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Action Week 18-24 February 2013
"Seeking asylum is not a criminal act and those who seek it should not be detained" UNHCR
Students Against Detention!
January 2013 Calling all STARs! People are being detained by the Home Office while their claim for asylum is processed! It's called the Detained Fast Track and it's got to stop! STAR has teamed up with Detention Action for our national Action Week to campaign against the Detained Fast Track. Some people who are seeking refugee protection in the UK are being selected for a system where they are detained in prison like conditions for the duration of their application. This is the Detained Fast Track and STAR says it's wrong that asylum seekers are detained without charge, purely for administrative ease. STAR Campaign Actions for Action Week! We have three things for you to do during Action Week:
1. Street Action: raise the profile of detention by tying yourselves into a human chain, symbolic of the restrictions placed on asylum seekers.
2. Quiz: quiz the public and find out if people agree with us on the simple principle that the detention of asylum seekers is wrong. This will be an opportunity to bust some myths!
3. Petition: get as many signatures as possible against the Detained Fast Track from other students and members of the public to show your local MPs that this is an issue people really care about.
4. Speaker event: Educate your fellow Students with a speaker event. STAR has made a film with testimonials from ex-detainees as well as staff from Detention Action.
Your Action Pack contains the following: Action Pack Contents
1. Background Information 2. Top Tips for an Awesome Action Week 3. Campaign Action: Detain yourselves and quiz the public! 4. Student Media Guidance
Important Our campaign is strongest if we work together so make sure your local action is part of the national campaign by telling us:
What you plan to do
When you plan to do it
What happened when you did it
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Being part of the national movement against detention is easy... Call Jack!
Phone 020 7697 4133 Email [email protected]
Plus
Join the Action Week 2013: Students Against Detention! Facebook event to share your ideas and plans with other groups. http://www.facebook.com/events/127460174090780/
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
When I first came it was not really good. I had never been in this situation, I had never been locked up, it was like a prison it is a prison. I said to my cellmate, “this is a prison, not detention”. I was very depressed thinking “why am I here in a prison?” John, from Gambia
1. Background Information Asylum Detention in the UK
What? Detention refers to the government practice of detaining asylum seekers for administrative purposes typically to resolve their claims, facilitate their removals or establish their identities. In 2010, 12,878 asylum seekers entered detention.
Where? The majority of detainees in the UK are held in either immigration removal centres (IRCs) or short term holding facilities, which are in or near airports. In 2012, the UK had 10 IRCs and 17 short term holding facilities.
When? Asylum seekers may be detained at any point in the asylum process, whilst a decision regarding their appeal for asylum is pending or after their application has been refused.
Why? There's no good reason! People who are waiting for their asylum claim to be processed are usually allowed to enter the UK and live in the community. Some people are selected for the Detained Fast Track because the UKBA thinks they will be able to process them more quickly that way. They are just very, very unlucky. Detained Fast Track What is it? Detained Fast Track (DFT), introduced in 2003, is part of the UK asylum system where asylum seekers are held in detention for the duration of their application when the UKBA (UK Border Agency, part of the Home Office) think that an individual’s case is a simple one and can be decided quickly. How do they decide? By using information the UKBA collects at a screening interview at the start of the asylum process. However, the only information collected as this point is very basic, such as their country of origin and does not go into the details of their asylum claim. Screening interviews tend to be very short and held in non-confidential environments, making it very difficult for individuals to disclose sensitive information. The IRCs where those in the Detained Fast Track are held are prison-like facilities. More and more people are being fast tracked and over 2,000 asylum seekers are currently held in this way every year. In 2008, the government announced a target of fast tracking 30% of asylum seekers. Detention is Wrong
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Stressful. It is really bad. There’s nothing I can do. I don’t even have a solicitor, and it is hard work to do everything myself. I am tired being here, I miss my kids so much. I cannot take it no more. Maybe that’s their plan, so that we can all give up on our life. This is torture now. -Mallan, from Malawi
In Britain we have a long, proud history of protecting people fleeing persecution and preventing the detention of those who have done nothing wrong. The detention of asylum seekers goes against both of these traditions. It is wrong to lock up people who are fleeing persecution as soon as they arrive in the UK. The UK has signed the UN Convention on Refugees and therefore it's perfectly legal to claim asylum. It Doesn’t Work The asylum process is supposed to examine the facts put by the person asking for protection and grant refugee status to those who need it. DFT is ineffective at finding out the true facts of an asylum case and punishes rather than protects those who need it. There is good evidence that a successful asylum system allows asylum seekers to live in the community, receive good legal advice and engage with the people making a decision on their claim. This was trialled in 2008 under a programme called the Solihull Pilot and found that:
Cases were concluded almost twice as quickly as those elsewhere.
