Asylum housing: A community study day

***This event is FREE but please register so we can order enough food!***

From barracks to barges to hotels, the housing of people who are awaiting a decision on their asylum application has been front page news in recent years. This comes off the back of two decades of change in asylum housing provision which saw privatisation and national dispersal. This community study day brings together a range of interested people -including people who live in asylum housing, academics, NGOs, activists, local authorities, and housing experts to learn together from different perspectives about asylum housing. If you are interested to learn more about asylum housing, then this study day is for you. 

All are welcome on this day of education. The schedule for the day is below. 

09.30-10.00 Coffee and arrival

10.00-10.10 Welcome - Lucy Mayblin, Sheffield Migration Research Group

10.10-11.00  Lecture and quiz - Professor Jonny Darling, University of Durham.

How has asylum housing changed over time, how are private companies involved, and what is the national picture now?

11.00-12.00  Panel discussion - Chaired by Melinda Mo Martinez, Sheffield City of Sanctuary and including local experts by experience

What are people’s lived experiences of asylum housing?  What is the local situation in Sheffield?

12.00-12.15 Flash facts and jargon buster: The current policy context, Leon Elliott, NACCOM & Pious Nyandoro ASSIST

A pre lunch jargon buster to help us understand all of the confusing lingo around asylum accommodation!

12.00-13.00 Lunch

13.00-14.00 Exploring the alternatives 

It doesn’t have to be this way: What are the alternatives?

• Asylum accommodation in our communities: Welcoming new arrivals (Finn McKay, NACCOM)

• Marley Morris, presenting IPPR’s proposals for a revisioned system.

14.00-15.00  Workshop Tom MacPherson (NACCOM) 

Destitution and homelessness. How are communities and organisations work/ing on housing models for people with different statuses, not eligible for asylum accommodation? 

15.00-15.15 Comfort break

15.15-15.45 Your Questions answered

All of our speakers from across the day will answer your burning questions 

We will share an education pack in advance of the day.