1. Community Sponsorship Scheme
Home Office Syrian Resettlement programme

2. Community Sponsorship
Based on the ‘Canadian’ model
A community takes the initiative & responsibility to resettle a family
The community meets the family at the airport
The community ensure that resettlement takes place: housing, education, health, employment & integration

3. The Home Office model A registered charity is the ‘sponsor’
The charity applies to the home office to be a sponsor to host a family
The Home Office assesses the sponsor and the host group as fit to be a sponsor
A resettlement plan is agreed
A match with a Syrian refugee family is made

4. The Home Office offer
A joint unit between the Home Office and the departments for International Development and Communities and Local Government
Matching a Syrian family to the host
Biometric Residence Permit
Refugee status - Right to stay
Housing benefit, Job Seeker Allowance
Support between Sponsor - Host – Home Office – Local Authority

5. St. Monica’s Parish Created a committee of 25 people 2 year commitment
Distributed the roles to everyone
Raised £8k
Secured a house through a Housing Association
Complied with every Home Office requirement

6. Compliance
Outcome 1 – Resettled Syrians have a home in which to settle in the UK, with adequate space and facilities to live in comfort and safety
Outcome 2 - Resettled Syrians feel welcome in the UK and are able to quickly acclimatise to living in the UK
Outcome 3 - Resettled Syrians are able to make a life for themselves in the UK, through accessing community activities, medical care, language skills, education and employment.

7. Compliance e.g. House A separate bedroom must be allocated to each:
married or cohabiting couple
adult aged 21 years or more
pair of adolescents aged years of the same sex
pair of children aged under 10 years regardless of sex

8. Compliance e.g. English
Arrange for English language tuition for adults as soon as possible – to commence within 2 weeks of arrival
Provide formal English language tuition by a suitably qualified ESOL teacher, for a minimum of 10 hours per week for the first twelve weeks, followed by a minimum of 5 hours per week for the remaining nine months

9. Challenges Managing expectations of host and family
Agreeing a road map/goals
Building trust and community support
Building independence
Managing complexity - mental health, trauma,
& culture shock

10. Critical Factors Is your sponsor/host fully committed?
Has your local authority committed to accepting a quota of Syrian refugees for resettlement?
Have you approached your local authority for support (School + NHS)
Have you secured a property?
Is the rent within the housing allowance?

11. Some factors The capacity of the sponsor and the host to deliver
The sponsor ‘underpinning’ insurance, legal and financial
The employment of a worker
Scaling up 5 parishes in your diocese
Sharing the model
Sharing the learning

12. Key players The Home Office Syrian Resettlement team
The National Refugee Welcome Board
CSAN, Office of Migration Policy, Citizens UK
The Local Authority- Trafford + G. Manchester
The Diocese of Salford Refugee Coordinator
Caritas Diocese of Salford
St. Monica’s Parish, Flixton
Maranatha Community

13. Useful Contacts
Gideon Winward Partnership Team Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF Tel:

14. Useful contacts Hannah Gregory & Nicola Thomas
Syrian Resettlement Programme
3rd Floor, Peel
2 Marsham Street
London
Tel: /
Mobile: /

15. Useful contacts
Tim Finch Coordinator National Refugees Welcome Board Migrate Consultancy +44 (0)

16. Caritas Salford contact
Mark Wiggin 
Chief Executive
Caritas Diocese of Salford
Cathedral Centre 3 Ford Street Salford M3 6DP T: F: E: W:

17. St. Monica’s contact
Sean Ryan Communications and Community Development Maranatha Community Tel: