School/Directorate: Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences
Key theme: Links directly to support the University’s Sanctuary status.
Impact and Achievements:
The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness among students and staff of Cardiff Metropolitan University of the challenges faced by asylum-seekers and refugees and the psychosocial support that they need to aid integration in their local communities in Wales. A total of 28 people attended the seminar which included 11 staff, 9 students, 5 key stakeholders from Third Sector Organisations working with refugees, and 3 general participants. It provided the platform to support and promote Cardiff Metropolitan University's Sanctuary Status which is committed to nurturing a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary. The key stakeholders in Third Sector organisations working with refugees and asylum-seekers discussed issues faced by this population of forced migrants and how to respond to their psychosocial needs and promote integration in host communities in Wales.
The topics covered in the seminar included a presentation by Dr Mike Wells on the preliminary findings of his research on the psychological perspectives on tackling poverty among asylum-seekers and refuges in Wales, a keynote address by Reynette Roberts, CEO Oasis Cardiff, on the challenges and needs of asylum-seekers and refugees and the strategies employed by Oasis to effectively respond to their psychosocial needs, and a panel discussion on meeting the psychosocial needs of refugees and asylum-seekers with Davina Gomes, Refugee Service Manager of the British Red Cross in Wales, Norman Gettings, Communications and Resettlement Lead Oasis, Erica Williams, ESOL Coordinator Wales Strategic Migration Partnership, and Ruth Brown, Legal Director Asylum Justice. 
The seminar enabled the attendees to discuss and learn about the challenges faced by asylum-seekers and refugees and consider how CMET as a University of Sanctuary can support students with these challenges. The knowledge gained from the seminar enhanced the understanding of the attendees, both staff and students, of the impact of forced migration on the wellbeing of asylum-seekers and refugees and the psychosocial interventions and policies that are needed to facilitate their integration into the Welsh communities. Some examples of the feedback received from the delegates:
"An excellent and very informative event, also emotionally moving"
"The speakers were passionate and clearly knowledgeable about their topics. Thoughtful and interesting panel discussion".
The long-term impact of this project is also ensured as a hub of networking relationships has now been established with one of the key stakeholder organisations, Oasis. This includes a proposed project which will lead to a larger intervention study that will promote social entrepreneurial skills among refugees for economic empowerment and financial inclusion. The seminar supported by the Global Grant has enabled connections to be made with key organisations to continue to collaborate in future.