Residents invited to help decide new Borough of Sanctuary grants

The council is looking to recruit panel members who themselves have come to Islington as refugees, migrants or people seeking asylum, as part of its commitment to empowering residents and working in partnership with the communities it serves.

The panel will help to shape and award grants as part of the council’s new Borough of Sanctuary Grants Programme, which will open to applications from voluntary sector organisations and community groups early next year.

Working closely with council officers, panel members will receive training on how to judge grant applications at a series of workshops.

The grants will support community-led projects and organisations that welcome refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum, support integration and encourage connections between new and existing communities.

The new grant programme comes after Islington was named an official Borough of Sanctuary for refugees, migrants and people seeking sanctuary earlier this year, and forms a key part of the council’s Islington Welcomes strategy to build on this recognition.

It also follows the success of a similar project, in which residents on the Boston and Nailour Estates helped decide how £15,000 would be spent to improve their estate.

Councillor Sheila Chapman, Executive Member for Equalities, Communities and Inclusion, said: “Islington has a long, proud history of welcoming people seeking sanctuary. The launch of our Borough of Sanctuary Grants Programme and Community Panel is another fantastic chapter in this."

“And it’s so important we’re putting people with real-life experience of seeking sanctuary at the heart of decision making. It’ll help us better understand the kind of practical support people need when they start a new life in Islington, and what will help them feel connected to our brilliant community. If you have this experience, I really hope you’ll think about applying.”

Panel members will benefit from training sessions, the support of council staff and will attend decision-making meetings from October 2024 to March 2025. Panel members will also be compensated for their time and involvement. No prior experience is required, and the council is encouraging anyone with lived experience of migration to apply. Panel members need to be aged 18+ and to live, study or access services in Islington, or have been supported by the council.

More information on how to apply to join the Community Panel is available on the council’s website and has been shared with community groups and voluntary sector partners who work with people seeking sanctuary in Islington. Applications are open until Friday 4 October.