What we do
Established in November 2022 as part of our Northern Ireland Refugee Resettlement Scheme (NIRRS) [link if possible] team, ARS works in partnership with local statutory and voluntary organisations co-ordinated through the NI Executive Office and the Home Office. We support families who have fled the Afghanistan conflict and arrived in Northern Ireland, for up to 3 years from their date of arrival into the UK, at 3 levels:
• Intensive support: for the first few weeks or months families may need help with – everything! Our dedicated key workers work with parents and children to help them settle into their new home, access work, benefits and healthcare, find nursery, school and college places, link with local services, support independence, and integrate into the local community.
• Clinic support: Once a family can manage many things themselves, we close their intensive support, but they can still access our weekly clinic hosted by experienced support workers and volunteers, to discuss and get help with any issue they are facing
• Floating support: There are some life events or experiences that require a bit of extra support, such as having a baby, moving house, looking for work, dealing with an extreme health issue etc. Refugees within our Syrian and Afghan schemes can receive floating support on a case-by-case.
A new Afghan Youth Voice group has also been established, building community and speaking out to decision-makers on Refugee and Youth issues.
We can help with
- All children, no matter where they’re from, or how they arrived in the UK, deserve to feel safe, happy, healthy and hopeful. We support children and families seeking sanctuary in the UK in a number of different ways. We help provide loving homes for children and young people who arrive on their own and help them get the healthcare and schooling they need. We also give parents practical support so their family can feel safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful.
- Find out more about Refugee/asylum seeker services
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