North East Regional Gathering Review Report This project is part funded by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. Making management of migration flows more efficient across the European Union. 1 North East Regional Gathering Review Report North East Regional Gathering Review Report 2 Section 1 Section 2 Event Agenda Event Details Regional Gathering in Dundee, 1st of February 2020 Event Title North East Regional Gathering AGENDA Event organised by Regional Integration coordinator for North East Time Area Task Event Venue St. Peters Free Church, 4 St. Peter Street, Dundee 11.00 – 11.30 Registrations and welcoming Entrance and Main Hall 30 mins Event Date Saturday 1st February 2020 11.30 – 11.40 Welcome and Opening performance Main Hall 10 mins Event Start – End times 10.00 – 3.30pm 11.40 – 11.50 Story from the East Main Hall 10 mins 11.50 – 12.00 Speakers / Scottish Refugee Conuncil Main Hall 10 mins 12.00 – 12.45 Mapping of Al Zaatari Camp / conversation Downstairs Hall 1 45 mins 12.45 – 2.00 Food and socialize Main Hall, Downstairs Hall 1 and kitchen 1hr 15 mins 2.00 – 3.00 Arabic Music History and performance Downstairs Hall 1 1 hour 2.00 – 3.00 Services chat / exchanging experiences Main Hall 1 hour 3.00 – 3.30 Dance and finale performance / Closing Main Hall 30 mins KIDS Time Area Task 11.30 – 1.30 Parklives Dundee programme Outside Courtyard 2 hours Family activity/sports 11.30 – 3.00 Mask making and accessorising Upstairs Hall 2 3hr 30 mins 11.30 – 3.00 How it felts kids workshop/Puppet Making Upstairs Hall 2 3hr 30 mins /Jewellery Making 3 North East Regional Gathering Review Report North East Regional Gathering Review Report 4 Section 2 Section 3 Event Agenda continued Attendees Total number of attendees (Community and Charity) NEW SCOTS CONVERSATIONS The registration sheet indicates that around 300 • Scottish Faiths Action for Refugee (Religious) people attended the event. This did not count • Dundee Central Mosque (Religious) Time Area Task everyone attended during the event as there were extra helpers and entertainers during the day. The • Children at War, Humans of Syria, Young Lens 12.00 – 12.45 Collecting questions about services from Main Hall actual number was around 320. and Antonio Olmos (Art and Photography) 45 mins Refugees and Asylum seekers Organisations attending in an ‘Groups’ contributing to the event official capacity – e.g. musicians, entertainers, caterers etc. Lunch Time Answering the questions / Finalising the Main Hall conversation • Action for Children • Aberdeenshire Council (Transportation (Community/children and young people) and registration ) 2.00 – 3.00 Open Conversations about New Scots Main Hall • Perth Citizen Advice Bureau (Charity) • Perth and Kinross Council (Transportation 1 hour Strategy Themes • Dundee International Women Centre and registration) (Education, Employment and Community) • Angus Council (Transportation and registration) EXHIBITION • Scottish Refugee Council (Staff and Volunteers) • Perth Citizen Advice Bureau/Informational Stall • Grampian Regional Equality Council /GREC (Charity) Time Area Task (Community) • Dundee International Women Centre/Informational • Amina Muslim Resource Centre Stall (Education, Employment and Community) 11.00 – 3.30 Humans of Syria, Young Lens and Antonio Main Hall (Education, Employment and Community) 4hrs 30 mins Olmos Photography Exhibition • Scottish Refugee Council (Staff and Volunteers) • Leisure and Culture Dundee/Parlives • Amina Muslim Resource Centre/Informational Stall Programme (Community, Charity) (Education, Employment and Community) STALLS • Yvonne Stewart – Children’s Activities • Leisure and Culture Dundee/Parlives Programme/ /Artist (Homes and mask making) Family Activity (Community, Charity) Dundee International Women Centre Main Hall • How it Felt Activities (Arts and Crafts) • Children’s Activities/ Artist • With Refugee Broughty Ferry (Charity) (Homes and mask making) Amina Muslim Women Centre Main Hall • Dundee City Council (Local Authority) • How it Felt Activities Puppet making (Arts and Crafts) • Perth and Kinross Council (Local Authority) • With Refugee Broughty Ferry /Informational Stall With Refugee Broughty Ferry Main Hall • Aberdeenshire Council (Local Authority) (Charity) • Aberdeen City Council (Local Authority) • University of Dundee of Scotland (University) One World Centre / Aberdeen for a Fairer World Main Hall • Angus Council (Local Authorities) • Dundee Central Mosque/Taught by Mohammed / • University of Dundee of Scotland (University) Sizzler Food Catering (Religious) Citizen Advice Bureau / Perth Main Hall • University of Aberdeen (University) • Tesco/Dundee Riverside Branch (Food Catering) • University of St. Andrews (University) • Vegware (Food Catering) ParkLives Dundee / Leisure