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Hear from our Strategy Director, Emma Harrison, on what safe routes are currently available for refugees to come to the UK.
As the Home Secretary and Prime Minister announce a new Bill to prevent people from seeking asylum if they arrive on a small boat, we have been considering what options people have if they are to arrive safely.
You might read that there are no safe routes for asylum seekers. This is not entirely correct, however there are very few legitimate routes to safety and nearly all those routes are for very specific groups, with some almost impossible to access. These are the following ways that refugees can seek sanctuary in the UK:
Some of these are clear and well-known routes; Reset has been working hard to resettle people through the Homes for Ukraine scheme (and we still need more hosts, so if you are interested, check out the process!)
Obviously, Community Sponsorship is at the heart of our work and is the companion programme to the United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme. We know that Community Sponsorship can take time, effort and partnership to welcome a family through this route, but we are here every step of the way if you want to form a sponsorship group.
Other schemes might not be as familiar, we’ve put together this presentation to explain the routes and will add to it if new schemes become available. If we have missed any route, let us know! As you will see from the presentation, the situation is complex.
While we believe that these schemes are helpful and that we should have ambitious targets for resettlement, they cannot be a replacement for a fully functioning, fair asylum process.
It’s important to remember that what almost everyone can agree on is that the best way of resettling people is through schemes that are led by local communities. Perhaps you’re not able to start your own Community Sponsorship group right now, but you play a significant and important role by helping us spread the word. Together we can make a difference.
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Read all news and insight from our initiatives
See coverage of Reset UK in the press and media
Find out how Community Sponsorship helps refugee families in need build a new life in the UK with confidence and dignity.
How do I sponsor a refugee family? How does the process work? Reset is here to support you every step of the way.
We’ve designed toolkits to make it easy for you if you’re involved as a lead sponsor or a local authority.
Wherever you are on the fulfilling and thrilling journey through Community Sponsorship, we have training courses, videos, articles and more, all designed to help your group and the family you support.
From drop-in sessions to UK-wide networking events, we bring together people and professionals involved in all stages of the Community Sponsorship journey.
Make a direct difference in the world by getting involved with your nearest Community Sponsorship group – or starting one up yourself!
Make an extraordinary difference to the lives of people who have lost everything by signing up to our (free) Landlords for Refugees register.
Not everyone can donate their time, so if you are choosing to donate money today instead or as well as, thank you. Your generosity is vital to the work we do support community-led welcome of refugees.
Help others by sharing your account. Why were you attracted to community-led welcome? What worked, what did you learn, what has the experience been like for you?
Reset empowers volunteers to welcome refugees into communities across the UK. Find out about us and the kinds of programmes we’ve been involved with.
Research, monitoring and evaluation are essential for making evidence-based decisions that will support Community Sponsorship to grow and flourish.
Sponsoring a refugee family is a significant responsibility. We advocate for Community Sponsors to ensure that they are properly supported throughout their journey.
Our advocacy focuses on representing the views of Community Sponsors to the Home Office to support them in implementing the necessary operational changes.
We also represent the views of Community Sponsors to other key stakeholders, including Local Authorities, international organisations, the wider resettlement field, housing providers and financial institutions. We also use our voice to campaign on policies affecting refugees. We are members of the Together With Refugees coalition, campaigning for a more humane approach to people seeking protection in the UK.
