Connecting Communities
Commended Projects 2021

Xenia, London

Xenia brings migrant, refugee, asylum-seeking and British women together to connect, share and learn together.

Judges Commendation

The strength of Xenia’s model lies in a genuine commitment to mutual learning and sharing, and being led by the needs and interests of the women in the group. The project responded swiftly to Covid-19 to ensure their workshops could continue throughout lockdowns as well as offering additional sessions with a creative and practical focus to prevent social isolation of its members. The online workshops have been curated carefully to maintain the safe and inclusive space of the in-person workshops. Judges commend Xenia’s aim to share their approach and practice with other communities and hope to see groups in different parts of the UK adopt a similar model.

Welcome House, Hull

Welcome House provides a holistic service that enables cultural, social and educational engagement for seekers of sanctuary and refugees living across Hull.

Judges Commendation

It’s amazing to see what Welcome House has achieved in a short period of time. The Community Integration Awards commends the way members of the project have mobilised different parts of the Hull community, including local residents and businesses alongside project members with experience of the immigration system, to come together to support some of the most at risk and difficult to reach groups during the pandemic. The judges were particularly taken with the activities undertaken with young men to support their integration and connecting with other migrant and wider communities. Judges look forward to seeing how these new connections evolve and deepen.

Equality Access and Rights
Commended Projects 2021

North West Migrants Forum, Derry

NWMF is a network of individuals working together to tackle racial inequality and prejudice.

Judges Commendation

North West Migrants Forum is a vital open source model in an area where there isn’t any equivalent provision for marginalised communities. The Community Integration Awards commends NWMF’s breadth of work as well as the organisation’s focus on building capacity and developing dialogue and solutions. Judges also appreciated the way this organisation has connected people with key decision makers.

Migrants At Work, Birmingham & UK

Migrants At Work is a migrant-led community organisation supporting migrant and BAME workers to understand and exercise their employment rights and prevent labour exploitation.

Judges Commendation

Judges were impressed by Migrants At Work’s impact and achievements, especially with a very small budget. The organisation is filling a pressing gap in access to information and rights based support, at a time when Trade Unions are facing a tremendous amount of pressure. The Community Integration Awards commends Migrants At Work’s inclusive and dynamic response to Covid-19, adapting the project to respond to pressing needs on the ground. In the context of more migrants and BAME workers being driven into exploitation, working at the forefront of the pandemic and at great risk, this work becomes only more important.

BRASS, Birmingham

BRASS are a grassroots, volunteer-led organisation working in partnership with those seeking asylum in Birmingham, UK.

Judges Commendation

The Community Integration Awards commends BRASS’s unique and inspiring
model which gives a voice to some of the most marginalised groups in society. During Covid-19 when access to forms of initial accommodation has been heavily restricted, it is phenomenal what this group have achieved. Judges felt this model shows great potential for the evolution of mutual aid groups and hope to see resources made available to support the development of other lived experience led groups working on these issues.

Safety For All
Commended Projects 2021

Create and Express ltd., Hull

Create & Express Ltd is a non-for-profit BAME-led arts organisation using music as a tool for mitigating and raising awareness on social issues impacting Hull BAME communities and raising profile of BAME artists!

Judges Commendation

The Community Integration Awards commends the Create and Express Ltd – BAME versus Covid-19 Musical Project for its important work in using music to overcome language barriers and communicate important public health messages about keeping safe during the pandemic to marginalised communities. The project also supported the development of underrepresented artists from diverse communities, empowering them to take forward key public health messages in their own recordings and music.

Sing For Freedom Choir, London

The Sing for Freedom choir, run by Together Productions, is made up of survivors of torture, staff at Freedom from Torture and local residents.

Judges Commendation

The Sing for Freedom Choir brings together survivors of torture and isolated members of the local community to experience the therapeutic benefits of singing, performing and a sense of belonging. The Community Integration Awards commends the choir for continuing to support members during the pandemic to counter extreme isolation, re-traumatisation and digital exclusion.

Delta Alpha Delta, Leeds

D.A.D is a group of lone/single parent fathers who support one another in areas such as educational support for children and food security. They also run Skribble Kids project.

Judges Commendation

Delta Alpha Delta emerged directly out of the experience of a single father who identified a gap in local support for other single dads. During Covid-19, the project has provided food security and broader support for this group of men and their children. Originally set up to support lone fathers of Black origin, the Community Integration Awards commends the project for engaging with, and bringing together, a diverse group of fathers in the community at a time when support for them has been increasingly difficult to access.

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