Ever wondered what it’s like to be a fundraiser? Meet Kate and Lauren, two amazing members of our team who are dedicated to securing vital funds that support our work with refugees and people seeking asylum. Q. Tell us a little about your role at Scottish Refugee Council We are Fundraising Officers working with individuals and communities to raise money to fund the crucial work at Scottish Refugee Council. We both joined the team just over a year ago and are loving it! We wear many hats! From organising and attending events to working on fundraising campaigns, and supporting communities with t ..read more

We are rolling out a Refugee Support Service to help people seeking safety in Scotland feel welcomed and supported in their new home. Investment from the Scottish Government will enable us to reach people in communities across the country, providing vital information and support so they can put down roots and begin rebuilding their lives.   Where people seeking safety in Scotland live and work is changing. For a long time, most refugees and people seeking asylum were based in Glasgow. Now, New Scots are settling in towns, cities and rural communities across the country. We will deliver an ..read more

This year’s Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards are now open to submissions. The awards celebrate responsible journalism that highlights the issues people seeking protection in Scotland face every day. With divisive rhetoric dominating the headlines, it’s more important than ever that reporting is fair, accurate and works to dispel any common misconceptions or scapegoating seen in the media or UK politics. Entrants can submit their own work, nominate a colleague or enter something great they’ve seen, heard or read. The closing date for submissions is May 13th. The winners will be announced ..read more

Today, in partnership with the Scottish Government and COSLA, we are publishing the first part of the latest New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. But what exactly is the strategy? And what will it mean for people seeking protection in Scotland? Our Senior Partnerships Manager, Elodie Mignard, explains more. What is the New Scots strategy and why it does it matter? The strategy is a framework that sets out how Scotland will support all people who need protection to rebuild their lives here. It lays out how we can provide the best support to help people make progress with the things that matt ..read more

We’re thrilled to announce that a project supporting refugee and asylum-seeking women in Inverclyde has received a funding boost thanks to players of The National Lottery. The Inverclyde Women’s Peer Support Network was awarded £140,000 by The National Lottery Community Fund Improving Lives initative. Over the next 18 months, the money will be used to help women seeking safety feel more at home in their new communities. It will also fund a Leadership Skills programme, offering training opportunities to help women build confidence and make connections. Empowering women The Peer Support Network ..read more

Please support our Ramadan Appeal and help refugees and asylum seekers in urgent need. Ramadan Mubarak from everyone here at Scottish Refugee Council. In this holy month of Ramadan, we are calling on your kindness and generosity to support people seeking safety in Scotland who desperately need our help. The asylum system is becoming more unkind, ineffective and inhumane by the day. People fleeing war and persecution are being left in a state of limbo and uncertainty as a result of UK government policies – separated from their families and barred from finding work. Many are currently facing hom ..read more

You might have noticed that we have a sparkling new Refugee Festival Scotland website and that it’s bursting with color and vibrancy, just like the festival itself and this year’s empowering theme: RISE! We caught up with Malini Chakrabarty, the artist behind this year’s stunning artwork, to learn more about her and her designs.   Tell us a bit about yourself I have a background in investigative journalism and filmmaking. When I moved to the UK in 2019, I pursued a Masters in filmmaking and media arts at Glasgow University. I now run an independent artistic practice and small business cal ..read more

On International Women’s Day, we would like to celebrate three of our wonderful volunteers in our Peer Integration Project. Ahlam Al-Bashiri is our Peer Development Coordinator, coordinating the project. The Peer Integration Project supports volunteers, who have lived refugee experience themselves, to support other refugees to access their rights.  At Scottish Refugee Council the Peer Project is an important part of the service we provide, and the three women who we wish to celebrate are so important to the work we carry out. Olena Firstly, Olena, who came from Ukraine because of the Russ ..read more

This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the strong, courageous women who are helping each other build new lives in Scotland. Community Development Officers Farah and Yalda know how hard it is to have to flee your home and start from scratch in a new and unfamiliar country. They both came to Scotland in search of safety after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Now they run our New Scots Women’s Peer Support Network and are drawing on their personal experience to help other women find their feet. The project brings women who are new to Scotland together in a safe and welcoming enviro ..read more

Vote for our film in the Smiley Charity Film Awards! We worked with filmmaker Bircan Birol, and the Scottish Government, to create a series of films documenting the experiences of people who have come to Scotland after fleeing the war against Ukraine. The short films include interviews with Ukrainians who have settled in Scotland, Scottish hosts who have welcomed guests from Ukraine, and employers providing job and resettlement opportunities for New Scots. Since war broke out in Ukraine, Scotland has welcomed more than 25,000 people fleeing the conflict. Ukrainians in Scotland provides a ..read more