Thursday, 14 October 2010

Our Free GCSE Tutoring Service (Enfield, Barnet and Haringey)

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Action for Social Integration is a registered charity organization which aims to relieve poverty and advance the social and cultural integration of minority communities from all ethnic backgrounds.  We provide FREE educational advice, GCSE tuition, guidance and information to young people from black minority ethnic (BME) background. We work with families and schools in Barnet, Haringey and Enfield to fight against child poverty and raise the educational attainment of children from BME communities.
§  YOU CHOSE THE LOCATION
§  YOU CHOSE THE TIME
§  YOU CHOSE BETWEEN ONE-TO-ONE OR GROUP SESSIONS WITH AN EXPERIENCED TUTOR
§  WE WILL THEN ARRANGE THE GCSE SESSION ACCORDING TO YOUR PREFERENCE
Action for Social Integration also offers the following services:
§  Free advice, guidance and information on education for parents and pupils from all ethnic backgrounds
§  Training and work experience opportunities
§   Support for pupils and parents with filling in documents, contacting schools, writing letters to local authorities, translating documents, opening email accounts, accessing training, etc

To receive up-to-date information on our services and free advice on education in the UK please register to our Equal Education Advice Newsletter by emailing your contacts to editor@afsi.org.uk

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Advice for young mums under 16

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
Being a parent for the first time is a life changing experience for anyone, irrespective of their age, occupation, income, race or background.  Parenthood often requires taking proactive steps such as undertaking further training or education to improve your life chances and your child`s opportunities.  This article is designed to inform young mothers under the age of 16 about the services and advice opportunities that exist in their support. 
Legal rights and responsibilities
Any young parent under 16 has the same legal rights and responsibilities towards the child as any other parent.
Benefits and Tax Credits
Because of your age, you may not be legally eligible to claim benefits by yourself and may need to get claims done on your behalf, for example, by your mother.  If you live with your parents and they are claiming Child Tax Credit, both you and your child can be included in the claim. Your parents may also be able to claim a Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant for you and your child (however this is subject to change due to the new coalition government). To find out if you are eligible and how to apply, please follow this link.
Your parents can also include you and your child in their claim for Housing Benefit, if they claim one.
! Remember, it is best to remain at home as you may need to be at least 18 years old in some councils in order to be placed on the housing list and with a new born baby you need all the support and help you can get!
Another benefit available to you as a young mother is the Child Benefit which you can claim once the baby is born. Any parent who is bringing up a child can apply under this scheme, irrespective of their age. To apply please find in and print out the following application form and post it (along your child`s birth certificate) to: Child Benefit Office (Washington), Freepost, NEA 10463, PO Box 133, Washington NE38 7BR. For further assistance you can call the Child Benefit Helpline number: 0845 302 1444.
Benefit claims in these circumstances can be complicated and you or a parent should seek advice from an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB go on their website on:  www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
Vouchers for free milk, fruit and vegetables
If you are at least ten weeks pregnant, your parents can get vouchers for free milk, fruit and vegetables for you. It doesn’t matter what their income is.
Once you have had the baby, your parents can continue to get vouchers for you only if they get:
§  Income Support
§  income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
§  income-related Employment and Support Allowance
§  Child Tax Credit and have an annual income below a certain amount.
For more information on benefits for maternity and children, please visit this link.
Education
As a young mother under 16 you still have legal right to an education.  This means that your Local education authorities must ensure that you receive an education either through home tutoring, going to a special unit for teenage mums or additional support.  Please check with your local authority or click on the link below:
You are entitled to free education up until you are 18 years old or you can receive still receive free education after that if you are on benefits.
Housing
As a young mother you will not normally be able to obtain privately rented or council accommodation because you are too young to be granted a tenancy. However, you can contact the local authority social services department and ask it to find you accommodation, as long as your parents agree.
If you have housing problems you should consult an experienced adviser at a Citizens Advice Bureau which can be found through: www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
Maintenance
As a young mother, you can apply to the Child Support Agency for a maintenance assessment to be carried out in respect of your child. This applies if you are not living with the father of your child.  For more information visit the Child Support Agency website at: www.csa.gov.uk.
Where can young mothers under 16 find advice, guidance and support?
Baby Centre
Pregnancy and parenting website
BirthChoiceUK
Direct.Gov.
Sexual Health and Preventing Pregnancy
NHS
Pregnancy Section
 This article has been published in Issue 5 of Action for Social Integration’s Community Advice E-Newsletter, August 29th 2010
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Dealing with Domestic Violence

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
Don't let your immigration status prevent you from reporting domestic violence!
An act of domestic violence is any act of “threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are in a relationship, or between family members” (Home Office). Remember that while most often domestic violence takes the form of direct physical or sexual assaults (beating, hitting, kicking, etc.), it can also include acts of emotional abuse (bullying and humiliation, exercise of control over money or information, etc.). Any of the following could be an incident of domestic violence: beating, threats of harm, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, financial control.

Women from immigrant and refugee backgrounds are particularly vulnerable in cases of domestic violence: they are less likely than other women to seek protection and support due to concerns with their immigration status, emotional and financial reliance on the abusive partner or fear of deportation (especially when their immigration status has not been confirmed).