and Culture Dundee Main Hall • Al Amal group (Refugee Led Group) • Syrian musician • Friends of Amal (Volunteers) • Refugee Led Band from Dundee (Music) • Al Salam Project Aberdeen • Children at War, Humans of Syria and Young Lens (Refugee Led Group) (Art and Photography) • Pitlochery Festival Theatre 5 North East Regional Gathering Review Report North East Regional Gathering Review Report 6 Section 3 Section 4 Attendees continued Event Reporting The local member of Parliament was also due to Refugee groups and Asylum Seekers in The New Scots Regional Gathering in Dundee was In addition to the stalls, we planned to collect attend and speak at this event but he was unable to attendance by geographic area an open invitation from Scottish Refugee Council to requests, questions and problems faced by the New participate and sent his apologies in advance. refugees, asylum seekers, community groups and Scots and try to answer or signpost them where Refugee Groups were in attendance from the residents of the North East of Scotland to gather, chat appropriate with an open Question and Answer One World Centre and Aberdeen for a Fairer World following areas: and collaborate together towards “Building Bridges, session which was planned in the Gathering for the were also meant to be in the Gathering, They also had • Aberdeenshire • Aberdeen Not Walls” in Scotland. afternoon with the help of all the practitioners with a stall booked for information about education at school expertise who attended the event. but for unseen circumstances, the two organisations • Dundee • Angus Integration is a two-way process in which New Scots were unable to attend and sent apologies. and communities learn and adapt to each other to The event was also a fun-filled family day with • Perth and Kinross build a shared future. Focusing on this, the Regional performances, music, exhibitions, food and dance. Refugees from Fife and Clackmannanshire were Gathering in Dundee was an initiative to celebrate It was planned with the intended outcome being that invited to the Gathering but the groups supporting and present some of the cultural aspects from where Social Connections (improving social bridges, links them were unable to organise a trip at that time to the refugees come from; as well as learning about and bonds) amongst refugees would be improved Dundee. Scottish Refugee Council will try to invite what the New Scots Integration Strategy is and the and more cultural awareness would be raised within those groups to the next planned National Gathering. progress it is making to address integration throughout the local community about where the refugees and Scotland. asylum seekers come from. This family-friendly regional Gathering was held on Saturday the 1st of February at the St. Peters Free Church, 4 St. Peters Street, Dundee. “People spent more The event was an opportunity for refugees living in Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire than three hours on and Aberdeen to come together and engage with the New Scots Integration Strategy. The stalls in the event their one-way journey were directly linked to different themes within the New Scots Strategy: to come to the • Health and Well-being Gathering. It shows Parklives and Leisure and Culture Dundee / Kids and family activity. the motivation New • Education One World Centre and Montgomery Dec. Scots have to meet • Community and Equality support Dundee International Women Centre, Amina new people from and with Refugee Broughty Ferry. different areas and • Rights and entitlements Perth Citizen Advice Bureau. learn more about communities in Scotland.” 7 North East Regional Gathering Review Report North East Regional Gathering Review Report 8 Section 5 Section 6 Key messages/outcomes Event Evaluation Key Conclusions • The majority of those attending agreed the Lessons Learned • New Scots from NE and NW of Scotland had importance of these Gatherings for New Scots as the chance to meet many new friends and mix • The Gathering was a great opportunity for refugees • With a big turn out during the day, we were unable well as for local communities. It was good to show and asylum seekers from different areas to meet to do the question and answer session planned for with people who had the same background and different cultural aspects and experiences. It was and socialise. Many New Scots were really keen the afternoon. Even though some of volunteers experiences as them but from different localities. also a great opportunity for New Scots to practice to attend and that is reflected by the turnout on were able to collect questions from the New Many exchanged numbers and promised future their traditions, music and dances in such a relaxing, the day which till the last minute was not expected. Scots