Dear friends,

It's been a difficult month, the Nationality and Borders bill passed, the Rwanda plan is rattling on and and a vast new camp in North Yorkshire is likely set to open. This is crushingly disappointing, but don’t lose hope. These networks of welcome and solidarity have never been stronger, or more important. Keep going.

Refugee Week couldn't come at a better time. A proper celebration of this movement of welcome. We can't wait to see what you all get up to.

Please continue to share updates on your work and good news stories so we can celebrate your achievements with the wider network. Stay in touch by emailing [email protected]

Please help spread the word, share this newsletter round-up with your friends, supporters and networks.

Fight the Nationality and Borders Bill
Refugee Action have put together an MP letter calling for the bill to be repealed. Get involved here.

Linton-on-Ouse Camp
This vast new camp is the wrong plan, in the wrong place.⁣ People seeking sanctuary should be housed in our communities as our neighbours. It's cheaper, it's kinder, it's clearly the right thing to do. ⁣The local community have formed an action group against the plans, follow them at @lintonaction.

Using Asylum Matters' template, write to your MP to call on them to oppose the planned centre in Linton, and all sites like this, and ask the Government to house people seeking in safe and suitable housing within communities where they can rebuild their lives.

Rwanda Offshoring
JCWI have asked for groups to contact them if you’re organising a protest / action and would like to include a statement of support from a Home Office worker who is opposed to the plans. This kind of show of support from workers inside the building can be really powerful for both sides – for those protesting, to know that their message is hitting home, and for those within the building, to know that there is support for their position of resistance to the plans. Contact them if this is of interest.

Together With Refugees: Community Picnics
TWR and KRAN are promoting community picnics across the UK to mark the end of Refugee Week. This is an opportunity to come together, show solidarity and share a meal. Find out more here.

City of Sanctuary Regional Meeting: Midlands East and South East
There are around 30 active groups in Midlands, East and South East region, please join us on June 9 at 6:30pm to get together to understand where everyone is at and how we can build even closer relationships with one another. Register here.

City of Sanctuary Local Authority Meetup
Following the annoucement of the Goverment’s ‘Full Dispersal Model’ which will allow the Home office to procure properties in all Local Authority Areas across England, Scotland and Wales we would like to invite local authorities and groups for a discussion on June 14 at 12:00 to draw on the experience of existing dispersal areas. Register here.

Schools of Sanctuary Celebration!
Join us on July 5 at 4pm for a celebration of the incredible growth in the Schools of Sanctuary network in this academic year and all the fantastic achievements. Register here.

A Day of Welcome for Schools
This celebration on June 17 is instigated by Norwich Schools of Sanctuary and is designed to support schools and families in marking Refugee Week and to send a clear message that for those in need of sanctuary, our communities are welcoming places. They have designed incredible resources and lots of great activities. Find out more and get involved here.

School as a Place of Healing: Event Recording
Schools of Sanctuary and Refugee Week partnered with the International Rescue Committee and the National Education Union to offer this online event giving an overview of how to support the wellbeing of students from sanctuary seeking backgrounds. Watch it here.

University Scholarships
Over 70 universities offer scholarships, bursaries and fee waivers for people who have claimed asylum in the UK. STAR have helpfully compiled them all here. We share new scholarships regularly on our Twitter account too.

Excitingly, the Open University have just launched a new scholarship for students from a sanctuary seeking background. Find out more here.

Aston University in Birmingham also have just launched a new scholarship program. See here for more details.

IT Scholarship Programme
INCO Academy UK are relaunching their entry level fully funded Google IT scholarship program and we are looking for eligible candidates to join their scholarship program. See more details here.

Thank You Day Street Parties
If your organisation is planning a street party for the Jubilee, let Together With Refugees know. They are keen to share positive initiatives that celebrate refugees in our communities, please let them know by writing to [email protected].

Words Matter: Migrants and Migration
Migrants' Rights Network have put together this useful guide on how language shapes the narrative around migration, and what we can do to stand up against harmful rhetoric.

"Unequal Impacts": How UK immigration law and policy affected migrants' experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic
This new report from JCWI explores how UK immigration policy, law and government decision-making have exacerbated the impact of Covid-19 on migrants, particularly those with insecure immigration status.

How to Tell Stories about Migration
On The Road Media have created a useful guide about how to tell impactful, authentic stories about migration in the media. See it here.

Rwanda Offshoring Messaging Guide
NEON have put together a very useful messaging guide on offshore detention in Rwanda, including feed in from JCWI, Detention Action and Maya Goodfellow.

UK Parliamentary Outreach workshops
For groups developing campaigning: you can request a free workshop from Parliamentary outreach to learn about how to engage with parliament. See here for more info. They also run many other free opportunities for groups.

IMIX Masterclasses
IMIX are running free online media and social media classes for groups and people with lived experience. More info and sign up here.

Employment Opportunities: New Site
Chatterbox is a brand new site aiming to connect marginalised talent with incredible employment opportunities. See it here.

Free Bus and Train Travel in Wales
The free travel scheme will run from 26 March for until 30 September and is available to refugees travelling to Wales searching for a safe haven. Find out more here.

• Leicester City of Sanctuary are looking for a Operational Lead and a volunteer with Arabic proficiency. Apply by June 10
  
• Manchester City of Sanctuary are hiring a Projects and Partnerships Coordinator. Apply by June 26
  
• Swindon City of Sanctuary are looking for a Streams and Awards Coordinator. Apply by June 6
  
• Refugee Action are looking for a Pathways to Work Employment Support Advisor and a Pathways to Work Project Worker. Apply by June 8
  
• Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network are looking for a Campaigns and Communications Manager and a Finance Officer. Apply June 15
  
• Solace are looking for three Therapists.
  
• African Rainbow Family are looking for a Refugee Advocacy Lead, a Campaigns and Comms Officer and a Integration Officer. Apply by June 13
  
• SOHTIS are looking for a Project Worker.
  
• Migrant Voice are looking for a Communications Officer. Apply by June 6
  
• Asylos are looking for a Operations Assistant. Apply by June 12
• Scottish Detainee Visitors are looking for Trustees. Apply by June 17
  
• European Network on Statelessness are looking for Policy and Research Manager. Apply by June 13
  
• Good Chance Theatre are looking for a Producer. Apply by June 6
  
• AVID are looking for a Member Development Coordinator. Apply by June 22