Better, more sustainable decisions meant that the number of allowed appeals was halved.
“Considerable potential savings” were identified. The lower rate of allowed appeals meant that
the rise in the Legal Aid budget could be offset by significant savings in UKBA support, Legal
Service Commission funds and Tribunal costs.
The number of people absconding reduced significantly.
The rate of grants of refugee status almost doubled.
The number of removals (as a proportion of refusals) increased.
In Australia asylum seekers who in the past would have been detained are now living in the community and provided with case management support. For people who are refused asylum, the number agreeing to leave voluntarily has increased dramatically. It Harms Vulnerable People The screening process to decide who is put into Detained Fast Track is very short, public and ineffective and leads to vulnerable people being locked up.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
I didn’t understand fast track before, and I still don’t understand it now. It is a way for them to save money and send people home, because there is no truth on fast track. My solicitor asked immigration to remove me from fast track as my case is not suitable for it. -Mallan, from Malawi
The Home Office states that children, heavily pregnant women, victims of torture and trafficking and people with severe mental or physical disabilities should not be put into Detained Fast Track. However, a recent government report found that of 114 cases originally thought suitable for Fast Track, 30% had to be released. For example, a Zimbabwean politician, who arrived in the UK with obvious and unhealed torture wounds on his head, was put into DFT.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said that the UK’s inadequate screening processes means that rape victims and torture survivors can find themselves being led off to a detention centre, sometimes in handcuffs, as soon as they arrived in Britain to claim asylum, which he described as “inhumane”.
The UN is Against Detention of Asylum-Seekers The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) has called for the UK to use alternatives to detention: UNHCR’s Alice Edwards launched UNHCR’s Guidelines on the Detention of Asylum Seekers with the following words from the Agency:
Seeking asylum is not a criminal act.
Indefinite and arbitrary forms of detention are prohibited under international law.
UNHCR is disappointed that many countries continue to hold asylum-seekers in detention,
sometimes for long periods of time and in poor conditions, including in some cases in prisons
together with common criminals.
UNHCR calls on Governments to pay special attention to vulnerable asylum-seekers, such as
victims of torture and trauma, older people or people with disabilities, and children.
UNHCR research has indicated that irregular migration is not deterred even by stringent
detention practices and that more than 90% of asylum-seekers comply with their conditions of
release when freed from detention.
http://www.unhcr.org/505c461f9.html "Guidelines on the Applicable Criteria and Standards relating to the Detention of Asylum-Seekers and Alternatives to Detention" UNHCR 2012. STAR Says: Detention is wrong. Detained Fast Track should end!
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Find out more online: Go to the STAR website www.star-network.org.uk Go to the Detention Action website www.detentionaction.org.uk Go to the UNHCR website http://www.unhcr.org/505b10ee9.html Watch the film by our very own STAR founder Andy Davies! http://www.channel4.com/news/government-breaching-rules-on-torture-victims
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
2. Top tips for an Awesome Action Week!
Tip 1: Plan in advance - make a plan and allocate roles ASAP. Fill in the STAR Students Against Detention Events Planning grid as you go, and keep reading this pack for loads of tips on advertising, planning and running your event.
Tip 2: Spread the word - start building the momentum for Action Week now! Try putting up posters, flyering, holding a stall and speaking at lectures or other societies’ meetings.
