Grant awarded: £30,000 a year for 3 years: 2022-2025 - unrestricted; Cost of Living uplift grant in Year 2 £2,370
SDCAS provides holistic support for refugees and asylum seekers by providing friendship, social activities, ESOL lessons and hot meals for adults and families, as well as advice on immigration, housing, benefits and health. A highly dedicated and trained team of staff and 70 volunteers deliver twice-weekly sessions at Copleston Centre and Trinity College Centre (both in SE15) each now with around 100 clients. The numbers seeking community and help at the Centre and the stories they share demonstrate the difference that this welcome and support makes in what is the most challenging and fearful environment that immigration workers have ever seen.
SDCAS’s team has developed good relationships with the Local Authority, legal firms and health providers and are increasingly consulted by these providers so that emerging new needs can be identified and limited resources used more effectively. Just over half of SDCAS’s Board are new Trustees bringing valuable skills in immigration, IT, research, finance and HR.
When I first came I was so depressed. It was this centre which helps me. It’s these people." "I feel like I’m in a warm place… you feel like there is someone who looks after you, who wants to help you." "They help, they really help. They are interested... they are looking for another way to help out." - 3 clients from Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers