Following a meeting of appropriate community partners, a Dumfries and Galloway Refugee Project Team is being established. This will involve a broad range of organisations and agencies, all of which have a contribution to make to the resettlement of refugee families.
Council Leader Ronnie Nicholson said, “We want Dumfries and Galloway to play its part in hosting refugee families coming to Scotland. Our discussions with the Home Office and through the National Syrian Resettlement Group have identified that we’re likely to receive around 20 families over the five year programme. Although this is relatively modest over the length of time, from a positive point of view, it does enable us to ensure that their arrival will be supported as part of the ongoing life of our communities and their access to services will be as local residents.
“The meeting of local groups involved in tackling the refugee crisis discussed a range of issues, particularly support with housing, health, community and language. The group noted that financial support from the Home Office would cover the direct costs of hosting the families here.
“An important aspect of our approach is for the main support for refugee families to come from neighbours and friends around their new homes, not from the Council or other agencies. So, we’re really pleased with the offers of support from local groups and the Scottish Refugee Council’s ‘Scotlandwelcomesrefugees’ programme. This support will focus on furnishing homes, providing suitable clothing, and settling families into the community as they find their way round schools, GPs, Job Centres, and other services.
“Members of our local project team are participating in a number of national initiatives to ensure that we can tap into the expertise and use the materials available from other areas that already have experience in hosting refugees.
“We have an opportunity to provide safe new lives for people who have suffered unimaginable trauma in Syria, including torture, violence and persecution. They had ordinary lives before the war in their country and we want to help them get back to normal lives. By hosting Syrians here we will enhance the diversity of our region and find willing contributors to our job markets and community life.”
The organisations and agencies involved in facilitating local community assistance in settling refugee families includes Dumfries and Galloway Refugee Action and Dumfries and Galloway Multicultural Association.
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