Here are the origins and purpose of the communities, culture and creativity theme of the New Scots Edinburgh Refugee Integration Strategy:
- Development of the New Scots Edinburgh Refugee Integration Strategy started this past year and is an ongoing, evolutionary process, drawing on consultation and engagement with local third sector organisations, the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC), community groups and New Scots, and grounded in research findings.
- Theme 1: Communities, culture and creativity is being made available online now to ensure accessibility and transparency in this process. It is not ‘the finished product’.
- Based on the work you are doing, stakeholders are invited to comment on and/or to add to theme 1: Communities, culture and creativity in relation to the needs that are highlighted; the examples of existing resources listed; and the actions shown.
- Organisations, community groups and others are also invited to consider taking the lead in enabling, supporting, or encouraging the implementation of each listed action.
- Other themes of the New Scots Edinburgh Refugee Integration Strategy will follow in 2025.
Here are the identified needs, existing resources and actions for the communities, culture and creativity theme.
Need 1: Cultural Festivals
Agencies and community groups need stronger links and connections to build networks, share information and ideas, and strengthen good practice.
Existing Resources:
- There are some existing networks and forums locally and citywide, but no accurate listing of the number or their scope and function is currently available.
Actions:
- Map existing forums and networking opportunities.
- Support the development of existing forums and networks and explore additional provision required by communities, ensuring it is sensitive to cultures, communities and volunteers.
- Establish an annual event to bring together partners across the statutory sector, the third sector, communities and people with lived experience.
- Work with funders and statutory partners to identify opportunities for resources to support the partnerships and collaboration.
Need 2: Service Provision and Development
Service providers and support organisations (including Local Authority and Voluntary sector) require better information on referral pathways and demand for services across the sector to inform
service provision and development.
Existing Resources: n/a
Actions:
- Create a document or tool that outlines referral pathways to help all agencies in signposting and referring appropriately.
- Develop a better and transparent way to document service use by New Scots.
- Develop a consistent gathering and sharing of understandings of New Scots’ needs.
Need 3: Collaborative Service Planning
New Scots communities need to be more meaningfully involved – both informally and formally – in
participating and/or leading the development of activities and services for New Scots.
Existing Resources:
- There are examples of good practice in the city – Cyrenians’ work with unaccompanied young people; Edinburgh Community Food.
- Scottish Government’s Research – paying participant expenses and compensating for time: guidance policy document.
Actions
- Offer training to New Scots, agencies and community groups wishing to build their capacity in co-production of services and activities.
- Explore establishing a refugee forum, chaired by an elected member, to provide a voice for New Scots at the heart of decision-making.
- Explore best practice for remuneration for New Scots, volunteers and others, taking account of welfare income and legal status when engaging in networks, forums and meetings.
Need 4: Housing
Agencies, community groups and New Scots communities (including those living in hotels with severely limited personal space) need access to more spaces across the city. This includes spaces to meet, socialise and celebrate. New Scots require good quality and sustainable housing to promote integration into communities.
Existing Resources:
- Churches and community centres are being used in the city.
Actions:
- Create and promote a directory of community spaces across the city, including third sector organisations, that could be utilised to bring together communities.
- Identify potential sources of funding that could be utilised to support community activities, including venue hire.
- Facilitate conversations with faith groups regarding the use of space, building hire and expectations.
- Advocate for increased investment in Edinburgh’s housing action plan, ensuring parity between communities.
Need 5: Access to Arts and Culture
New Scots need more opportunities to access arts and culture in Edinburgh and to share their own culture.
Existing Resources:
- Canal Festival would be willing to host community groups (stalls/shows/music) to showcase their talent and New Scots communities.
Actions:
- Work closely with city-wide partners, including Edinburgh’s Festivals and the Scottish Refugee Council, to identify opportunities to engage New Scots communities in the summer festivals and other cultural spaces in the city.
Need 6: Community Cohesion
Local receiving communities to be encouraged and enabled, and involved in supporting neighbourhood cohesion and in providing a welcome to New Scots.
- Salaam (a project of Edinburgh City Mission) has been involved in supporting local groups of all faiths to welcome newly arrived New Scots.
- The ‘Sharing Lives, Sharing languages’ programme supported existing community groups to facilitate joint projects involving members of the receiving community and New Scots. This built relationships through working together towards shared goals.
- The Alwaleed Centre works across sectors to support the education and upskilling of communities to break down racial equality barriers.
Actions:
- Establish processes to engage with communities where New Scots are accommodated both before, during and after resettlement to ensure communities feel supported to live alongside and support their new neighbours.
- Support faith communities to welcome New Scots to their communities, including promoting and enhancing the role of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees and Salaam.
Need 7: Social Isolation and Loneliness
New Scots would benefit from additional support at particular transition points to combat isolation,
loneliness and exclusion, e.g. unaccompanied young people leaving supported accommodation
and moving into their own tenancies; asylum seekers receiving status and having no ongoing support.
Existing Resources:
- As part of its Refugee Support Service, Scottish Refugee Council provides advice and information on rights and options via its National Helpline and with its Casework Service in 2 locations in Edinburgh in partnership with Crisis and The Welcoming. The Refugee Support Service includes a wide range of activities, and local partners are welcome to contact the Scottish Refugee Council to discuss other needs in the city.
- The Welcoming Association delivers a varied citywide service that is dedicated to the integration of New Scots, including ESOL lessons, energy advice and the community fridge.
- Across the city, there is a range of community-specific organisations, including the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Edinburgh branch and the Afghan community association that provides community support to their communities resettling in the city.
Actions:
- Identify additional support mechanisms (informal and formal to:
– Reduce isolation
– Reduce exclusion from rights and opportunities
Need 8: Access to Information
Agencies, community groups, and New Scots need better access to information.
Existing Resources: N/A
Actions:
- Identify funding to set up a staffed hub/drop-in providing access to information and signposting to services and hosting activities in the city for agencies, community groups and New Scots.
Need 9: ESOL
New Scots need greater access to ESOL.
Existing Resources: N/A
Actions:
- Increase the range of ESOL activities available to both adults and children in schools.
Need 10: Inter-community Relationships
Foster positive inter-community relationships with New Scots.
Existing Resources: N/A
Actions:
- Facilitate and support greater interaction between New Scots communities to develop greater mutual understanding.
