 About 10,000 asylum seekers have been resettled in Glasgow |
People in Glasgow are helping asylum seekers to settle in Britain, according to new findings. The Building Bridges report showed that Glaswegians were having a positive impact on the resettlement of refugees.
It said that with birth rates down and the population ageing, asylum seekers could bring "significant" benefits.
About 10,000 asylum seekers of more than 70 nationalities have been resettled in Glasgow since a national dispersal policy in April 2000.
Dr Karen Wren, of the Scottish Centre for Research on Social Justice (SCRSJ), which undertook the research, said: "It shows that, despite the racism experienced by some asylum seekers in Glasgow, there is another face to Scottish society.
"This has sought to embrace values of social justice which extend beyond the limits of local communities in the city, and beyond the borders of the UK."
 |  Asylum seekers will depend on continuing support and funding  |
Tuesday's report examined the work of the 10 asylum seeker resettlement and integration networks in Glasgow, documenting the work of professionals and local volunteers. Dr Wren said: "The networks have had to respond very rapidly to changing local needs associated with the arrival of several thousand asylum seekers in Glasgow, in a context where communities had not been prepared for their arrival.
"This preliminary research outlines the work of the networks, their future support needs and concerns in relation to their work with asylum seekers.
"It effectively constitutes a 'snapshot in time' on rapidly-changing territory.
Development grant
"It also emphasises that the sustainability of the networks as a viable form of local support for asylum seekers will depend on continuing support and funding."
But the study also showed that UK immigration and asylum policy was found to be disjointed and incoherent.
Service providers felt their work was being hampered by a punitive Westminster policy framework, while the Scottish Executive was perceived to be promoting integration work in a more positive way.
Key issues of concern raised by the participants were;
- the removal of the right to work for asylum seekers in 2002
- the detention of asylum seekers at the Dungavel centre
- and many called for further devolution of aspects of immigration and asylum policy.
The SCRSJ is a collaboration between the department of urban studies at Glasgow University and the Arkleton Centre for Rural Development Research at Aberdeen University.
It was funded initially by a three-year research development grant from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, and aims to lead research and policy debate on social justice in Scotland in order to influence thinking and policy throughout the UK.
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