Wales Strategic Migration Partnership

Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Migrants

(formerly the Welsh Consortium for Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants)

The Welsh Consortium for Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Migrants was one of eleven regional consortia established across the UK in 2001 to facilitate the effective dispersal of asylum seekers across the UK.

Since April 2007, all the regional Consortia have evolved into Strategic Migration Partnerships as the remit of the partnerships evolved to include migrant workers as well as refugees and asylum seekers.

The WSMP (Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Migrants) plays a lead role working with a range of partners from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors in the development of strategic policies and initiatives on asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in Wales.

As part of their ‘enabling role’, Strategic Migration Partnerships operate as the prime vehicle for consultation, liaison and partnership working between the UK Border Agency (UKBA) (formerly the Border & Immigration Agency) and other public, voluntary and private sector stakeholders in their respective regions and in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, on migration issues.

The lead local authority of the WSMP (Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Migrants) is Newport City Council and as such Newport City Council signs an ‘enabling grant agreement’ on behalf of the WSMP with the UKBA.

The enabling role is defined as;

“providing a regional (or in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland – a National) advisory, development and consultation function for member organisations from the statutory, voluntary, community and private sectors - for the co-ordination and provision of advice, support and services for migrants.”

Key Aims & Objectives

• Provide a regional (or in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland – a national) multi-sector, multi-agency Strategic Migration Partnership structure to deliver the requirements of the enabling role
• Facilitate and promote the effective contact, co-ordination and partnership working between the Strategic Migration Partnership and a range of organizations, including local authorities, police services, health authorities, employment and career services (including Jobcentre Plus), Government Regional Offices, the regional CBI/Employers Forum, the regional TUC, local and regional voluntary groups (including One Stop Service Providers), and the private sector (principally the UKBA contracted accommodation providers) – working across localities and service providers
• To facilitate regional (or in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland – National) strategic co-ordination discussions
• To gather regional (or in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland – national) data and trends, and monitor and evaluate the impact of asylum and other immigration policies on the dispersal process and provision of support and services for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
• To promote community safety and cohesion through a multi-agency approach
• To identify and seek to address gaps in resources, service provision and delivery to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
• To ensure that local authority emergency planners and other relevant organisations are aware of the existence (and, where appropriate, placement) and additional needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants (some of whom will have limited or no understanding of English)
• To manage information regarding refugees, asylum seekers and migrants by translating for local and regional (or in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland – national) use policies and current trends/thinking (including, where appropriate, those from devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• To co-ordinate participation in and response to BIA consultation exercises regarding migration
• To provide training and awareness regarding refugees, asylum seekers and migrants to local authorities and other organisations

The WSMP (Asylum Seekers, Refugees & Migrants) is currently conducting a ‘mapping exercise’ across Wales to ensure coordination on migration issues. This work is being carried out in partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association and the Welsh Assembly Government.

For further information, please get in touch using our contact details.

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