Help & Advice
The Advice Centre
The Advice Centre operates between 10:00 – 3:00, 5 days per week, and is at the
heart of the support we provide at The Harbour Project. Our team of dedicated
Advisors and volunteers work tirelessly to respond effectively to a variety of
questions, queries, and issues. Details of appointments will vary day-to-day and
will be largely determined by the immigration status of each Visitor.
For someone who is still waiting for an outcome of their asylum claim, their
needs can include: health-related matters, access to education, accessing
asylum support, contacting immigration solicitors, Migrant Help, the Home Office
and seeking volunteering opportunities
For those that have been granted Refugee Status, questions often revolve
around: applying for mainstream benefits, accessing housing, family reunion,
applying for Travel Documents, Driving Licences, eVISAs, creating CV’s, and
finding employment opportunities.We are ready to respond to new queries, and
always seek to further our legal literacy.
Women’s Engagement Lead
The Women’s Engagement Lead provides one-to-one support to women,
focusing on specific issues such as helping women achieve financial resilience
by securing entitlements (maternity grants and pregnancy support schemes),
utilising an extensive network (Women’s Aid, Sexual Health Centre, Moving On
Project) to respond to a variety of safeguarding issues and promoting positive
physical and mental wellbeing through referrals to appropriate agencies.
Young Visitor Engagement Lead
23% of our total registered Visitors are aged between 16-25 and 99 Visitors are
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) who are under the care of the
Local Authority. The Young Visitor Engagement Lead is the first point of contact
for our young Visitors, frequently liaising with their Social Workers, Personal
Advisors and Foster Carers about their care. The Young Visitor Engagement
Lead has extensive knowledge on the Age Assessment process and has trained
a team of Appropriate Adults to help the young person through this lengthy
process. Our Youth Group is supported by our Youth Lead who has lived
experience of the asylum process.
Steps2Work Coordinator
Our Steps2work Coordinator focuses upon building employability skills and is
vital in rebuilding self-worth. Employment leads to independence, confidence,
family security and re-establishes dignity. The Steps2work Coordinator helps with
CV’s, job searches, job applications and interview preparation, as well as helping
to find volunteering opportunities whilst people are still in the asylum process and
forbidden to work.
Positive Mental Wellbeing Coordinator
Promoting mental wellbeing is a top priority for us as we recognise the profound
impact that the journey to the UK, navigating the asylum process and the
challenges of lives left behind have on people’s mental health. We offer
counselling and work with partner organisations such as Swindon MIND to
provide bespoke mental health support and we have free social activities to
address the isolation experienced by our Visitors.