We need to raise £9000 to resettle a family from a refugee camp to Edinburgh throught the UK governments Community Sponsorship scheme as soon as possible! And you can help us!

What is Community Sponsorship?

Community Sponsorship enables local communities to take an active role in supporting a refugee family during the first year of their resettlement in the UK. It is a UK government scheme, which allows local communities to sponsor a refugee family to live in their local area.

It’s a great opportunity to help a family fleeing conflict, but it is a significant undertaking.

To be approved, community sponsors must demonstrate they:

- have sufficient resources (for housing, financial and personnel);

- have a well informed and credible resettlement plan; and

- pose no threat to the family.

If approved, community sponsors are allocated a family who are identified by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees as vulnerable (including those requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of violence and torture, and women and children at risk). This is done through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) and Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS).

You can find out more information about Community Sponsorship and VPRS/VCRS here .

What are we doing?

As part of our commitment to the Community Sponsorship, we will be raising money (a minimum of £9000 to support one family) which will go towards:

- Finding affordable, safe and dignified housing for our family

- Arranging English classes/ESOL tuition

- Helping our family to know about their rights in Scotland

- Devising a resettlement plan in partnership with our family, this will likely involve:

--> Helping the family find employment;

--> Helping to navigate the school system, benefits system and health service;

--> Helping to arrange driving lessons/test/licence; and

--> Helping the family connect with other groups (such as faith, interest and hobby groups).

To keep up to-date visit Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle on Facebook .