This podcast features Aimee Corrine Ottroh. Aimee was an asylum seeker from Ivory coast. She arrived in the UK in 2011. After dispersal to Glasgow, she spent three years trying to get refugee status. She has now several academic achievements and she is now a UNESCO RILA ambassador. Full show notes and transcript on our website www.refugeevoicesscotland.com .

www.refugeevoicesscotland.com

Aimee from the Ivory Coast. A person with refugee status.

Küche is a social start-up which creates socially engaged one-off food-led events and community dinners that discuss the anthropology of food. How does that work? LISTEN.

Küche - using food as a tool to start a different kind of conversation edit1

This episode features Keiran Taylor talking about the forgotten history of Belgian refugees in Glasgow during the Great War, a story that has many contemporary parallels.

The hidden story of Belgian refugees living in Glasgow during the Great War

Amal Azzudin is a campaigner for human rights and social justice in Scotland.  She is a Somali-born Scottish refugee and activist who co-founded the Glasgow Girls a group of seven young women who campaigned against the harsh treatment of asylum-seekers in response to the detention of one of their friends.  

The Glasgow Girls story has since been turned into two BBC documentaries, a stage musical and a television musical drama. The stage musical toured again this year.

In 2016 Amal was named by both the Young Women’s Movement and the Saltire Society as one of the Outstanding Women of Scotland and in 2018 she won the University of Glasgow’s World Changing Alumni award. Amal is also an Ambassador for the Scottish Refugee Council. 

Since leaving University, Amal has worked for the Mental Health Foundation in Scotland as Equality and Human Rights Officer responsible for the development of the Foundation’s work with asylum seekers and refugees. She leads on the Foundation’s Sawti project.
I really enjoyed meeting Amal and you can keep up with what she does next by following her on Twitter at @AmalAzzudin . 

Check out Amal’s work at the Mental Health Foundation where you can find details of the Sawti project at https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/projects/sawti

As Amal said, you will be able to see the artwork from the Sawti project during Mental Health Awareness Week which this year runs from 13 to 19th May 2019. Check the Mental Health Foundation website for details. 
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

More links:
Guardian UK interview: 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/08/amal-azzudin-refugee-rights-campaigner-interview

Amal’s TEDxUniversityofGlasgow talk : https://youtu.be/UH8F9m3rFoc

If you are a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind, if you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project and want to tell us about it in our podcast, contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot and on our Facebook page.

"We all have a duty and responsibility to make a positive difference in the world" says Amal Azzudin

This episode features Steven McCluskey, the founder of the Bikes for Refugees Charity, which if you follow them on twitter, seems to be growing arms and legs or should that be pedals and chains? Bikes for refugees started through a meeting that included Steven, a young gentleman from Syria called Yaman and what Steven describes as a bike shaped object.

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"To be honest with you, I wasn't quite sure how it would pan out. It's one of these things that you come up, you know when you're in your bedroom and then it sort of grows and grows arms and legs."

"It’s interesting I actually describe the project less and less like a bike project it's more of a project that supports people's inclusion and integration.

 And I think it's important as well that when people first arrived here it sends out a powerful message of solidarity as well. And it says to people that you're welcome here. "

"So just giving people that freedom of movement goes a long way towards helping people just to connect with essential services and importantly, a lot of isolated people, it helps to connect with other people and to meet new people and make new friends as well."

"But what really makes a project work is the support we get. The support we get from individuals who donate bikes but also the many partnerships that we get as well and some interesting and creative partnerships which is really nice."

"But I suppose I'm never really surprised by the number of people out there and the communities who want to help and want to do something which is always great and without that kind of support, the project wouldn't exist."

"There’s a registration form. You just fill in the registration form. And you will just automatically be put on our waiting list. And then when a bike comes up, we will contact you."

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You can get in touch with Steven at Bikes for Refugees on their website www.bikesforrefugees.scot. 
Email him using BFRScotland@gmail.com. 
Find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @Bikes4refugees. 

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Other organisations mentioned in this podcast:

Bridge 8 Hub  
https://www.facebook.com/bridge8hub/ 

Soulriders
https://soulriders.org.uk/ 

Bikes and Bagels
http://www.bikesforrefugees.scot/uncategorized/bikes-bagels-special-offer/

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Please remember that if you are a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind, if you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project and want to tell us about it in our podcast, contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot and on our facebook group. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast. 

