Playtime's over!

Amidst the hustle bustle of Euston station, I attended and event at 30 Euston Square, for a insight into the world of social entrepreneurship. Upon arrival staff welcomed and directed me to registration hall and coffee stands. As I poured myself a coffee, I felt a little overwhelmed by the male dominated room. A sense of discomfort clouded over me, as the age gaps seemed to quite large as well. I met Robin Pakenham from Uprise a social
developer &  a finance director, and he put my mind at ease about the event and being here. We both took our seats in the auditorium and Liam Black took the stage. Liam spoke of his book - The social entrepreneurs A -Z, which I found very inspiring and motivational. His presentation included useful information and a number of funny jokes. Everyone was interactive with a open Q&A session. As he asked if any young person wanted to comment on 'service users' I felt I needed to comment 'service users can't benefit if the service provider has no understanding nor experience in the service they are providing.'  It opened up larger conversation than I intended, which lead to disagreements with fellow attendees about how young people are difficult to train, at an apprentice level, to attain a higher position at a management level, because they had the passion and pleasure but didn't have the skills. Which you would assume would be provided through the course of the apprenticeship. I found that to be the greatest disrespect as a young person who was aiming to contribute to society while being passionate about what I do. Throughout the day,  I came across Lucy Adams, ex BBC employee, who had suffered a lot of trauma whilst employed by BBC, in a workshop called Scar Tissues, whom I found inspiring. I learnt from her that the best way forward after failure is to be better not bitter.

I created conversation with various entrepreneurs throughout the day, gained valuable knowledge and which created a sense of urgency in my mind to get on and do good through Kazuri. I never felt so motivated and fixated on my vision, a vision I share with all the people in this conference with me, to do good for our communities. I left with more than I came in with and I never felt so better about myself, and what I do. I want to channel all my new found energy and what better way to do that but through Kazuri and it's visions and values. A vision to do what I say, and say what I do. To change life's of women who have suffered a form of trauma in life. Trauma comes in many forms and we shouldn't try fit the types of trauma in a box, for the box will be to small to hold what is actually happening right under our noses.


By Aisha Begum
Apprentice at Kazuri Properties CiC

Carers or Captors?

Report to the Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry on asylum

By Flo Krause, Farah Damji and Nanki Chawla

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1      This submission examines asylum through a gendered lens, with a focus on housing as a human right. Through our interactions with the women tenants of G4S  we propose policy recommendations with regards to both housing and the contracts and subcontractors in charge of this.

2      We conclude that the current asylum system fails women as a particularly vulnerable group, and must be overhauled in its entirety in order for gender mainstreaming to take place. We assert that housing contracts should only be given to housing associations, rather than corporations, and suggest the Housing First model as an alternative to the current system. We urge an immediate review of the current contractors, in order to assess their capabilities in fulfilling their current mandate, and to ensure that the vulnerable are not being ignored. We also point out that accountability mechanisms and transparency processes are vital to ensuring a fairer, more inclusive new system. We call for trauma sensitivity training for the officials which interact with this group of vulnerable people.

 “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Maya Angelou 

This is an extract from a report to the Home Afairs Select Committee on asylum, that will be published  in parliament on June 4 2013 at an event hosted by Jeremy Corbyn MP. For further information please email info@kazuri.org.uk