Leeds Refugee Forum

Conversation Classes

Leeds Refugee Forum drop in conversation class for refugees and asylum seekers, at One Community Centre: you are welcome to attend their conversation class, whatever your levels of English. The class is informal and happens on a Wednesday afternoon from 3 until 5pm.

A Collective Voice for Refugees

LASSN supports and enables the development of Leeds Refugee Forum (LRF) to provide a collective voice of Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) in Leeds. LASSN is working to strengthen the forum to assist with refugee integration and community cohesion in Leeds. For further information on the forum, visit http://leedsrefugeeforum.org.uk/ or phone 0113 244 9600.

Identity and Integration

RCOs enable refugees and asylum seekers to keep their sense of identity and culture and to offer support with integrating into the UK way of life.

One Community Centre

LRF operates from One Community Centre (OCC) in Lincoln Green. As well as an office base for the forum, RCOs use the OCC for meetings, cultural activities, English conversation classes, information and support. The forum also works on activities that enhance community cohesion activities in the Lincoln Green area.

Refugee Community Organisations

Research into the development needs of refugee communities in Leeds, Bradford & South Yorkshire demonstrates that Refugee Community Organisations offer a wide range of services and a huge amount of support to individuals going through the asylum system.

The research found four issues to be the most significant to refugee communities:

1. Destitution among refused asylum seekers. RCOs are filling the void left by the withdrawal of state support for refused asylum seekers. RCOs state that supporting members of the community who are destitute is an extremely important responsibility, but also very taxing both emotionally and in terms of community resources.

2. Inadequate legal representation. Since the reduction in legal aid, most lawyers have ceased to provide immigration and asylum services, which leaves many asylum seekers without legal representation.

3. Education for both children and adults. Overcoming differences in language and understanding of how the UK education and employment systems work are critical to facilitating employment and social integration.

4. Addressing cultural differences between refugee and host communities, and among refugee communities themselves, emerged as the fourth most pressing concern.

Click here to download the executive summary of the Research