This document provides an overview of Grace Hosting at LASSN, a program that places asylum seekers and refugees in need of accommodation with volunteer hosts. It started in 2003 providing emergency overnight accommodation and expanded in 2013 to include longer term hosting of over a week or month-to-month. Referrals come through two partner agencies and guests are matched based on availability, location, experience and other factors. In 2015-2016 it hosted 89 guests through 106 hosts, providing over 2,800 nights of accommodation. Risk management procedures are in place for guests, hosts and properties.

1. An introduction
to Grace Hosting
at LASSN
JUNE 2016
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

2. Overview
 Started as Short
Stop – in 2003,
providing
emergency
accommodation to
asylum seekers &
refugees
 Operating on a night
to night basis
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

3. Overview
 Long Stop started
in 2013, with hosts
providing ongoing
accommodation to
asylum seekers.
 Over a week, and
possibly month-to-
month
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

4. Who is the scheme for?
 Any asylum seeker or refugee without alternative
accommodation
 Someone must be trying to resolve their case (ie a
fresh claim, or pending) with support from the
referrer
 If someone is offered Section 4 accommodation,
the offer of emergency accommodation is
withdrawn
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

5. Referral arrangements
 Closed referral route
 2 local agencies providing casework to destitute
people refer
 Formal Partnership Agreements exists with both
organisations, signed off at Board Level
 Partnership agreements spell out
 Referral guidelines
 Risk management arrangements
 What happens next morning
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

6. How referrals work
 Guest assessed by referral agency
 Referral agency contacts Grace Coordinator and gives
background info, inc any risks/requirements
 Grace Coordinator contacts hosts to check availability
 Once Host identified, basic info on Guest shared with
Host and arrangements made
 Coordinator contacts Referrer
 Referrer gives Guest info sheet on Host (includes bus
routes, map, directions, photo of front door)
 Guest goes to Host
 Guest re-contacts referrer following morning
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

7. Risk management - Guests
 Referrers assess risk & decide suitability
 Info regarding Guests passed on by referral
agency to LASSN on a need to know basis
 No blanket exclusions but acceptance based on
support available and predictability of risk.
 Children’s Services are made aware of all referrals
involving children – and attempts made to gain
assistance under s17 of Children Act
 Ongoing checks with Guests throughout their
stay (via Referrers)
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

8. Risk management - Hosts
 All Lead Hosts (the people in the household who
are responsible for what goes on in the house)
are interviewed and trained
 2 references taken up for Lead Hosts
 No DBS as we do not believe this be a regulated
activity but about to bring in a requirement of
Basic Disclosure for Lead Hosts
 Regular checks through supervisions, check ins,
socials and training
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

9. Risk Management - Property
 Property checks to ensure minimum standards
(access to bed, privacy, bathroom)
 Advice offered to hosts on other aspects of safety
– fire exits, electrical checks, contents insurance,
but no requirements.
 All Hosts develop House Rules so Guests know
where they stand
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

10. How do we match?
Emergency accommodation
 Availability, location, experience, gender
preference (some hosts specify women only)
 No written agreement until longer than a week
Longer Stay
 As above, but written agreement if over a week
For more detail see our Introduction to Hosting
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

11. Numbers in 2015/16
 89 guests
 106 volunteer hosts in 57 households
 15 volunteer coordinators
 2876 nights of accommodation
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

12. Emergency/Shorter stay
 84 guests
 89 hosts in 48 households
 1289 nights of accommodation
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

13. Longer Stay
 6 guests
 17 hosts in 9 households
 1587 nights of accommodation
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

14. Guests (gender)
SHORTER/EMERGENCY STAY
56%
44%
Male Female
LONGER STAY
50%50%
Male Female
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

15. Guests (age)
SHORTER/EMERGENCY STAY
0
5
10
15
20
25
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ nk
Male Female
LONGER STAY
0
1
2
3
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ nk
Male Female
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

16. Guests (country of origin)
SHORTER/EMERGENCY STAY
28 different
nationalities
◦ Eritrea 15%
◦ Zimbabwe 12%
◦ Iran 11%
◦ Gambia 7%
LONGER STAY
4 different
nationalities
◦ Eritrea
◦ Zimbabwe
◦ Sudan
◦ Iraq
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network

17. Hosts - nights per household
SHORTER/EMERGENCY STAY
Average: 27
LONGER STAY
Average: 176
Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network