Tip 3: Partner up - get other societies involved, and think beyond the usual suspects! In the past STARs have teamed up with students from Amnesty, Christian Aid, the Red Cross, Aegis, and many, many more…including a varsity rugby club!
Tip 4: Be a local - let local organisations know what you are doing and see if they would like to be involved. They may also be willing to advertise your Students Against Detention events to a wider audience.
Tip 5: Invite important people - think about inviting local MPs, councilors, and other influential people to your Students Against Detention events. Perhaps there is a local celebrity you could get along? Here are some golden rules: 1. If they agree to come, let STAR National know! We can help you make the most of it. 2. If it is your MP, research whether they support the issue. Did they support last year’s Action Week? Ask STAR National how… 3. Appoint a volunteer to liaise with your guest, be their host on the day and follow-up after the Students Against Detention event.
Tip 7: Be media savvy - let the student and local media know what you’re up to, but make sure you’re media savvy! See the media advice at the end of the Pack. Important: We want to make the very most of our media friends so make sure you call STAR National and receive a brief before you talk to the media.
Tip 7: Recruit new members - encourage people to sign up to your local STAR group – you’ll have even more volunteers next year to make Action Week even better!
Tip 8: Be informed! - Before engaging with the public, make sure you read the Background Information section. If you’re holding a Students Against Detention event, get volunteers together at the start for a quick briefing.
Tip 9: Plug into the STAR Network & make your campaign national. Share your plan with the STAR National and get in touch with any questions: 020 7697 4133/ [email protected]. Join other STARs in planning Action Week 2013 http://www.facebook.com/events/127460174090780/
Tip 10: Follow-up – develop a post-Action Week plan! First, write up the results of your Action Week Quiz and share them with STAR National. Now decide what you could do locally to follow-up on your actions and Students Against Detention events. You could write a feature in a student paper or make a campaign video.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
STAR Maths +/-
36 STAR groups x 100 people quizzed
per group = 3,600 people!
3. Campaign Action: Students Against Detention
Quiz the public Get ready to quiz the public! STAR needs your group to go out and get the evidence for the first ever national survey on public attitudes to the detention of asylum seekers. We want to know if people agree with us on one simple principle – that people should not be imprisoned for exercising their right to claim asylum. Doing the activity will help bust some myths and win support for the campaign. The results will be an invaluable campaigning tool for Detention Action, as well as giving you a petition to send to your local MP and get their support!
1. Create a scene The first thing you will need to do is get people interested. In order for you to quiz as many people as possible and have as many signatures as possible by the end of the day, we want you to detain yourselves! Tie yourselves together with string or cloth in a busy location. You could be sitting in a circle, on the town hall steps, or in the middle of a square. You can make this as elaborate as you like for instance, wearing black and white prisoner outfits or creating some cardboards prison bars. This simple act will represent the detention of asylum seeker in the UK as well as providing you with curious passers-by to quiz! You need
Some string or cloth Some willing detainees
2. The Quiz
The STAR Action Week quiz is designed to test people’s knowledge of refugee issues in the UK and give them an opportunity to tell us what they think about the detention of asylum seekers.
It is split into 3 easy steps, which should take 1 minute each.
Part 1. The Quiz Ask them 5 quick questions to test their knowledge of refugee issues in the UK. Part 2. The Facts Give them a chance to check their answers and learn some facts about refugees in the UK.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Part 3. The Petition Encourage people to show their support for STAR’s campaign and sign a petition calling for the end of Detained Fast Track. Make sure you note down people’s answers for Part 1. Make sure you keep these somewhere safe! You will need to keep a record of the answers from the quiz to pass on to STAR National and send your signed petition to your local MP. We will send you a model letter to base your communications with your MP on.
3. Get people to participate! We’ve made the STAR Action Week Quiz fun and interesting, but it’s up to you to make it even better! Here are some suggestions: Encourage people to do the quiz with you by offering a prize if they get 3 or more answers right.
This could be a cupcake, a packet of magic stars or a badge…
Set yourself up somewhere obvious to do the quiz. A stall outside the library with some lovely
STAR balloons should do the trick!
