Africa Community Action (ACA) is a Blackburn-based charity who help refugees and asylum seekers to gain new skills so that they can make a good contribution to the local society. Working in partnership with private, statutory and voluntary agencies, it endeavours to address need and promote aspiration to help them integrate here. Working in partnership with Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN
) in Refugee Integration and Employment Services (RIES) it also advocates for those granted refugee status. Achievements -
- We run an English class for refugees and asylum seekers at the Darwen Resource Centre weeky between 3 and 5pm with the help of a volunteer teacher. Refugees and asylum seekers can register for this service after 6 months in the country. (CURRENTLY POSTPONED DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING)
- We are regisitered with the OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner) to offer free, basic level 1 immigration advice to asylum seekers. Project Manager Serge Bouna Boko has been registered with OISC as an advisor since the beginning of 2010.
- We take volunteers from Blackburn-based charity Bootstrap, and train them and advise them in the administration field. We also currently have 2 volunteers from VSO's Global Xchange programme who will be with us until the end of Feb '11.
- We help asylum seekers to file the various application forms and we provide help and support for those who have recently acquired refugee status to intergrate into their communities.
- We are planning a project to eradicate extremeism in the community whichever prejudice is concerned. Our latest project is to organise a coffee morning whereby refugees can meet and discuss their problems, and where an Immigraction Officer will be available for information, advice and guidance. Other charities in the local area will aslo be invited, such as WISH, Relate and the Women's Centre.
- We are also looking to employ full-time staff as soon as the funding becomes available.
