Following the publication of their research last year ‘It’s like rubbing salt on the wound: the impacts of Covid-19 and lockdown on asylum seekers and refugees’, Newcastle University have created a short video on how Covid-19 has affected refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
The report is based on a UK-wide survey of service providers working with or for refugees, as well as interviews with service providers, refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow and Newcastle-Gateshead.
Nearly 90% of service providers felt that they had responded quickly and effectively to the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote working was the biggest challenge identified by service providers, followed by funding uncertainties, issues related to staffing and volunteers, and home schooling.
Many service providers referred to providing food for service users, using Zoom for online classes and meetings, and continuing to offer, where possible, as many of the services that they had provided before the pandemic. 67% agreed that their volunteers played a key role in their response to the pandemic.
Those providing services for refugees and asylum seekers have responded in a spirited and flexible manner to the challenges of the pandemic, prioritising the needs of their service users while paying attention to the wellbeing of their staff and volunteers. 91% agreed that their response had improved over time, and 84% had found new ways of working that they will continue to use beyond the pandemic.