Ask other societies if they will let you do the quiz at the start of their next meeting.
Practice getting people to do the quiz by asking your friends and have a quick one-liner ready
up your sleeve to entice people over, e.g. ‘3 minutes, 1 cupcake, 5 quick questions on refugees!’
Hook up with a local pub quiz and get them to hold the quiz as a round.
Get creative! Instead of asking people which statements they agree with on the quiz sheet for
Part 3: Have Your Say, why not write them on big poster or banner and get people to sign,
handprint or tick the statements they agree with? But don’t forget to keep them somewhere safe!
4. Follow-up: national detention dossier To make sure your results have the maximum national impact, don’t forget to type them up and share them with STAR National! We’ll put all your results together to form Britain’s first ever national destitution dossier for Detention Action. Please send your results by 1st March to [email protected].
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
STAR Action Week Quiz
People who have fled persecution and legally claimed asylum in the UK are being held in detention centres. This is Detained Fast Track.
Question 1: What percentage of the worlds refugees live in the UK?
(a) 35%
(b) 12%
(c) 2%
Question 2: Which country did most people come from in 2011? (a) Iran
(b) Afghanistan
(c) Syria
Question 3: Can the UK Government detain an asylum seeker at any time? (a) Yes (b) No
(c) Yes but only if they have committed a serious crime, such as murder
Question 4: Which other European countries use Detained Fast Track?
(a) All of them.
(b) Greece, Hungary and Italy
(c) None of them
Question 5: Which of the following was founded by a refugee? (a) ASDA
(b) Marks and Spencer’s
(c) Morrison’s
Petition I believe the UK has a proud history of protecting refugees. People should not be detained in immigration detention centres from the moment they claim asylum. Name…………………………………………..Signature……………………………………………………Date………….………………………………… Postcode……………………………………….
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Students Against Detention
Thousands of people who have fled war and torture are held in detention centres through the Detained Fast Track system. In this system, asylum seekers are kept in prison-like conditions for the duration of their application. They have limited access to legal advice and may not speak English. Detained Fast Track leads to conditions and time scales that make the asylum system unjust. It is fundamentally wrong that asylum seekers can be detained without charge, purely for administrative ease.
STAR (Student Action for Refugees) is calling on the Government to end the use of detention in the asylum system.
STAR is the national network of 36 student groups working to improve the lives of refugees in the UK by:
Promoting positive images of refugees Volunteering for local refugee projects Campaigning for refugees
The Facts
Fact 1: Only 2% of the world’s refugees live in the UK. Fact 2: The country which most people seeking asylum in the UK came from in 2011 was Iran,
closely followed by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, countries that are all experiencing conflict and serious
human rights violations.
Fact 3: Yes, the UKBA can detain asylum seekers at any time and without any suspicion of them having committed a crime. Fact 4: The UK is the only country in Europe to use Detained Fast Track which has been heavily criticised by the UN and high court judges for using a process that is ‘too fast to be fair’. Fact 5: Marks and Spencer’s was set up by Michael Marks, a Jewish refugee.
To learn more about the campaign against detention visit:
www.detentionaction.org.uk
To find out what you can do visit:
www.star-network.org.uk
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Action Checklist
This simple checklist will help you organise your action, quiz and petition. There are a number of steps to complete to ensure that it is safe and effective… but also fun! Some dates have been included, but it’s good to complete tasks and communicate results as early as possible.
Task Date Done
CONTACT STAR National Contact us as soon as you have a basic plan: ([email protected])
1st week of February
ASSIGN ROLES Appoint a coordinator to be the main point of contact for the Students Against Detention event. Send us their contact details (phone number, email address). Appoint people to other roles (e.g. media lead, speaker liaison, etc).
LINK GROUPS Co-ordinate with other STAR groups in your area who may be able to support the quiz; get in touch if you have any difficulty doing this. Link up with other student societies, such as Amnesty, and try to reach beyond the usual suspects, e.g. a rugby club!
