Crisis Conference 2011

1. Crisis Conference 2011 Crisis Conference 2011Session 1: Central and Eastern Europeans: where next?

2. Crisis Conference 2011 Alicja Falska and Barnaby Green Crisis Pre-employment programme for A10 Nationals funded by Oak Foundation. - Good Practice- Lifting of Restrictions- New Opportunities (?)

3. Crisis Conference 2011 Background (Good Practice)

4. Crisis Conference 2011 We are currently in the second year of a three year grant from Oak Foundation for our 'Pre-employment Programme for A8 & A2 Nationals in London'. This began in August 09. The funding pays for the salaries of two A8 & A2 Work and Learning Coaches (Alena and Alicja) plus associated project and overhead costs.

5. Crisis Conference 2011 Timeline • 2004 - Crisis has worked to support CEE clients (almost 100% increase in CEE clients) • 2005 - One CEE Progression Coordinator • 2009 - Crisis secured funding for a 3 year pre-employment project from Oak Foundation and appointed two dedicated A10 Employment Coaches • 2010 – a 10 week employment-focused course in English supported by the Polish Embassy • 2010 – Crisis Christmas runs a dedicated A10 service • 2011 – Crisis hosts the quarterly CEEF and embarks on some outreach work

6. Crisis Conference 2011 A10 clients registered at Crisis

7. Crisis Conference 2011 Country of origin of those working with A10 Coaches

8. Crisis Conference 2011 Our Focus • Sustainable employment • Improving skills – English, employment based training • Integration into main stream society • Improving confidence • Sustainable housing

9. Crisis Conference 2011 Delivery • Support of a dedicated A10 Employment coach • Weekly job club • Employment platform • Training – CSCS card, ESOL, well-being training • Referral to external courses/organisations • Housing coach

10. Crisis Conference 2011 Challenges faced by A2/A10 clients • Limited or no English • Small % trafficked to UK (sex trafficking and labour exploitation) • Work promised but did not materialise • Stolen documents • No access to accommodation – majority rough sleeping • Substance misuse/MH problems • Lack of knowledge in regards to legislation • Work that was unregistered with WRS – no benefits entitlement

11. Crisis Conference 2011 Approach/solutions • Support not only in securing employment but also post-employment • Encourage attendance on courses • Work first (Romanian/Bulgarian clients) • Referral to other organisations • Support with deposit (once work is found) – 10 members received grants from VRF • Changing Lives Grants support

12. Crisis Conference 2011 Restrictions • 01/05/2004 – A8 countries joined EU with permission to work in the UK as both employed and self-employed • Eligible to access public funds only after 12 months of continues employment which is registered with Home Office • 01/01/2007 – A2 countries joined EU with restrictions in employment but free to work as self-employed

13. Crisis Conference 2011 Restrictions 2 • A2 workers are not entitled to access public funds before completing 12 months registered employment in UK • Problems – not eligible to access housing, not entitled to any help if injured or ill in the first 12 months, not informed about benefits they are entitled while working (Working tax credit, housing benefits, etc), exclusion, limited English, risk of removal if without a job for more then 3 months

14. Crisis Conference 2011 Lifting restrictions • Since 01/05/2011 all restrictions affecting A8 were lifted • A8 citizens should be entitled to access all benefits if they are found to be habitually resident in the UK • But Job Centre seems not to be informed about these changes, HRT forms are often not given to people which leads to refusal of benefits and consequently refusal of housing benefit leaving them rough sleeping • A8 citizens are not adequately informed about lifting the restrictions (if at all) • No information provided in terms of entitlements to benefits • Administrative removal should no longer affect A8 • All restriction still in place for A2

15. Crisis Conference 2011 Lifting restrictions • Since 01/05/2011 all restrictions affecting A8 were lifted • A8 citizens should be entitled to access all benefits if they are found to be habitually resident in the UK • But Job Centre seems not to be informed about these changes, HRT forms are often not given to people which leads to refusal of benefits and consequently refusal of housing benefit leaving them rough sleeping • A8 citizens are not adequately informed about lifting the restrictions (if at all) • No information provided in terms of entitlements to benefits • Administrative removal should no longer affect A8 • All restriction still in place for A2

