The study, ‘International Migrants in Brighton & Hove’, was produced by the council to help plan and shape services for the future.  The outcome of more than a year of consultations and investigation, it drew on work by a team of migrant community researchers.

Richard Williams, Sanctuary on Sea’s chair and a member of the Steering group, said:

“By commissioning this study, the council has shown that it takes the needs of its migrant and refugee residents seriously.  We hope that it will make an equally serious commitment, at the highest level, to taking a strategic approach to meeting those needs, in partnership with communities.

“Some of the challenges identified, such as housing, cuts to legal aid and other impacts of austerity, go well beyond our migrant population. Effective responses will benefit migrants and non-migrants alike.  Some are specific to migrants and refugees and the solutions may well come from within those communities, with the right support.

“The report shows that we are generally a welcoming city that has thrived on diversity, but we can’t be complacent.  The evidence of racism and exclusion shows that we all have a role to play to ensure that our school, college, place of work, park or club is a place where everyone feels they belong.”

Sanctuary on Sea’s Annual General Meeting on 26 February will provide a timely opportunity to discuss how the voluntary sector should best respond to the needs that have been identified. All are welcome to join us for that important discussion.

A summary and the full report are available from the Connected City’s Needs Assessment web page