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New appointment
Hi everyone,
It may have been a while since you last heard from us – thank for sticking around!
My name is Joseph – I’m the new Campaigns and Communications Manager at Waltham Forest Migrant Action, with thanks to City Bridge Foundation for funding the post. To briefly introduce myself, I’m 27-years-old and come to WFMA with experience of grassroots migrant justice organising, grassroots and NGO communications, as well as providing frontline advice to migrant and refugee communities as a caseworker and paralegal.
I’m just over a month into the job and I’ll be responsible, among other things, for regularly updating you about our work through via this newsletter. I’m also going to be keeping the website up to date (keep your eye on the News page) and maintaining our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
My plan is to send out the newsletter at least once a month – possibly more if it seems worthwhile and feasible. I’ll also be putting the newsletters on the website so we’ll have a running archive. I’m going to keep this one relatively short – but in the next edition expect more news and upcoming events!
If you have any thoughts about this newsletter, or anything you’d like to be included in future ones, please get in touch with me at [email protected].
In solidarity,
Joseph
WFMA annual general meeting
We have a date and location for the WFMA Annual General Meeting 2023. It will be on Sunday 19 November 2023 at 5pm.
If you’re not a WFMA member yet then you will need to become a member in order to attend and vote at the AGM. The location and papers will be circulated to members ahead of the AGM.
Click here! to become a member of WFMA and play an active role in supporting our borough’s beautiful, rich, diverse community.
Support centre update
Below is an exciting update from the Support Centre Coordinator Mel:
Visitor statistics
From 12 July to 17 September 2023 we had 113 visits from 73 visitors. The split between male to female visitors was 37.5% to 62.5%. We help, on average, 14 visitors per week. This average is across the week so includes phone calls taken during the week as well as ongoing work done with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers between the Friday drop-in Support Centre sessions. I believe this is a conservative estimate as we are working towards consistency in recording notes, defining what constitutes contact with a migrant as opposed to supplementary work on their case. Obviously, further training for all volunteers will be needed to encourage this consistency but we are working towards clarity so we only pass on our final version of how to treat data and notes. To this end, one of our volunteers, who has found full-time employment but still wishes to be involved, has agreed to act as a data monitor.
OISC registration
WFMA is now allowed, by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC), to give basic immigration advice because one of our volunteers, George, has an OISC Level 1 qualification. Free Movement offers online level 1 training so we are seeking to encourage volunteers, who are interested, to undertake the training. So far, five of us have expressed an interest.
Wednesday sessions
From 20 September, we will be running additional sessions on Wednesday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00. These sessions are not additional drop-in visitor sessions. They are aimed at being time and space for phone calls and emails relating to cases or, by appointment only, helping visitors with form filling or applications (which would take up too much time during a Friday session). The aim also is that volunteers will gain a greater understanding of a range of issues and possible solutions.
Trustees wanted
We are recruiting for a number of voluntary trustee positions – could you be the person we are looking for?
We are looking for trustees who share our values and have the time and energy to help us build our charity.
We are keen to find someone with experience as a treasurer / bookkeeper, as well as people with skills in grant applications and human resources. But whether you are an experienced trustee or new to the role, we’d like to hear from you.
We are also especially interested in hearing from people with lived experience of migration/forced migration, as well as members of our local community from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, who are currently under-represented on our board.
Please share the job advert in your networks – and apply if you think you’re right for the role!
Latest news
Pride of Waltham Forest Awards
We’re delighted that our hard-working volunteers have been nominated for a Pride of Waltham Forest Award.
The Awards shine a light on those people who go above and beyond to help others, and who make Waltham Forest a great place to live.
Winners will be announced on Friday 3 November.
Fundraising
A huge thank you to the Wood Street Music & Arts Festival organisers whose lovely event took place on 10 September and raised £507.37! for WFMA through donations and sales of refreshments! It is wonderful to be supported by local residents and to be able to share about the work that we do.
A special thank you to Mustafa, one of the many asylum seekers in the Borough, who spoke about his journey to the UK and his hopes for the future.
Get involved
Could you be a WFMA volunteer?
If you have any time to spare each week, month or even for a one-off piece of work, please do email [email protected] and we will send you a registration form so we can see how we might best use your talents!
If you’re interested in anything campaigns or communications related, please contact me at [email protected]
Support us
Click here to make a one-time donation – or even better, set up a monthly recurring donation – and make a valuable contribution to what we do.
Every penny you give will be appreciated and go towards helping us give urgently needed support to migrants in Waltham Forest through our Support Centre and other work.
The Support Centre is open for drop-in every Friday from 10am -12.30pm at the Baptist Church, 65 Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow E17 7AS.
For more information, please email is [email protected]. Most immigration inquiries will require a follow up appointment – so drop in, phone or email to secure a time.
Waltham Forest Migrant Action 