Thank you very much for listening.

Not a bike project, a project that supports people's inclusion and integration- Bikes for Refugees

A few episodes ago we spoke to Amal Azzudin, one of the Glasgow Girls. She recommended speaking to ”the legend “ Mr Girvan featured in the Glasgow Girls story, movie and musical. 

Euan Girvan was a bi-lingual support teacher in Drumchapel High at the time a large number of refugee and asylum seekers and their children arrived in Glasgow. He describes the atmosphere at the time, the reason Glasgow Girls became the focus of activism and how the school and Glasgow City managed this new challenge. He also speaks of the political background and impact of the first Home Office detentions and the source of his personal motivation.

He reads his father's poem:  

Charity by Adam Girvan
Love is not only kindness in the eye,
Like the bright sun of a warm Summer day.
Nor sympathising with a ready sigh,
As a soft wind to sun-tired gardens may.
Love is to give and give with all our power,
As summer gives, to make the world we know
More sweet, more lovely and more soothing hour by hour;
to give new life where Life was low
And limp and languid, dull and in distress;
Not proud and condescending anywhere,
Nor counting up the cost. Love is no less
Than this, but even more, for Love will dare
To go where only hopelessness prevails,
Love never wavers then, nor faults nor fails.

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Find out more about Ignite Theatre at www.ignitetheatreglasgow.org .
Follow them on Twitter @Glasgow_Ignite and find them on Instagram and Facebook. Links in the show notes on our main site. 
  
Remember that if you are a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind, if you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project and want to tell us about it in our podcast, contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot and on our facebook group. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast here. 

I want to thank Euan for making the time to speak. Also Tilly the cat who wouldn’t get off my coat when I wanted to leave.
Thank you very much for listening. 

We have a lot of new episodes coming up including Refugee Festival Shows. Subscribe so you don't miss a single one!

"Love is not only kindness in the eye" Euan Girvan talks about the Glasgow Girls and more...

Welcome to our very first podcast recorded in front of an audience at a festival!  We were delighted to be asked to join the University of Glasgow UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts at the Solas Festival in beautiful Perthshire. 

And the weather was really good, which it always is in (cough) Scotland. It certainly made the camping experience better although midgies did make themselves known.

This podcast features two artists:

Fawaz Raif is a Syrian actor who after acting for one year, is in a show called The Trojans. The Trojans is a new adaptation of Euripides’ Trojan Women performed by Syrian Refugees. It will be touring the UK including performances at the Edinburgh Festival. He will soon film a movie called “The Hipples”. For a person who has been acting for one year. He’s doing very well! And of his first love football?  Listen and find out more. 

Farzane Zamen is an Iranian musician, producer, and songwriter. She released albums and singles in Persian as well as English. She has won awards and she has spent a lot of time in Glasgow writing and recording her songs, thanks to Glad Cafe and Green Door Studios.
You can find Farzane Zamen here on Soundcloud. Follow her. We are!

Are you a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind? Do you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project and want to tell us about it? Contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot, and on our facebook group.
And Subscribe here, so you don't miss an episode. 

Thank you for listening!

Our first live show with an audience - join us at the Solas Festival!

This episode features Lyndsay McDade. Mum and a refugee volunteer, particularly in camps in France. She also has a lot of knowledge and experience of how our system deals with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and has closer to home, direct experience of the asylum processes through looking after a young person going through the asylum process.
Lyndsay has a strong message for us all. 
Stay tuned to the end for a special update

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Lyndsay sent me a message a short time ago. 
It says “my boy was granted refugee status this week. Love won! <3” 
She also said that he faces significant challenges ahead recovering from his experiences. I am sure you will join me in wishing him the very best for his future. You can find Lyndsay on Twitter @LyndsayMcDade . Follow her. We did. 

We have several future episodes in preparation, which is a first for us. This podcast is evolving thanks to people giving us their time and ideas and people coming forward to ask to be in our show. 
Yes, it really is that simple!

All we ask is “What’s on your mind”  and you must approve the interview before it is published.

Themes are emerging, both in current shows and in shows to come. Mental health and the power of Faith are two that are in the front of my mind you will hear current and future shows. 

