Welcome Centres: an initiative to reach refugee and emerging communities

Community Hubs @ GMCVO (formerly CTAC) and Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN) have previously discussed the needs of groups from refugee and newly emerging communities in terms of premises. The establishment of hot-desk space in the Green Fish Resource Centre was an early collaboration.

 

Our current initiative, supported by Refugee Action is looking at the potential role of community centres (hubs) to engage and integrate refugee and newly emerging communities into their neighbourhoods.

The ‘Welcome Centre’ concept is to identify the premises needs of emerging communities and what would encourage them to make use of the facilities and services available. Through this consultation we will develop the characteristics to form the Welcome Centre brand. We realise the term ‘Welcome Centre’ is not new but are sure there will be no conflict of aspiration.

 

At the same time we will identify the community centres that are best located to serve specific communities. We will then work with them to implement any changes that might be needed to achieve Welcome Centre status and broker use of the facilities by the identified community.

 

In addition to creating neighbourhood centres we will establish a focal point of support for groups from the refugee and newly emerging communities. A Welcome Hub will be anchored by MRSN and include several possibilities covering baseline need to visionary aspiration. The size and location of this hub will then depend upon the opportunities and resources available.  

MRSN has included this engagement project within its bid for funding from the Capacity Builders - Improving Reach programme. The outcome of that bid should be known by April 2008.