16. Crisis Conference 2011 Before lifting restrictions

17. Crisis Conference 2011 After lifting restrictions

18. Crisis Conference 2011 Monika Zerbin, Barka UK Employment Programme founded by Oak Foundation and City & Tower Hamlets Councils

19. Crisis Conference 2011 Barka UK • Established in 1989 after the fall of communism • Develops programs for Social Inclusion based on service users’ engagement • Works with 5,000 people a year through education, social enterprises development and housing programs • Based on Barka models system of 4 major legal acts were created • Barka Network includes 100 member organisations

20. Crisis Conference 2011 Monika Zerbin, Barka UK • Invitation by the Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Housing Justice Unleash and Simon Community • Established in June 2007 • 3 projects

21. Crisis Conference 2011 Barka UK projects • Reconnection Project – July 2007 • Social Economy Centre- April 2010 • Training sessions for representatives of civil society organisation and local council interested to upgrade their qualifications in the area of integration of A10 nationals

22. Crisis Conference 2011 Social Economy Centre Targets • To help unemployed, potentially socially excluded people to rejoin the workforce through specialised motivational schemes that should help to break the vicious cycle of addiction and unemployment • Teaching skills that help the unemployed to assimilate in a new, foreign environment • Providing comprehensive knowledge about legal regulations in the UK and emphasising the need to protect the rights of the workers to prevent exploitation by the employers • Helping to psychologically boost migrants by providing seminars, teaching about taking control of one’s life, reducing fear, raising the assertiveness and strengthening the notion of equality: that each worker deserves equal rights in UK labour market

23. Crisis Conference 2011 SEC Services • Drug and Alcohol Addiction Support/Group Session • Personal Document Support • Legal and Financial Advice • Preparation for employment • Employment Support Service • Accommodation Session

24. Crisis Conference 2011 Case study: Lukasz, 24 years old, Polish, no documents, rough sleeper for 4 years Work plan 1. Therapist • Personal Plan of Addiction Therapy 2. Psychologist  • Diagnosis of the problems • Reducing deficits resulting from homelessness 3. Job Advisor • First conversation concerning his history of employment • Diagnosis of occupational attitude – Holland’s Test • 3. Job Advisor continued… • Provide help with writing application documents (CV and cover letter) • Determining the frequency of meetings (2 times a week) • The presentation of job offers on each meeting • Support and assistance during contact with employer ( interview, send CV to employers) • 4. Entrepreneur Advisor /Legal Advisor • Organising replacement of ID • Clearing tax issues with HMRC

25. Crisis Conference 2011 Case study – current situation • Lukasz started his employment on the JOY’s Food 8 of October 2010. He is an employee of the warehouse responsible for checking orders. Currently he rents a room in the district of Walthamstow • He has not taken drugs for over 7 months. He is drinking occasionally and has quit smoking cigarettes • He keeps in touch with therapist and psychologist. Twice a month he uses a therapy session (OPT) • He re-established contact with his sister and father • He is saving money for professional bartending course • He has begun to care about his appearance and health • He participated in 72 meetings with the SEC staff, 43 of them with therapist and psychologist

26. Crisis Conference 2011 SEC Results • We helped 59 CEE Migrants • 62% engaged with employment market • 8 out of 20 people was reconnected • 60% were helped to move from homelessness to being housed • 61% secured necessary documentation and registration

27. Crisis Conference 2011 What happened on 1 May 2011? • The Worker Registration Scheme (‘WRS’) is no longer existing; • Any A8 national are able to access income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit the same way like British Citizen jobseekers. • Any A8 worker in work are able to access in-work benefits regardless of whether she has registered with the WRS.

28. Crisis Conference 2011 Lifting restrictions? • No information distributed to A8 • Aggressive and detailed verifications • HRT (Habitual Residency Test) in place • JCP employees not informed about past not existing registrations (WRS) Any questions?

29. Crisis Conference 2011 Any questions?