LOCAL SUPPORTERS Contact local refugee organisations who might be able to support your event.
DATE & LOCATION
Choose a date and location for your quiz.
Check who is legally responsible for your chosen location.
Also check if there is shelter nearby, in case of bad weather.
SHARE YOUR Students Against Detention EVENT Email the details of your event to STAR so that we can help to promote it ([email protected])
1st week of February
FACEBOOK Join the Students Against Detention Action Week event on facebook and share your plans and ideas with groups around the network!
VOLUNTEERS / STEWARDS Appoint a lead steward – they will be responsible for making logistical decisions on the day. Recruit other volunteers for your action – e.g. people to engage with the public and promote the quiz; people to bring flasks of hot drinks etc.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
RESOURCES You’ll want to make yourselves visible on the day of your action– the more people can see what you’re doing, the more likely they are to come over and find out why! Print out the 5 minute briefing for volunteers on the day.
By 14th Feb
SPEAKERS Invite speakers to attend your Students Against Detention event. These could be politicians (if they are supportive of the issue!), faith leaders, journalists, and academics… If they cannot attend, ask them to send messages of support which you can read out at your event. Don’t forget to share their messages of support nationally through STAR National!
CAMPAIGN ACTION Organise your quiz sheets as well as paperwork and information you will need on the day. Remember to collect email addresses during the event to recruit new supporters!
PUBLICITY Advertise your Students Against Detention event! Put up posters around campus, hand out flyers, put messages on notice boards, make a few lecture shout outs. Invite your friends via Facebook. Work with student media and try to get articles and Students Against Detention event listings in campus publications before the day of your action.
QUIZ MASTERS Create a list of all your members who are helping out that is updated and includes their contact details in case of changes to venue or schedule. It’s very helpful to get a rough idea of numbers as early as possible.
PHOTOS Arrange for someone to be the ‘official photographer’. Also try to find someone with filming/editing skills to film the event.
FIRST AID See Risk Assessment below.
UPDATE MEMBERS Send an update to all participants confirming arrangements. Remind them not to bring items of personal value with them unless necessary.
4 days before the event
WEATHER Check the weather forecast in the morning, and remind participants to come prepared for bad weather!
On the day of the event
ON THE DAY The lead steward should always have a fully charged mobile phone. At the start of the event, brief all volunteers about the plan for the day, safety issues, and the campaign itself. Give advice about how to answer public enquiries, especially from hostile or abusive people. Print off the 5 minute briefing to take to the event so that everyone is up to date. As a matter of course ensure that all rubbish is removed at the end of the event.
On the day of the event
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Key Info to tell STAR National
Date: Location: Time:
Lead Organiser: Team Roles: (e.g. Publicity, Safety, Media, Lead Steward)
1. 2. 3. 4.
Local politicians/ celebrities to invite to the event: Local organisations supporting: Speakers & Entertainment:
Top Tips for engaging with the public during your Students Against Detention event:
Have the courage of your convictions! While many people will be sympathetic, there may be negative responses to your action. Don’t contradict what people tell you, it will make them resentful. Remember, if people are willing to engage with you then at least that’s something.
Read the 5 min briefing to help you win people over. This is very important to make sure all of your volunteers know the basics. If someone asks you a question that you find difficult to answer, take their name and contact details and try to find out the answer and get back to them. No one is expected to be an expert on refugee issues, so don’t feel under pressure to answer everything.
Make sure that those taking the public through the quiz are familiar with all the answers and have read the one-page ‘quiz brief’.
AFTER THE EVENT Ensure your local campaign has national impact by letting STAR National know how your event went! Send us your photos, how many people were involved, how many people took the quiz and whether there was any media coverage. Contact everyone involved to thank them and tell them what you achieved Send the petitions you had signed after the quiz to your local MP – STAR National will provide a sample letter you could use.
After your event
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
If someone becomes abusive walk away – don’t engage. Channel your energies into those who want to listen and have a discussion, not an argument.
