Afghan nationals helped to resettle in Cambridgeshire
The County Council's offering support
Last updated 4th Sep 2021
Cambridgeshire County Council is working with partners to help resettle Afghan nationals - and their families - who are at risk because they worked alongside our armed forces and the British Government, or who may be vulnerable for other reasons.
Members of the council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee heard that a number of homes have been identified across the county, while the County Council has also offered one of its vacant outdoor education centres as temporary accommodation for Afghans while they wait for suitable accommodation either in Cambridgeshire or elsewhere in the region.
The local authority has met with officers in each of the district and city councils (in their capacity as local housing authorities) to find out how they will be supporting the national programme, so that it can identify ways in which the county council can provide them with wraparound support – such as childcare placements, language classes or support to transfer qualifications to British standards.
A consistent message from all of the discussions has been the need to continue to work collaboratively, while a commitment has been made to establish a county-wide taskforce to share good practice and unblock challenges.
In addition, the County Council is also identifying a senior officer to work with district and city councils to help speed up decision-making and problem-solving, while it will also be working with a wide range of partners from across the public, voluntary, community and faith sectors to extend the coordination effort.
Cllr Tom Sanderson, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, said:
“Cambridgeshire has really come together to identify support for vulnerable Afghan nationals and it has been heartening that so many offers of help have already been made from district and City Council colleagues and from concerned members of the public
“We are a very multicultural county, and also a county with a history in welcoming people fleeing oppression, and it is great to see that being continued with the council and its partners prepared to give these families all possible assistance.
“We are grateful to members of the public who have reached out to offer their support. We are especially keen to hear from anyone who can offer suitable housing and large items of furniture.”
Support being offered by the County Council includes:
. Developing tailored English-language courses through its adult skills service, Cambridgeshire Skills
. Supporting the national effort to transfer qualifications to British standards, through Cambridgeshire Skills
. Exploring employment and apprenticeship opportunities within the council, and its contracted and commissioned services
. Coordination of donations from the public
. Expanding the locally-led donations schemes, especially for high demand items such as beds, wardrobes and white goods
. Extending existing mechanisms to buy goods or to provide food and other vouchers via the County Coordination Hub
. Supporting Afghan families to access online resources through the provision of computer hardware and data
. Working with our public health teams to offer immunisations/vaccinations to those individuals who might need them
. The offer of broader social opportunities.
The council is aware that many people are keen to offer help and support. It is especially keen to hear from landlords with suitable and available housing (whole and self-contained houses, rather than rooms or shared accommodation), as well as from anyone able to donate good quality large items of furniture, including beds and wardrobes.
Anyone wishing to contribute or to find out more detail is asked to approach the relevant district or city council where the housing located in the first instance.