12th April 2008

Engage, CSV’s unique Home Office funded project to get asylum seekers volunteering in their local community, reached an end at Easter after a successful few months of community action.
 
A small ceremony in central Birmingham took place to show gratitude to the participants of the project who have come from many different countries but now reside in the Birmingham area as they wait for the results of their applications.
 
Their voluntary work has varied from heathland restoration to preparation of allotments. Many of the asylum seekers on the project had not done environmental voluntary work before and the course of the project does seem to have generated some new interest in some volunteers.  Paul Louissaint who came to England from Haiti became involved in all of Engage’s projects with enthusiasm. He had previously found it difficult to hear about volunteering opportunities in his area, but actively took part in the conservation work in Sutton Park, and the preparation of the allotment site in Hobmoor road. As a result of Engage’s projects he has now developed an interest in growing his own fruit and vegetables, and is looking into getting his own patch near where he stays in Coventry.
 
However, Hussein, originally from Somalia was well used to these types of activity. In Somalia before the civil war Hussein worked on his family farm growing carrots and tomatoes which he ran as a business. Now in England, with such a change in environment and climate, Hussein wants a change in career. He is keen to get training in computer repair, but has enjoyed keeping his hand in with food growing.
 
Although a new experience for many participants on the Engage project, environmental volunteering wasn’t new to all. Nanoush, a teacher from Algeria often took his students on clear-ups near the school in which he worked in Algeria, sometimes planting trees as well.
 
All the volunteers who took part in the Engage project have different aims and ambitions for their future – such as writing a book, teaching, computer work or environmental work - but all agreed that this project has provided not just benefit to their environment but interest and enjoyment for them.

For further information on the Engage project or CSV’s other work with hard-to-reach groups in the community, please contact Tom Freeland on 0121 322 2025, or email tom@csvenvironment.org.uk.