network
refugee support
We asked Catherine Gladwell of Community Church Harlesden to tell us a little of what their church has been doing in Transforming Society Mohammed*, 16, fled Afghanistan when his parents were killed in the fighting. Since arriving in the UK he’s been detained, robbed and made homeless. He’s just one of several thousand unaccompanied minors in the UK who come from conflict-affected countries, with no adult guardian, seeking safety and better opportunities. Surviving family members often sell possessions and save for years to pay smugglers to take a child on the journey, which can take anywhere from six months to five years. Almost all unaccompanied minors report abuse, trauma and extreme hardship along the way. Refugee Support Network (RSN) was founded in 2009 by members of Community Church Harlesden to help young people like Mohammed. We specialise in providing educational support to children affected by displacement and crisis. In London, we now support over 50 of these young people through our educational mentoring schemes (including a specialised scheme for young victims of trafficking), one-to-one pastoral support, advice and guidance in colleges and our new access to university programme. The majority of our young people, who come from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan, will not be allowed to remain in the UK. Their future is uncertain, but education is something they can take with them wherever they go. Education speaks of hope: when we invest in their education, we’re sending a message that we believe they have a future worth preparing for. Mohammed told us, ‘No one helps me like you do. Everyone else half-listens and does nothing, but you listen like you care, and you actually do something.’ As we receive more referrals each week, our prayer is that however desperate their situation, each young person we encounter will experience the hope and peace that comes from God.
Catherine Gladwell Community Church Harlesden To find out more about RSN’s work go to www.refugeesupportnetwork.org *Name changed to protect identity
July 2011 | 2020Vision Magazine | www.saltlight.org/uk Mag.indd 6
18/07/2011 22:43