Lift the ban: What ban are we talking about? – Ella our new Communications Intern tells us more…..
As a graduate, who is seeking a job, it would be a nightmare if someone told me that I have to wait for one or two years with just £5 a day before I can start to work. What can I do with £5? Buses and sandwiches would even be luxury. But sadly, it’s truly what is happening to a group of people, in the UK right now.
They are asylum seekers, many with their family to raise and talents to contribute, just like you and me. But they are banned from working for months and often years for the decision on their asylum claim, almost the longest time in the world, before which time all they can do is wait. Even if they are lucky enough to be granted the permission to work, their employment is highly restricted to a narrow list.
I heard many share their life with my own experience at a recent Lift The Ban Coalition meeting. One lady had to say no to her children because she could not afford for them go to swim in the hot summer. A fit educated young man woke up really depressed every morning because there was nothing he could do on the coming day. We are actually asking them to deal with physical and mental difficulties every single day, pushing them to find ways to survive, even after everything they have been through.
Lift the ban coalition is calling on the UK government to give Asylum Seekers the right to work. The Coalition is composed of over 80 Non-profit organisations, think tanks, businesses and faith groups and Speak Street is a proud to stand along side them. The Coalition seeks to help asylum seekers to negotiate for their working right and organise campaigns to persuade the government to make a change.
With our efforts altogether, quite a number of city Councils have agreed on the proposal and 71% of the public support for the change in our recent survey.
Yet there is still a long way to go before we reach the point. Your support really matters to us.
Sign our petition to the Home Secretary here with over 70,000 people.
Over the coming months, the coalition will be working to convince parliamentarians of the changes needed.
You can also download the Lift the Ban Activism Pack to see the way you can contribute and stand-up for the equal right for Asylum Seekers to live with dignity.
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