Politicians, UK-citizens, and civil society groups all increasingly acknowledge that the system for those seeking asylum in the UK is broken. Inefficient, uncoordinated, and unfair, the UK system has damaging effects across society and for those seeking protection. Waiting times have reached unprecedented lengths, and often refugees receive very limited government support to help their integration into UK society. They consequently struggle to learn English, find fulfilling work, access education, and reach their potential.
In partnership with the Woolf Institute and the independent ‘Commission on the Integration of Refugees’, Aspen Institute UK is launching a three-part series of webinars to discuss the current refugee and asylum system, the social integration of refugees in the UK, and how best these pressing issues can be solved. These public, online events will bring together individuals from across the political spectrum, people with lived experience of the UK refugee and asylum system and other various stakeholder perspectives, with the hope of finding common ground and practical, politically feasible solutions.
These webinars will take a deep dive into different components of the asylum and refugee experience:
Shared stories of the refugee experience in the UK
17:00 GMT Wednesday, 15 March 2023 – listen to the podcast now!
How do we achieve safe passage for refugees arriving to the UK?
17:00 BST Wednesday, 7 June 2023 – listen to the podcast now!
How do you achieve public consent on integrating refugees in the UK?
17:00 BST Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Commission on the Integration of Refugees Report Launch
11:00 BST Tuesday, 26 March 2024 – listen to the podcast now!
The webinars will culminate in an in-person event at the time of the Commission report launch at the end of the year.
You can find out more about the Commission and its activities at: https://refugeeintegrationuk.com/