Published by Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
Sanctuary in Scotland
Our guide for Scottish faith groups is called Sanctuary in Scotland [PDF, 3.8MB]. It was re-published in autumn 2020 and is available for free download. Includes facts and figures, definitions, current issues and ideas for practical action by faith communities in Scotland. It was part-funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
You can order free hard copies of the booklet here. If you would like to make a donation towards costs please contact Sabine schalmers@churchofscotland.org.uk.
God With Us
‘God with us’ is a new Christian worship resource on the theme of refugees, migration and sanctuary. We have worked ecumenically to create it and hope it will be used by people from many different Christian traditions. It includes bible studies, prayers, liturgies, stories, poems and discussion ideas. This resource supports you with a wealth of content, encouraging you to pray for, but even more importantly with, others.
You can make a request for hard copies here.
Somebody Reaches Out Summary Report – August 2022
Somebody Reaches Out presents the findings of a process of engagement with New Scots – asylum seekers and refugees – in Glasgow, and staff and volunteers from faith communities across Scotland working with and alongside them. The title comes from a quote from one volunteer reflecting on the difference made when, “somebody cares, somebody reaches out, somebody smiles”. This process took place from February to June 2022.
Somebody Reaches Out is an output from our partnership project with Faith in Community Scotland called Faithful Welcome. The main purpose of Faithful Welcome is that faith communities actively seek to involve refugees and asylum seekers in community life and play an integral role in supporting two-way integration. The findings provide learning for faith communities and the programme about what a faithful welcome looks like from the perspective of refugees and asylum seekers, and which barriers and challenges faith communities face when seeking to support New Scots.
New Scots Holidays Toolkit
New Scots Holidays is a hosting programme designed by Scottish Faith Action for Refugees and funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF). We believe that integration is a two-way process, and New Scots Holidays is designed to support the integration of refugees in Scotland, as well as to help receiving communities feel supported and prepared to welcome refugees.
New Scots Holidays allows members of receiving communities to welcome refugees in their homes for short breaks, offering a space for rest and recreation. It creates opportunities to build friendships across cultures and allow refugees to learn more about life in Scotland beyond their home neighbourhood. The holiday programme also aims to underline the dignity of refugees who have not only come here to seek safety, but that they also have chances to lead fulfilling lives and have the same opportunities as the community to which they now belong.
Between 2018-2020 SFAR piloted what a successful hosting programme could look like, and in partnership with the Scottish Refugee Council produced a guide for setting up and running a hosting programme with refugees.
Further resources published as part of the New Scots Integration Programme can be found here.
Becoming Human Together
Christian Aid Scotland and Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees jointly published Becoming Human Together [PDF, 6MB] in May 2018. It is a reflection on migration, exploring Christian theology from the Reformed tradition as it relates to faith and forced migration.
Published by faith-based organisations
Destitution, Discrimination, Distrust: the hostile environment
Published by the Joint Public Issues Team (Church of Scotland, Methodist, Baptist and United Reformed Churches working together) in June 2018, Destitution, Discrimination, Distrust [PDF, 2.8MB] draws together some of the recent evidence, stories and comment on the UK Government’s immigration policies, and offers a Christian response.
Guide to Faith Communities
Interfaith Scotland have produced this useful Guide to Faith Communities in Scotland [PDF, 5.6MB]containing information on the faith communities present in Scotland, and includes useful details on customs, practices and places of worship. Published in 2014.
@Home in a strange place
This is a collection of resources produced by the United Reformed Church to enable, encourage and stimulate what they call ‘sacred conversations’ on migration. The resource pack includes model conversations, reflections, poetry, worship and resolutions for churches and small groups to use.
Mapping Migration
Published by the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, this study covers the topic of migration and refugee issues across Europe. Includes statistics broken down by country for easy comparison. Mapping Migration [PDF, 3.1MB] was published in January 2016.
Addressing the needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking children and child refugees in Scotland
Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre undertook policy research into unaccompanied child refugees and published their report , Addressing the needs of unaccompanied asylum seeking children and child refugees in Scotland, in May 2016. It outlines the legislative framework and makes recommendations for statutory and voluntary groups in Scotland.
Published by other organisations
New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy 2018 – 2022
The New Scots strategy is the Scottish Government’s approach to support the vision of a welcoming Scotland. It has been endorsed by UNHCR, the United Nations’ Refugee Agency, and sets out the principles behind integration in Scotland, including that people should be welcomed and supported to rebuild their lives from the day they arrive, and that integration is a two-way process between New Scots and receiving communities.
Right to Remain Toolkit guide to the UK immigration and asylum system
Right to Remain have published an online toolkit gives an overview of the legal system and procedures, with detailed information on rights and options at key stages. It also includes actions someone seeking the right to remain can take in support of their claim, or that friends, supporters and communities can take to help someone else.
For news follow Right to Remain’s news blog and legal updates blog, which features accessible information written for non-lawyers.
Migration Policy Toolkit: An online guide to welcoming, integrating and engaging migrant communities in Scotland
The toolkit was produced by COSLA Strategic Migration Partnership (CSMP) who aim to ensure that Scotland is a welcoming place for new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. They work with local authorities and their partners across Scotland to support and maintain cohesive and inclusive communities.
This toolkit is designed to help think about how to welcome, integrate and involve migrant and refugee communities in Scotland. It was last updated in June 2015.
A Guide to Scots Law
Learning to live in a new country can be difficult. Welcome to Scotland: A Guide to Scots Law can help individuals new to Scotland understand the everyday rules and laws that will affect them in their new home.
The guide is available in 10 different languages.
This is a collaborative project with HND Legal Services students from New College Lanarkshire, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police Scotland, produced April 2016.
Claiming Asylum: What Women Need to Know
The Refugee Women’s Strategy Group are a group of refugee and asylum seeking women, supported by Scottish Refugee Council and funded by Comic Relief, whose aim is to ensure that the voices of refugee women in Scotland are heard. They work to represent the views of refugee and asylum seeking women to key decision-makers and service providers, in order to influence the policy and practices that affect their lives.
They have produced a leaflet Claiming Asylum: What Women Need to Know. This provides guidance for asylum seeking women on their rights during their screening interview and substantive interview.