HOME ABOUT US SERVICES EVENTS GET INVOLVED SCHOOLS DISAN CONTACT US DONATE Community Sponsorship of Refugees What Is Community Sponsorship? “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” – Matt. 25:35 ‘May every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family’ – Pope Francis, September 2015. Community Sponsorship is a way to welcome and resettle refugees, putting local communities at the heart of a family’s journey to a new life in the UK. The community assumes responsibility for a refugee family, from first arrival through to settled independence as part of their local community. In November 2016 St Monica’s, Flixton, in the Diocese of Salford, became the first Catholic parish to welcome a Syrian family under the scheme, with many more groups now following their lead. How does the scheme work? The two-year programme comprises three main elements: Housing – Funding – Support Housing – Find and prepare a suitable, affordable family home Funding – Raise a support fund to cover additional needs Support – Plan and deliver a programme of resettlement support After security screening, medical checks and initial preparation for life in the UK, sponsored families arrive with full refugee status, which gives them the right to work, school places, free healthcare, English tuition (ESOL) and state benefits. The scheme is inspired by a Canadian model, which has successfully resettled around 300,000 refugees since it began in 1978. How is it effective? Frequent and intensive support by a committed group of volunteers Families benefit from the rich social capital of a whole community Strong bonds of friendship, mutual understanding and empathy Shared motivation and commitment to successful resettlement “The community sponsorship scheme personalises a huge, human drama, by enabling local communities to welcome and support refugees in a real and tangible way. This scheme opens a path for people to respond with compassion, providing welcome and integration, and should be taken up as widely as possible.” – Cardinal Vincent Nichols. What can I do next? A more detailed guide to the scheme is available – click here to download (pdf, 2mb). To arrange a discussion about the scheme, and for any further information, please send an email to info@caritassalford.org.uk Cathedral Centre 3 Ford Street Salford M3 6DP T: 0161 817 2250 F: 0161 833 1635 E: info@caritassalford.org.uk Charity No.: 1125808 Tweets by CaritasSalford FACEBOOK NEWSLETTER Communication preferences Unsubscribe Privacy Policy Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy Caritas Diocese of Salford © 2018 × Cartias Diocese of Salford websites use cookies. By continuing to browse the site or closing this box you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details about cookies and how to manage them, see our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy