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Scottish Refugee Integration Forum: action plan
FOREWORD
I am very pleased to be able to present this report of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum and thank all those involved for their hard work. Scotland has always been a welcoming country and we should all give proper recognition to the hard work and dedication that has gone into this document to ensure that this reputation remains justified.
Many asylum seekers and refugees come to Scotland fleeing from terrible oppression and persecution. In Scotland they seek sanctuary and a place to rebuild their lives, a place where they can meaningfully contribute to the community they live in. Many of the recommendations laid out here are aimed at giving people the opportunity to do just that.
The report clearly lays out achievable and measurable actions in six different areas; Positive Images, Community Development and the Media; Housing; Justice, Community Safety and Access to Justice; Children's Services; Health and Social Care and; Enterprise, Lifelong Learning, Employment and Training.
The Forum was able to draw on an extensive range of experienced and knowledgeable people including obtaining the views and concerns of asylum seekers and refugees themselves. I hope that all levels of service providers will consider how best to use this very valuable resource and learn from the recommendations laid out here. There are no illusions about the challenges ahead. There is a great amount of work still to be done to make these recommendations into reality. However, the commitment I have seen to this Forum's work, from the very start of the process, by the huge number of people involved from a wide range of organisations, gives me confidence that a great deal will be achieved through this report.
We can learn much from the broad range of people who come from different countries. We can learn from each other and from all those who live within our borders. With the opportunity to live, without fear or persecution, asylum seekers and refugees have the potential to contribute greatly to the diversity and prosperity of Scotland. This Action Plan and its supporting Document is aimed at providing the tools and opportunities to do that.
Margaret Curran, MSP
Minister for Social Justice
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