinator (until November 2010) Mr. Martyn TYRELL Internet Suite Supervisor
16
All Staff are paid, part-time.
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DCRS CONTACT DETAILS
Address: Telephone: Facsimile: Email: Website: Registered Company No. Registered Charity No. OISC Exemption No.
7 Whimple Street, Plymouth, PL1 2DH, Devon (01752) 265952 0870 762 6228 dcrsc@btopenworld.com http://dcrsc1.cfsites.org 06271122 1130360 N200100427
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DCRS Annual Review 2010

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DCRS Annual Review 2010

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DEVON & CORNWALL REFUGEE SUPPORT COMPANY LIMITED

A private company limited by guarantee

ANNUAL REVIEW 2010