In every episode, I learn more about the challenges our New Scots face and I feel honoured to speak to our New Scots who have faced so much in their lives and demonstrate courage, resilience and a positive outlook. 

Don’t miss a show by subscribing to this podcast.

A huge thanks to Cara-Marie Connolly for writing the show transcript. A laborious task and much valued by many listeners. The full transcript is on the refugeevoicesscotland.com website.

Remember that if you're a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind. If you run a refugee or asylum seekers support project and want to tell us about it in our podcast, contact us on refugeevoicesscotland at Gmail dot com on Twitter,  at refvoicesscot and on our Facebook page. 

Thank you very much for listening to this podcast. 
Please subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

www.efugeevoicesscotland.com

Love Won!

This podcast features Radiant and Brighter. Radiant and Brighter is an organisation set up by  Pheona and Micheal Matovu. They were not refugees or asylum seekers and therefore, did not qualify for any support. They experienced destitution and though their experiences developed Radiant and Brighter which is a Community Interest Company. That aims to bridge the gap between the needs of the growing BAME, refugee and migrant communities.

Check out radiant and brighter on www.radiantandbrighter.com . 

Their latest news is that Radiant and Brighter are finalists at the Women's Enterprise Scotland Awards !(www.womensenterprisescotlandawards.co.uk/) 

They are also collaborating with the Royal Bank of Scotland "Back Her Business" programme (www.rbsbackherbusiness.co.uk in supporting women from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities to start-up businesses.

Their next in-house diversity training date for employers that want to diversify their workforce is 19/09/2019 and the fee is £120 per person

Thank you...
Cara-Marie Connolly for again writing the show transcript. 
Stewart Roxburgh, for your continued support. Find Stewart’s excellent radio work at www.mixcloud.com/stewart-roxburgh/stream/

Contact us...
Please remember that you can be in our show. Are you a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind? 
Do you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project in Scotland? 
Contact us on "refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com"
On twitter @refvoicesscot and on our facebook group. 
Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast.

Radiant and Brighter - a place for people to come together and learn from each other

As you will know if you have listened to our previous shows, the UK is the only country in Europe that routinely detains people indefinitely on immigration rule violation grounds. 
People in detention cannot leave, they live in prison-like conditions within the detention centres. The majority of people detained are eventually released, but many never really recover from the trauma.

Scottish Detainee Visitors is a Scottish Charity that supports people detained by the immigration service in Scotland and through its work and projects influences government policy on detention.

Scottish Detainee Visitors have visited over a thousand people offering support, understanding and a life-line to the outside world. In addition to their visiting, they have a range of services and projects and they are looking for volunteers, so check out their website at www.sdv.org.uk

This podcast was recorded on the 24th of May 2019. I spoke to director Kate Alexander in their Glasgow office and I’ll give you an update on their latest news at the end.  

NOTE the Liberty Petition has now ended but you can still make your voice heard here : www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/campaigning/oppose-indefinite-detention


Links to organisation mentioned in this podcast
Ice and Fire Theatre Company https://iceandfire.co.uk/
To volunteer with Scottish Detainee Visitors: http://sdv.org.uk/volunteer/

A full transcript is available on our main site www.refugeevoicesscotland.com

Scottish Detainee Visitors - Supporting people in Dungavel. Influencing policy on detention.

Hello and welcome to the Refugee Voices Scotland podcast, my name is Ken Gordon. 
This episode features The Welcoming Association in  Edinburgh whose mission is to “Welcome newcomers, build community and learn together”. 

I spoke to Adil Ibrahim who is a Senior Community Development Practitioner to learn about the range of services they provide. 

You can find welcoming Edinburgh on the web https://www.thewelcoming.org

On Twitter @WelcomingEdi https://twitter.com/WelcomingEdi

Welcoming Edinburgh on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/welcomingedinburgh

And on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewelcoming

Please remember that if you are a refugee or an asylum seeker who has something on your mind, if you run a refugee or asylum seeker support project and want to tell us about it in our podcast, contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot and on our facebook group. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast here. 

Thank you very much for listening and goodbye!

