How do asylum seekers understand and evalulate their well-being? What does well-being mean for those caught up in the UK's "hostile environment" for those who seek refuge in the UK? What can we learn from their understandings and experiences?

Come along to a discussion about our research report: "Beneath the surface: how asylum seekers understand and evaluate their well-being" presented by our team of researchers, Alessia Cogo, Sally Inman, Pip McCormack and Maggie Rogers.

When? -  Wednesday 2nd May at 4.30 pm
Where? - London South Bank University, Room V202, K2 Building, Keyworth Street, London SE1 6NG (see MAP)

​You can read the full text of the report on our Publications page.

​The Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers needs help in purchasing and setting up new computers and printers to be used in its three centres in East Dulwich, Peckham and Kennington. These will be used to operate its new cloud based database software, which is replacing a paper-based system. The Centre which is the largest local resource for asylum seekers and refugees depends heavily on volunteer and pro bono workers for the thousands of really vulnerable clients it helps each year. But we could be ready to make a reasonable payment if needed to ensure a successful launch for the new system. It will very substantially improve our ability to help resolve hundreds of housing, immigration, benefits and family cases faced each year by local asylum seekers and refugees. We also expect that there will be a continuing need for expert assistance in maintaining and upgrading the IT network. The project will require daytime working with staff and on premises that are typically shut overnight. But some ' out of hours' flexibility might be possible.

If you, or someone you know, has the skills and enthusiasm to help us make a massive shift in our ability to help really vulnerable clients, please contact Pauline Nandoo or John Rhodes at SDCAS at office@sdcas.org.uk.

Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers has signed up with Savoo.co.uk. This is an easy way for our supporters to raise money for us while they are shopping online and searching on the internet.

How it works
There are two ways you can raise money for us:

• Use the Savoo search page (rather than Google, say) to search on the internet. Every time you search in this way, 1p will come to the Day Centre.
• When you want to do some online shopping, check the Savoo website to see if there is a voucher which you can use. There are two benefits to using one of these vouchers: you will get a reduction on the price you pay and also Savoo will donate up to 50% of their commission to Southwark Day Centre. Many famous online stores are part of the Savoo scheme: Amazon, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, play.com, Vodaphone...

How do I get started?

• Go to Southwark Day Centre's Savoo page and click that you would like to support us via the Savoo site.
• Register yourself with a Savoo account (or log in with your Facebook, Google+ or Twitter account) - it takes a few seconds.
• Use the Savoo web search page to look for information on the internet. You could even think about setting this as your home page so it opens whenever you use the internet.
• Click on the "Voucher codes" button at the top of the Savoo page to find out what offers are available. Then shop till you drop!  

Family is not always blood. It’s people in your life who want you in theirs: the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what. That’s what the Southwark Day Centre is for me. I could never wish for any better family than this.

My name is Bilen* and I am 19 years old. This is my story. I grew up with my grandparents in my country Eritrea as my mother left me when I was eleven months old with my older sister. I don’t know anything about my dad as he was jailed in Ethiopia and my family never heard anything about him since that time. My mother moved to the United Kingdom. But she spent over ten years struggling hard to get her residence permit and was finally granted it. It was in 2011 that I got a chance to finally meet my mother for the first time.

And months later I left my country, when I was fourteen years old to Sudan, so I could join my Mother. We started the process as soon as I arrived in Khartoum. But due to some reasons my appeal was refused twice by the UK embassy. This was the moment that I totally gave up on it. Everything seemed to be hopeless. Imagine it for a young little girl living all by herself in a country which is not secure. I was staying at home all the time; nothing to do, no education, no family, trying to cope with the culture (as it is a Sharia country) and it was way too hard for me. I didn’t feel I fitted into life with the way of my living. I was likely to feel hopeless and sad, more likely to feel as if nothing really makes a difference; and there is nothing I or anyone can do about it. People say the worst part is waiting, waiting helplessly. I spent more of my years in there crying.

My mother was in huge fear and worry about my safety there. Hence the Southwark Day Centre team contacted the UNHCR in Khartoum and I was guaranteed the basic human rights and physical security to ensure that I didn’t have to return involuntarily to a country where could face persecution.

Through out all this procedure the Southwark Day Centre were on my mother’s side giving her hope and trying their best 
to succeed in getting my visa. Prevention is better than cure, and most definitely so in the case of visa applications. 
My visa application was planned and checked thoroughly by the Southwark Day Centre with the necessary expertise and 
experience in the field of immigration. They took the utmost care to prevent our frustration at the visa being turned
down. On 14th August 2015, the judge accepted my case and I finally got my visa. I arrived to the United Kingdom on the 
third month of this year.

I was warmly welcomed by Southwark Day Centre with a Big Welcoming Party. I have never felt so loved this way. I always thank God that he gave me such a big family. I got to meet so many lovely people out there. Encouraging and supporting me whenever I need them, they are always there for me.

As a new arrival in a new country, the main problem that everyone faces is searching for potential advisers in every situation. I was lucky enough to have Southwark Day Centre who provided me with general advice with particular emphasis on my education and immigration issues. As a result of this, I am now studying on my access to higher education 
in one of the colleges in London. And with their support, I have got my travel document plus biometric residence permit 
within three months and travelled to Germany this summer.

Words cannot express my gratitude toward the Southwark Day Centre for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, who are representing the impact of a truly charitable organisation. Changing the lives of so many people every day in every aspects of their lives. Even though every refugee’s story is different and their anguish personal, Southwark Day Centre makes them
share a common thread of uncommon courage, the courage not only to survive, but to preserve and rebuild their shattered 
lives. They work to promote our belief in respect for human rights and freedom rather than fear. This is the kind of hope that enables us to live fully in the present moment.

* not her real name