New Scots: Refugee Integration in Scotland – Engagement
Feedback updated 6 Jul 2018
We asked
People across Scotland to let us know what they think is important to support refugees, asylum seekers and our communities. We needed this information to inform the development of Scotland’s second New Scots refugee integration strategy.
You said
We received 94 responses, most of which were based on community or stakeholder engagement events.
These responses captured the views of over 2,000 people, including over 700 refugees and asylum seekers.
An engagement analysis report highlights the themes which were raised most often. These were: Communities, Culture and Social Connections; Language; Health and Wellbeing; and Employability and Welfare Rights.
We did
On 8 January 2018 we published the New Scots: Refugee integration strategy 2018 to 2022.
The strategy’s vision is for a welcoming Scotland where refugees and asylum seekers are able to rebuild their lives from the day they arrive. The strategy includes a range of action across seven themes. The actions in the strategy were informed by the engagement responses we received.
Overview
Scotland has a long history of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers from all over the world. We want Scotland to continue to be a welcoming nation and to support refugees, asylum seekers and the communities they settle in, to enable everyone to be active participants in our society.
Our first New Scots refugee integration strategy ran from 2014 to 2017. A final report on the progress made is available online: www.gov.scot/newscotsfinalreport.
The Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council are working to develop a new refugee integration strategy for Scotland. We want to hear the views of a wide range of organisations, groups and individuals with an interest in refugee integration to inform the new strategy.
To do this, we are encouraging people and organisations across Scotland to hold engagement events to talk about what should be in the new strategy. You can download a facilitation guide to help you plan an event.
We recommend that you hold your event by 7 September to give enough time to write up and submit your feedback by the engagement close of 15 September.
Feedback needs to be submitted in English, however events can be run in any language as long as responses can be translated. To help facilitators, translations of the engagement questions are available to download in six languages spoken by refugees living in Scotland.
All of the engagement feedback will be shared with COSLA, the Scottish Refugee Council and New Scots partners to help develop a new refugee integration strategy which will run to the year 2020.
While participants are asked to be aspirational about the change they would like to see by 2020, please bear in mind that New Scots is a Scottish strategy and that some issues which affect refugees and asylum seekers are reserved to the UK Government. All suggestions submitted will be noted, unfortunately it will not be possible for the strategy to address issues which are outside the scope of the Scottish Government, Scottish local authorities and other Scottish organisations.
Support may be available to help community groups and small charities to hold an engagement event. If you are interested in holding an event but would need assistance please contact the Scottish Refugee Council’s Community Development team, more information is available on the Scottish Refugee Council website
Interests
- Equality, Welfare and Rights
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