This book examines refugee community organisations (RCOs) in London and the regions in a period of rapid change in asylum policy in the UK. Drawing upon fieldwork in London, the West Midlands and the North West, and based upon a critical review of the literature, this book focuses upon the growth in refugee communities and the number of RCOs, particularly outside of London. Furthermore, it examines the resource and organisational constraints affecting RCOs and the contested process of defining and representing refugee communities within the local political and policy environment. While providing a detailed account of a highly topical policy...

There is an absence of generally accepted definitions relating to organisations in refugee communities. Many commentators refer to refugee associations (Joly, 1996) or refugee organisations (Gold, 1992). In other cases, refugee-based organisations is the preferred term (Salinas et al, 1987; Majka, 1991). More widespread now is the use of refugee community organisation (RCO) or refugee community-based organisation to designate organisational forms among refugee groups. Do definitions matter? Implicit in the term RCO is the rooting of organisational forms in broader social relationships. Zetter and Pearl (2000, p 676), for example, confine their definition of RCOs to

organisations rooted within, and...

This chapter reviews the background to current dispersal policy and practice in the UK. The principles, implementation and effects of dispersal under the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act are examined. In particular, the development of new institutional arrangements for the reception and settlement of refugees is addressed. The chapter further reviews the main contents of the 2002 White Paper,Secure borders, safe haven: Integration with diversity in modern Britain(Home Office, 2002a), and the key provisions of the 2002 Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act. The specific role of refugee community organisations (RCOs) within the new policy framework is then discussed...

This chapter begins by outlining the methodological issues underlining the fieldwork material presented here and in Chapter Six. The remainder of the chapter reviews the background to recent refugee settlement in London. In contrast to the regions, London is an established area of refugee settlement. The age and funding base of the refugee community organisations (RCOs) in the sample reflects, to some degree, the size and length of residence of many of the more recent refugee communities in London, particularly those dating from the 1980s and 1990s. Groups from earlier in the 20th century, on the other hand, such as...

This chapter reviews the institutional and policy framework in the West Midlands and the North West. It begins by contrasting the socioeconomic characteristics of the two regions before proceeding to examine the structure of the consortia and the current integration arrangements for refugees in the regions. In the case of the West Midlands, the principal focus is on Birmingham. As the largest city in the region, it also has the highest number of asylum seekers and a growing and diverse refugee population. After outlining the history of refugee settlement in the city, a profile of the main refugee groups is...

This chapter outlines the results of interviews conducted with the principal refugee community organisations (RCOs) in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. The key themes addressed are organisational resources, the development of communities, the networking process and the impacts of dispersal and recent legislative change on refugee groups and RCOs. The discussion of the West Midlands is framed within the issues raised by the literature reviewed in Chapter Two, particularly relating to the usefulness of social capital as an explanatory framework. The chapter goes on to present a profile of the main refugee communities in the North West and their social and...

This book has examined the changing pressures faced by refugee community organisations (RCOs) in the UK in a period of rapid legislative change. Our objectives were broadly focused. Based upon fieldwork with RCOs in London, the West Midlands and the North West, they related in the first case to the impact of dispersal policies upon refugee organisations and their capacity to respond to these changes. In addition, our objectives were to explore the barriers and resource constraints affecting refugee organisations and any resulting conflict between the traditional settlement role of RCOs and their involvement in the dispersal arrangements. Further issues...

Chapter Seven summarised the results of the fieldwork and provided an assessment of the institutional context in the regions; the background to refugee settlement and the development of refugee community organisations (RCOs); and finally, an initial evaluation of the impacts of dispersal upon refugee communities and RCOs. The main factors identified were the variability of the local political and policy context; the date of establishment of RCOs; the size and funding base of organisations; and the character of the refugee community concerned. In this concluding chapter, we approach the fieldwork results from a more theoretical perspective. Our concerns here are...