Projects - Community Interpretation
Project
Refugee Week 2007 - On the 23rd June the
North of England Refugee Service held its second annual event
to celebrate the national initiative of Refugee Week. Unfortunately,
the Saturday of this year’s Refugee Week just so happened
to fall on the rainiest day of the year, leaving all attendees
damp and cowering under the protection of the nearest shelter.
However, despite the rain the event was anything but a washout.
Hundreds of people still came along to the event, witnessing
giant birds, African drummers, gypsy and belly dancers, Magicians
and a Fire Breather. People throughout Sunderland, from both
the host and refugee community, had a fun day in an environment
that celebrated and promoted tolerance and different cultures.
 EAGLE
F.C. - The CIP and YIP Projects are currently working
with EAGLE F.C., a promising football team in South Tyneside
whose members range from the refugee and local community.
This group are training regularly and looking towards entering
a league in the near future.
The group usually meet on a Monday evening, if you are interested
in joining the training then please contact Richard Waggott
or Jay Arnott on: 0191 5108685, alternatively you can email
either on the following links: Richard Waggott or Jay Arnott.
Women’s Group -  The
CIP project, working with other members of staff in the North
of England Refugee Service, has recently reformed Sunderland’s
Women’s Group. The group serves as a great opportunity to
meet new people from different cultures, practice English, and
join in with lots of fun activities.
 The
group have recently taken part in an arts project to design and
carve cultural images into brickwork which will eventually be
displayed in the ETEC Centre in Sunderland. The ‘People’s
Wall’ project is an integrated arts project organised and
run by community artist Josephine Taggart.
The Women’s Group meets at the Minster Church in Sunderland
every Monday morning at 10am. If you are interested in attending
please contact Richard Waggott on 0191 5108685.
 My
World Project - The Community Integration Project recently
completed an arts project with community artist Josie Taggart
called the My World Project. The project worked with women from
both the host and refugee community in Sunderland, offering them
the opportunity to explore their cultural heritage through art.
The project reached more than 40 people over the 2 months it ran,
helping build bridges between people the refugee and host community
and offering people from different backgrounds and cultures the
opportunity to meet and interact in a friendly and fun environment.
The project was a great success and produced some impressive artwork
which has been on display at both Sunderland City Library and
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.
CIP would like to thank Josie Taggart, Ian Hall, Nicola Maxwell,
Alyson Stoker and Julie Honey for their work on this project.
Sunderland Football Group - Currently the
CIP project is running a football group in partnership with
the Youth Integration Project. The group meets every week on
Wednesday afternoons at Sans Street Community Centre. The group
is free of charge and is open to anyone aged between 16 and
25.
If you would like to attend or just come along to meet new
people then please ring either Richard Waggott or Jay Arnott
on 0191 5108685.
Awareness Raising Training - Do you know the
difference between an Asylum Seeker and a Refugee? Do you know
why people seek asylum? Do you know how many Asylum Seekers
there are in the UK?
The Community Integration Project provides free myth busting
training to community groups and organisations interested in
learning more about the true issues regarding Asylum Seekers
and Refugees in the UK.
If you are interested in learning more about this training
then please contact Richard Waggott on 0191 5108685.
What is the Community Integration Project
The North of England Refugee Service’s Community Integration
project helps facilitate the settlement of refugees and asylum
seekers in the North East. Established in May 2004, CIP is funded
by the Community Fund and Northern Rock Foundation. It is our
aim to provide a range of services which will help asylum seekers
and refugees comfortably settle into life in the North East.
What we do
Integration interviews
Our team offers in-depth one-to-one integration needs assessments.
Providing information on local services and local activities,
as well as helping provide access to ESOL (English for Speakers
of Other Languages) and college courses.
Volunteering
Working with the NERS volunteer coordinator and agencies throughout
the North East to open doors to community volunteering.
Projects
Bring together the local and refugee communities through community
based activities and events.
Awareness Raising
Our awareness raising training offers an alternative representation
of the asylum situation in the UK, challenging misconceptions
and explaining the true issues facing asylum seekers and refugees.
Past Activities
Sunderland Christmas Party
In December 2005 CIP and the Sunderland African Refugee Community
Organisation held an event celebrating Christmas and the diversity
of today’s Sunderland. The event had African music, food
and family entertainment, and was enjoyed by almost one hundred
residents, both local and international.
Refugee Week 2006 - On June 24th the CIP project
and NERS worked with several agencies in the borough to organise
a large event celebrating Refugee Week in Sunderland. The event
was held in Mowbray Park and Sunderland Museum and included
both fire breathers, stilt walkers, African and gypsy dancers,
musicians from around the world and many more activities for
everyone in the family to enjoy. The celebration of different
cultures was a great way of promoting integration, attracting
over 1,500 people and being widely publicised in the local press.
Wood Carving Project
CIP recently worked in partnership with Sunderland Museum and
Winter Gardens to hold a wood carving workshop. This offered
members from the local and refugee community expert tutelage
in the difficult art of wood carving. The classes held at Sunderland
Library event were a great success, with members of the local
and international communities socialising in an informal and
fun atmosphere. There were also some great pieces crafted by
the members of the group which are currently on display at the
Sunderland Museum and Winter gardens.
Refugee Week 2006
On June 24th the CIP project and NERS worked with several agencies
in the borough to organise a large event celebrating Refugee
Week in Sunderland. The event was held in Mowbray Park and Sunderland
Museum and included both fire breathers, stilt walkers, African
and gypsy dancers, musicians from around the world and many
more activities for everyone in the family to enjoy. The celebration
of different cultures was a great way of promoting integration,
attracting over 1,500 people and being widely publicised in
the local press.
If you are interested in learning more about the project please
contact project worker Richard Waggott for Sunderland:
Tel: 0191 510 8685
Mobile: 07835102843
Email: ricw@refugee.org.uk
|
