EMAS support PHSME Refugee sessions

This afternoon the Year 4 children have considered the plight of Asylum Seekers with the expert guidance of Helen Taylor from Plymouth's Ethnic and Minority Achievement Service. In her 10 years working with the service Helen has worked with over 600 children and their families, supporting them as Asylum Seekers and Refugees.

The children were challenged to think about what it would feel like have to make snap judgements about what to leave or take behind if they had to suddenly leave their homes. They considered what events might conspire to cause this and talked about war, being forced to leave, being homeless, having no water through drought and having too much water in times of flood.


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The video demonstrates some of the activities the children undertook and the challenges they faced.

An Asylum Seeker is anyone who asks to stay in another country because it is dangerous for them to go back where they came from.
A Refugee is someone who has been told that they can stay in the country where they have sought asylum (this can often be a lengthy process full of government forms and investigations)

While a person is an asylum seeker they receive just £39.34 per week to live on. They will be found a safe place to live which may often be in a shared house with people who do not speak the same language. They are not allowed to work but are entitled to NHS medical care and free English lessons.

How would you feel if you were an asylum seeker?

Later this week we will hear first hand experiences of a refugee from Plymouth.