!Remember that whatever your immigration status is you are ALWAYS entitled to protection just like any other woman in the UK.
!Remember that whichever organization you decide to contact for advice or assistance, the information you share will always be entirely confidential.
Don`t let your financial situation stop you from seeking support and protection!
If your immigration status prevents you from claiming state benefits or taking on paid work, this makes you more dependent on your partner. Yet, you need to know that there are charity organizations which will provide you with accommodation and financial support even if you cannot use public funds. To enquire about them:
Call the FREE 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline- 0808 2000 247
Email the national domestic violence charity Women`s Aid: helpline@womensaid.org.uk

If you no longer feel safe at your home environment, ask these organisations to refer you to a “refuge”. Refuge is a safe house (with a confidential address and no access for men) for women and children escaping domestic violence: http://refuge.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/refuges/. Discuss your situation with an adviser from the Refuge organisation by calling 7700 020 7395 or emailing info@refuge.org.uk
Alternatively, you may prefer to remain at home but restrict your partner`s access to it through an “occupation order”: an occupation order may deny your partner`s right to return to and occupy your property. Call the Women`s Aid Groups, Law Centre or Citizens Advice Bureau to enquire how you can make an application for an “occupation order”:
            Find your local Law Centre
            Find your local Citizens Advice Bureau
Don`t let language barriers stop you from seeking support and protection!
Many organizations that work with victims of domestic violence have access to interpreters or employ staff who speaks a variety of languages!
 
Don’t let concerns with your culture, ethnicity or religion stop you from seeking support and protection!
Anyone could become a victim of domestic violence, disregarding of ethnicity or religion. Once you have contacted the Women`s Aid organization, you may ask your adviser to refer you to organizations where you can get support from women from the same cultural, ethnic or religious group as yourself.

For more practical guidelines prepared specifically for victims of domestic violence with insecure immigration status, check Women`s Aid “Domestic Violence Survivors Handbook”

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Our Vision and Services

Our vision is of a society where no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.

Mental health problems are extremely common across society, with one in four of us experiencing them in any year. Despite being so common, people from all communities will still experience discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that can prevent people from speaking out, seeking support and playing full and active roles in our communities. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination will vary between communities as mental health has a cultural context that affects the way communities talk about the subject and engage with people who have mental health problems. In some cultures depression, for example, doesn't exist and in others an experience of a mental health problem can be attached to a sense of shame.

For the African and Caribbean communities a key issue is the overrepresentation of young African and Caribbean men in mental health services. Misconceptions and stereotypes have led to a perception that this group is more likely to pose a risk of violent behaviour and, as a result, they are more likely to be treated as inpatients and sectioned when compared to other groups. It is well documented that this has led to a fear of talking about mental health issues more openly and a fear of using mental health services. Research by the Race Equality Foundation (2011) also highlighted fears that discrimination against Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and migrant service users will increase in the austerity climate and whilst commissioning arrangements change.

Our Services

· Provide information, advice, advocacy

· Represent diversity communities in Health Care services, policies and strategies

· Organise training in health and social care in collaboration with local colleges

· Provide human resources ( including interpreters) who are suitable to the diversity communities especially to break language and cultural barriers

· Provides domiciliary care and support

· Provide services such specialised support for people with mental health needs, including people who suffer from short-term memory problems, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Provide visits to elderly people and help them with outings and home services

· Participate in local authority and NHS consultations , research events and programmes to voice the needs of diversity communities.

· Increase access to services and rights for disadvantaged people and the most vulnerable of our society

· Help and support unemployed people to look for work, including training and job preparation

· Provide legal advice in a range of issues from on Immigration and Asylum , welfare benefits, housing, health, education, community care, and training, employment, etc.

· Provide advice and guidance, information and practical help so that our service users can access opportunities they are entitled to

· Organise training and other community learning opportunities that provide new skills, increase confidence and motivation

· Support our service users to overcome barriers to learning, employment and training

· Provide support for young people with their education, training, confidence building, employment and social needs.

Objectives of our Diversity Living Programme:

· To promote the inclusion and participation of diversity communities* in integrated care.

· To inform policy, locally and nationally, and assisting in the formulation of effective policies, strategies and good practices in integrated care in order to contribute to improved health outcomes for the people from the diversity communities (e.g. Black and minority ethnic communities) and to ensure health services are able to meet their specific needs.

· To improve the quality of life for diversity people with disability, mental health problems and their families and carers through integrated care by providing inclusive advocacy and information.

· To provide service that enable diversity groups and individuals with disability /elderly and their carers to make the right choice for themselves and have an influence on decisions made about their future.

· To promote the rights of diversity people with disability, their families and carers and make sure their rights are safe and protected.

· To promoting access to information regarding healthcare issues and to raise awareness of the needs of diversity disabled children, young people, older people and their families.

· To promote the rights of older and disabled diversity people, helping them overcome and enable them to participate in decisions about their future

· To provide support and information to those suffering the isolation and loneliness that can be associated with disability and old age

· To fight against mental health stigma in refugee, black and minority ethnic communities and ensure no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health or disability.

*Diversity communities are older people, disabled people, Black, Asian, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other ethnic minorities.