Advocacy & Representation

A team is operating to identify and support capable and responsible adults willing to act as lobbyist for one or more individual young refugees under pressure of expulsion. This work would be primarily to approach agencies and potential resources that should be available to young people represented. This would be done based on a brief provided through CAYR. In many instance the advocacy work could be done from your home or office and in some cases you might be operating without even having met the young person face to face.
Work in this area is be based on ensuring that all the agencies that might be of assistance to the young refugees are fully involved. The need for this results from the restrictions and constrictions that are being created, through policy, for providing services to these people. Legal representation of an appropriate quality is frequently difficult to find and many firms may need to be contacted before a lawyer is found. Reps would also assist and support in ensuring that agencies both public and voluntary provide the financial assistance the young person needs. Restrictions in funding and political pressure has resulted in many of these bodies becoming reticent about assisting.
Being an advocate for individual young people is stressful and demanding but CAYR is desperate for people with the necessary flare and skills. After some limited guidance and training we ask our volunteers to undertake to support and encourage individual young people in going through the necessary steps to resist their expulsion and achieve permanent residence in the UK . This can be hard work and sadly in some cases fail to prevent deportation. Immigration and other public agencies actively obstruct efforts to help so stubbornness is an essential trait. In spite of the pressure the work is an opportunity for creativity. CAYR does not recommend actions that are illegal but apart from that limitation the test is “does it work”. The team of people undertaking these tasks currently is woefully small and overstretched so if you feel you might help please make urgent contact.