Feel at home in Scotland Welcoming Edinburgh

This podcast was recorded on a wet and cold December Sunday in Byres Road in Glasgow. Refuweegee held a social event for the public and volunteers and featuring a performance from the Nevis Ensemble. 
Listen to catch up with the latest developments and initiatives from the refuweegee team and a super set of interviews with the Nevis Ensemble and a little (public domain) music. You really have to see this orchestra live. No recording does them justice.

In this podcast, you heard in order of appearance, Lori Sullivan, Fliss Keefe, Oudai Tozan, Jamie Munn, Jon Hargreaves (one of eh Nevis Ensemble Conductors), Andrea Baker (Opera Singer)and of course the incredible Nevis Ensemble and the founder of refuweegee Selina Hayles. 
If you are interested in being in our podcast, get in touch.

Have a great Christmas and Happy New year. See you in 2020 with lots of new shows.

Links
https://nevisensemble.org/
https://twitter.com/nevisensemble
www.instagram.com/nevisensemble/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNdQUrkaZUTx7meqxjDr9w
https://www.facebook.com/nevisensemble
https://www.refuweegee.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/refuweegee
https://www.facebook.com/Refuweegee/



Links
https://nevisensemble.org/
https://twitter.com/nevisensemble
www.instagram.com/nevisensemble/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmNdQUrkaZUTx7meqxjDr9w
https://www.facebook.com/nevisensemble

The Refugee Voices Scotland podcast is always looking for refugees and refugee support organisations to feature in our shows , so get in touch.

We only ask “what is on your mind” and it’s up to you what happens next. You can contact us on refugeevoicesscotland@gmail.com, on twitter @refvoicesscot and you can find us on facebook.

What’s on my mind right now is what an interesting episode we have lined up for our next show. 

Don’t miss out and subscribe to this podcast. Today!

Thank you very much for listening , and goodbye!

Next episode coming soon! Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to our podcast here.

A Very Refuweegee Christmas

Nihaya Jaber is a PhD student at the University of Glasgow.  She is also an intern for the Palestinian Arabic online project and she is a third-generation refugee. She is Palestinian, from Gaza.

She talks about life in one of the most populated refugee camps in Gaza, reverse culture shock and refugee anger.

This podcast is the first in a series of monthly lunchtime live recordings in the Refuweegee shop at 100 Byres Road in Glasgow.  Check our twitter to find out when the next one is and join our audience!

Nihaya Jaber - A Very Strong Lady

Ngqabutho Mpofu is a DJ, an actor, chairman of Ignite Theatre, the founder of Jaiva and a lot more.

In this podcast recorded in front of an audience, he tells us how he got into DJ-ing and Acting, about a beautiful moment on a roadside with two policemen and the big influences on his life so far.

Join us for another show recorded in front of a live audience in the refuweegee shop in Byres Road Glasgow.

This show was produced in collaboration with the Universit of Glasgow UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts (RILA).

Huge thanks to Refuweegee for the use of their shop and keep a close eye on all our social media to find out when the next recording is, and join us!

LINKS TO ORGANISATIONS AND PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST

https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/unesco/
UNESCO Chair RILA Twitter https://twitter.com/UofGUnescoRILA/status/1176398684784910336

https://twitter.com/ignite_theatre
https://twitter.com/ngqae
https://theampersandproject.com/author/ngqabutho-mpofu/

Miriam Makeba https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Makeba
Find JAIVAGLASGOW on Facebook and Instagram
Ngqabutho’s creative page is Butho_The_Warrior on instagram

https://www.refuweegee.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/refuweegee
https://www.facebook.com/Refuweegee/

"I don't take no for an answer" - Ngqabutho Mpofu DJ, Actor, Jaiva Founder and more

Refugee Voices Scotland podcasts amplify refugee stories to counteract distortion of their situation in the media. We give refugees and refugee support organisations a voice.
We aim to make a difference to public attitudes to refugees in Scotland and the UK. Our podcasts are a way for refugees and refugee support organisations to tell their story.  We support all efforts to make refugees feel safe, secure and welcome in Scotland.

We are always open to working in collaboration and we have several projects in the pipeline.  If you want to help out, can add a skill to our toolbox, have an idea or project you think we can help you with, get in touch through our website www.refugeevoicesscotland.com ,  on twitter twitter.com/refvoicesscot or on Facebook www.facebook.com/refugeevoicesscotland/

Refugee Voices Scotland

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