About: Review of group

Summer 2004: 5 years since the N&DRSG's birth and a need to assess the group's purpose and direction

The N&DRSG was started in 1999 to support Kosovan refugees coming to the UK to flee the crisis in the Balkans. By summer 2004 the asylum picture had changed: people were seeking sanctuary from human rights abuses in Iraq and Somalia; the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) had been created and dispersal had seen the number of asylum seekers in Newport number hundreds rather then tens.

The group realised that the demands upon its members had changed and tendered for an independent review to be carried out. The principle aim was to assess the group's activities and its abilities to meet the needs. A consultant was appointed and spent some time at our drop-in sessions, at the events we staged out in the summer and with individual members. The results were largely encouraging - reassuring us that we were doing a good job. However we were also given 6 recommendations on how to help the group develop.

November 2004: Progress against assessment 's recommendations; 2 measures implemented already

1. The group has revisited its aims and objectives and these are featured in the new constitution (see here) and on the membership form (see here)

2. New constitution written and adopted and the new executive committee will be voted in at the next AGM

November 2004: Action plan for satisfying 3 other recommendations

3 . Elected officers meet once a month outside normal meetings. The executive group will meet no later than 3 weeks after every meeting.

4 . A membership register is kept. A membership form has been devised (see here).

5 . Calendar of events. Trish Johns has prepared a calendar of events (see here). Please email her on trish.johns@ntlworld.com if you have any other events to add.

The outstanding recommendation is that the group engages with a broader section of the refugee and asylum seeker community. The group feels that this is important but also realises that it is difficult to achieve at the moment. However we will support any agency that seeks to develop the capacity of community groups.

September 2005: All recommendations satisfied

The group followed its new constitution and in March 2005 voted a new executive committe made entirely of members who had joined 3 months previoulsy. We now have an execuitve committee of 10 people with 5 officers. Click here to see who is on our committee.

Further to the other 5 recommendations the group can now satisfay the sixth recommnendation:

6. The group has increased its efforts to work with community groups. In July 2005 we made a community newsletter to celebrate Refugee Week with South People's Projects. The newsletter is now in its 2nd edition and includes information from other community groups.

The further aims of supporting community groups will be aided by the 2-year ESF-funded Refugee Integration project. This project is due to start in October 2005.