The Gaskell Sponsorship Project is the flagship project of the Gaskell Garden Project.
About the Sponsorship Project
Many persons seeking refuge are unable to meet basic human needs. The barriers include living in a new country, without knowledge of how to find or access support; the language barrier; the cultural barrier, which may range from being unwilling to ask for help to alienation of sources of help due to cultural differences; the financial barrier, due to their inability to legally gain employment and earn money; and the social barrier of stigma surrounding persons seeking refuge.
The Gaskell Sponsorship Project’s main aim is, through organisation and funding, to help the sponsored person meet needs that they lack the resources or ability to meet themselves, during and after the asylum process, be that due to the linguistic, cultural, financial or legal reasons.
The project meets these many of these needs through our main activities of community gardening, sports, music and educational events.
Through meeting these needs, we prepare the sponsored person for independent life, allowing them to become healthy, happy, integrated and productive members of UK Society.
We focus on meeting the following needs:
- Health – Reducing Physical & Mental Health inequalities by identifying and overcoming barriers to access of health care. This can range from accompanying a sponsored person to a GP appointment to sourcing access to a Mental Health professional. We also promote good health through growing food and our sports project.
- Social – We reduce isolation, loneliness and its effect on health by providing a social group of positive, friendly people & by running music, food, sports or educational events. The GGP also funds the means of transport of sponsored persons in general, enabling them to attend social events anywhere in the city that they otherwise could not. This is initially through public transport, until a bicycle can be located, and the sponsored person is comfortable in its use on UK roads.
- Educational – In the initial stages of a sponsored person’s journey, the primary educational goal is the development of language skills which enables all other goals. We help refugees to find English courses, and provide opportunities to practice daily.
On attainment of a good level of English, the sponsored person is able to attend the various educational workshops the GGP organise, the flagship being the 12-month Permaculture Design course. The completion of this and other educational courses attests to their level of English, their commitment, dedication, and many other positive attributes that an employer or educational institution look for, enabling sponsored persons to find employment on successful completion of the asylum process. - Legal – The GGP work to support the RAPAR organisation in the legal cases of our sponsored persons. By providing opportunities to evidence their cultural, linguistic and social integration, and their educational determination, a sponsored person is able to convince a panel of their suitability to be a positive, contributory member to UK Society. Our fundraising events also provide financial support for legal cases and other associated costs.
- Foundational – The GGP aims to assist sponsored persons in the meeting of their foundational needs – Shelter, warmth, nutrition and water. This is highly personal, and can range from signposting to handling telephone calls on their behalf (due to language barriers) to providing them with land, tools and education to grow their own food.
- Signposting – There are many needs the sponsorshop programme is unable to meet. When these needs are identified, we work on the sponsored person’s behalf to organise and liase with other services (such as housing services, or other organisations).
How can I help?
You can help us by volunteering to help with our project or by donating.
What will money I donate be spent on?
You can help us change the lives of persons seeking asylum by donating what you can to the Sponsorship Project. Your money will be spent on meeting any of the above needs, so it could range from bus fares, to solicitor’s fees, to a passport. We have no paid members of staff, so 100% of the money we receive will go to the Sponsorship Project.