A series of health and wellbeing courses funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews to help asylum seekers integrate in their new communities has supported more than 300 individuals.
The Helping Others project, led by the Women Empowerment Network (WEN), received a grant of almost £10k from the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC's Safety Fund to improve understanding and awareness of British life among asylum seekers and promote community cohesion.
The courses are being delivered at the Haymarket Shopping Centre in Leicester and cover a range of themes including stress, anxiety and anger management, British values, community cohesion, life skills, job readiness, English for work and self-development. They are also aimed at deterring engagement in anti-social behaviour and preventing crime.
The project, which runs until January 2025, has already supported 320 asylum seekers with additional help provided to more than 50 individuals with their CVs.
Mr Matthews recently met with course providers to see firsthand how asylum seekers are benefitting from the extra support.
He said: "One of the primary aims of my work as PCC is to promote resilience in our communities to reduce the risk of people becoming victims or perpetrators of crime. This project supports this approach, equipping individuals with the knowledge and practical support they need to settle well in their communities and cope more easily with the asylum process. Without this intervention, their vulnerability is heightened, and this could increase their risk of being impacted by crime.
"A significant number of asylum seekers have already benefited from the courses on offer, and we expect the number to grow further over the last couple of months of scheme.
"We all benefit from living in communities where people are happy and encouraged to thrive, just as we all want to live in safe and prosperous communities. This scheme is already having the desired impact on health and wellbeing and behaviour, and I am looking forward to hearing about its continued impact in due course."
Kathleen Harris-Leighton, CEO/Chair of Women Empowerment Network, said: "WEN is committed to empowering all lives and with the support of the PCC we are doing exactly that!
"I have received ongoing, prompt support from OPCC. They really do understand and care about people and what we are jointly aiming to accomplish."
The courses are delivered in group and pair work as well as one-to-one and are run by experienced educators, some of whom are migrants themselves.
The charity is working actively with the police and has equipped asylum seekers with welfare packs as well as signposting them to external sources of help including food banks.
Photo shows Rupert Matthews visiting WEN.
