We strive to provide support services and a safe and welcoming environment through Day Centre provision, to help meet the needs of local asylum seekers. At our day centres, we provide lunches, advice and support around health, housing, education, employment, andasylum issues, along with a range of social and wellbeing activities. The sociable atmosphere of the Day Centres provides our clients with the opportunityto build social networks, which reduces the level of isolation so often felt in this disenfranchised group.
Around 16,000 refugees are estimated to live in Southwark borough. Every week, we welcome nearly 200 asylum seekers and refugees to our day centres.
Our clients come from over 30 countries, and face a range of challenges, from homelessness and destitution to the threat of detention and deportation and anxiety about the future. Most asylum seekers live on just £37 a week, in sub-standard accommodation or without a home at all. Many of our clients have no recourse to public funds, and no right to work. They also face a complex and ever-changing migration system, often with little support and guidance.
Amidst a backdrop of increasingly hostile policies towards refugees and asylum seekers, SDCAS exists to offer a warm and welcoming environment towards some of the most disadvantaged communities. Our holistic approach plays an important role in both supporting clients and helping them navigate the asylum system, as well as providing a safe space for clients to unwind, connect with others and learn new skills in a supportive environment.