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Emergency Night Shelter
The Glasgow Destitution Network night shelter is open every night from 8pm to 8am. It is a volunteer-run emergency shelter in a church in the west end of Glasgow.
The night shelter, originally intended to be only emergency accommmodation over the winter, was due to end in March. However because it has been so succesful and played such a positive part in the lives of the men and women staying there that we’ve decided to try to continue the shelter for the rest of the year in a new location.
Donations and volunteers are urgently needed. Read more here.
YPeople evictions
Around 150 people are facing immediate eviction in the coming weeks.
All have been refused asylum, and are unable or unwilling to return to their home countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Some are trying to appeal their asylum refusal. None are entitled to any financial support or housing. They will all become homeless and destitute.
What you can do to help:
The Destitution Network and especially the Night Shelter needs donations of food, sleeping bags, toiletries, new underwear, and help towards fuel bills for the night shelter. We do not receive any funding and rely on donations from the public and the occasional donation from other charities. With over 140 people being made homeless in the next month – we are desperate.
We also need anyone who can help put up single asylum seekers for any amount of time, even 2 nights a week, to ease pressure on the limited space we have in the night shelter.
We are also currently trying to raise £600 for a shower for the night shelter so we can have hot running water. Those who have not yet been evicted need financial help to keep electricity on in the remaining flats.
Financial donations can be made by donating money to the “Glasgow Destitute Asylum Seeker Night Drop In” account at any Lloyds TSB branch, account No: 75140563 and sort Code: 87-37-51.
If you can help at all please email home@destitutionaction.org.uk or info@unitycentreglasgow.org or phone on 07961098430.
Why is this happening?
YPeople manages the properties for the UK Border Agency. They are contracted to house refugees up to the point that their asylum applications are determined, at which point they normally have 21 days to leave. In March 2010, Chief Executive Joe Connelly, announced a “no eviction policy”, effectively allowing people to stay on in the flats until they could find alternative arrangements. At the end of March, the Border Agency confirmed that the contract with YPeople is to end, with private security firm Serco taking over. There will be a transition handover period to November, but YPeople has informed around 100 “overstayers” that they must leave. There is a campaign against the evictions and the government’s destitution policies. Read about it here.
About the Destitution Network
More and more people are being excluded from the social welfare safety net, finding themselves homeless and destitute with no access to housing, employment or benefits. Most are migrants, such as refugees who have been refused asylum, or unemployed people from Europe.
The Glasgow Destitution Network is a network of community and faith groups and individuals working to coordinate emergency housing, food, clothing, cash and other support.
WELCOME from Camcorder Guerillas on Vimeo.
Hundreds of refugees are being put out of their homes with no benefits and no rights to work. Unable to return to their countries they are in a stateless limbo on Glasgow’s streets.
“My life is frozen,” says a Zimbabwean maths teacher who has been living “Underground” since being evicted from his council flat. “I’m existing, but it’s not a life. I don’t think Scottish people know we are being chucked onto the street or they would not allow it to happen”.
This film raised awareness about the issue of asylum seekers and refugees being made destitute on the streets of Glasgow. It was a call to action, encouraging people to help by offering their spare rooms to destitute asylum seekers.
