Wales Refugee Resettlement Coordinator
Role
The Refugee Resettlement Coordinator leads on the Wales-wide coordination of the UK Government resettlement schemes and community sponsorship, acting as a single point of contact for the Home office, councils, voluntary and community sector and other partners.
UK Government Resettlement Schemes
The Vulnerable Persons’ Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) was launched in January 2014 as the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. In September 2015 the scheme was expanded to resettle 20,000 refugees. In July 2017 the scope of the scheme was expanded to include other refugees who have fled Syria but do not have Syrian nationality.
The Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS) was announced in April 2016, with the aim of resettling 3,000 vulnerable refugee children and their families from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Region.
Community Sponsorship was launched in 2016 as part of the Government’s commitment to resettle the most vulnerable refugees in the UK. Community groups and civil society organisations work with councils to make a formal application to the Home Office to sponsor a family to resettle in the UK.
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), announced by the UK Government in June 2019, and commenced in 2021 following the completed pledge of 20,000 VPRS arrivals, consolidated the existing VPRS, VCRS and Gateway Protection Programme and reaffirms the UK's ongoing commitment to refugee resettlement. Under the UKRS, the UK will continue to offer a safe and legal route to vulnerable refugees in need of protection. The government makes funding available to allow councils, healthcare providers and community sponsors to support refugees for the duration of the scheme (currently up to 5 years).
The Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy Scheme (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021 and replaces the former Afghan Locally Employed Staff (LES) ex-gratia scheme. The original hope was to resettle 3,000 people but Operation Pitting saw larger numbers arriving in the UK as part of the mass evacuation from Kabul. In addition to the ARAP scheme, the UK Government announced that the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will aim to resettle 20,000 Afghans over the long-term, of which 5,000 will be resettled in the first year.
Wales Strategic Migration Partnership's role in Afghan resettlement programmes
The WSMP are promoting the Afghan resettlement schemes amongst local councils, securing the support of political leaders and Chief Executives and resolving concerns and questions from councils and other organisations on how the scheme works and resolving operational problems. The main issue in maintaining the momentum on resettlement is finding sufficient family houses. If you have accommodation that can be offered to families from Afghanistan, please contact Emma-Louise Maher, Refugee Resettlement Officer on emma.maher@wlga.gov.uk.
For more information contact: Emma Maher - Refugee Resettlement Coordinator
Contact
07787 558244