Helping Asylum Seeking Families During Lockdown

For the past six years, the LJS has been doing an excellent job in community outreach on a monthly basis by hosting families seeking asylum – they are all waiting in the hope of obtaining refugee status.  Approximately 130 families (180 adults and 400 children) are currently registered and supported through this program. During a visit, each family gets a modest sum to cover some expenses and transportation to the LJS, are offered a hot meal and their children are entertained with activities. Social work, legal and medical advice is available on sight as well as referrals to other services. Additionally, they have the chance to select a substantial amount of nearly new clothing (all pre-sorted by volunteers), and nappies and toiletries are also distributed. Due to Covid-19, the guest families have not been able to visit for almost a year and likely won’t be able to come again until September 2021. Although the LJS has done its best to maintain contact and provide monthly Tesco vouchers - the only efficient, cost effective way to send funds via mobile – our guests have many unmet needs and are feeling isolated with whole families often having to spend lockdown in one room. In most cases the families are categorised as destitute and have few resources while they wait for their cases to be heard. They are not allowed to work or even to volunteer, so their mental health suffers a lot. It is impossible to imagine what it is like to live in limbo under present circumstances.