Social Futures Institute
     

Skills Audit of Asylum Seekers

Professor Tony Chapman and Barbara Neil

Sponsor/collaborating institutions

This project is sponsored by Middlesbrough Council's Asylum Team

Background

The population of Middlesbrough has been in decline over the last ten years. Census returns suggest a fall in almost 10,000 population in a decade. The council is keen to retain its indigenous population, to attract more people to work here and to encourage refugees to remain in the town once they have been granted asylum. This study is designed to find out what skills and knowledge asylum seekers have and what their education needs are so that they can make a transition to work once they gain asylum.

Aims

  • To undertake a skills audit of asylum seekers and refugees in Middlesbrough.
  • To explore the reasons why asylum seekers may move to other towns and cities once they have gained asylum rather than stay in Middlesbrough.
  • To explore strategies to encourage asylum seekers to make the transition to work in Middlesbrough.

Methods

  • The study aims to interview 200 asylum seekers between October and December 2003.
  • The Institute and Asylum team have trained asylum seekers and refugees in interviewing skills to undertake the field work.
  • The quantitative research findings were published in February 2004.
  • A follow up qualitative study of a small sample of the initial survey population is planned for 2004.

Key findings