Safety: Template Risk Assessment
It is ESSENTIAL that you conduct a risk assessment before your event goes ahead. Below are some ideas of the risks that you may need to think about and how you could control these. This list is not exhaustive - it is important you and your group think about other risks you may face. Write down a list of all possible risks and identify the action to be taken to avoid likely safety hazards.
Do not hesitate to get in touch with STAR National for further support or advice when completing your risk assessment: [email protected].
What is the Risk? What will you do?
Theft or loss of possessions
All volunteers advised to avoid bringing valuables and to keep their money and phones on them at all times.
Public hostility leading to verbal or physical abuse
Avoid areas where trouble may arise, i.e. outside busy pubs and clubs.
Include the contact number of the local police and the lead steward on a contacts list for all volunteers.
Advise people not to get drawn into an argument. If someone becomes abusive walk away – don’t engage.
Location, i.e. near busy road or pubs
Choose a suitable location that avoid any possible dangers
Visibility Ensure you are clearly visible for personal safety.
Public reputation No alcohol to be consumed during the event.
Illness or injury Identify qualified first aiders and include their contact numbers on a contacts list for participants. Have a first aid kit.
Safety of participants Lead steward to have a list of all participants and contact details.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
4. Student Media Guidance
Getting media coverage of STAR Action Week in your local and student press is a great way to promote all your fabulous work and spread the word about ending the detention of asylum seekers in the UK. Time to get media savvy STARs!
This section is designed to give you some tips and guidance on getting your Action Week Students Against Detention events into your local and student press, with success!
Please note that we are not looking for national media coverage on this story, so please stick to local and student media!
***VERY IMPORTANT***
Contact with the media:
If you are planning to work with the media during Action Week you must let STAR National know. This is to ensure that the STAR network speaks with one unified voice nationally, which is essential to the success of the campaign! We will brief you, look over letters or submissions, help you practice for interviews, and make sure that you make the most of your 15 minutes of fame!
Contacting STAR National
Please call or email Jack Hansen (Student Network Co-coordinator): [email protected]; 0207 697 4133
The Essential Summary
Written Media Source it! - Find media outlets for your Action Week stories. Contact your student and local newspapers and invite them along to Students Against Detention events! Send it! - Send the press release to your chosen journalists/editors. Time it! - Tell them about the Students Against Detention event at least one week beforehand and follow up with a phone call. No show? Send them photos etc. after the event touting its success! Celeb it! - Invite local celebrities or MPs along – get quotes and photos.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
How to: Be your own media! Blogging, social media, film and photography
Blog about it! – We want to hear about what you’re getting up to for Action Week, so why not create a blog? You could blog about your experiences of taking part in the street action, or about quizzing the public! Make sure you tell us about your blog so we can spread the word!
Be savvy with social media – get Tweeting and Facebooking! Update your STAR Facebook
group, and your own status, regularly with details of Students Against Detention events. If you
have a Twitter account, tweet too! Use the hashtag: #StudentsAgainstDetention
Be a great photographer – Be sure to document your Students Against Detention events!
Make the shots fun, interesting, colourful and exciting, and get close-ups of individuals as well as
group shots. You can also try to get an experienced photographer to come and take photos of
your event, e.g. by contacting your student photography society to see if any of their members
want to practice their skills. Send us as many pics as possible and we’ll put them on the STAR
website!
STARs on Film – There is bound to be a creative person on campus with access to a camera who would just love to make a short film about your Action Week, or perhaps just one of your events. You could film the quiz in action, and capture the public’s response! Perhaps some participants would agree to do a short interview? Contact your student film society for contacts now!
Make sure you get people’s written permission before you film/photograph them – see the form at the end of this document.
Visual Media Film it! - Find someone with a passion for film making to document your actions! - Tell your student film society about your Action Week and ask if one of their members would like to make a short film about it. Photograph it! - Invite the photographer from your local/student newspaper along. - Ask a budding photographer from your student photography society to take some pictures! - Get permission to use images (see end of pack)
Social Media Blog it! - Let everyone know how your Action Week is going by creating a blog that you can share with your friends, family and the STAR network. Facebook it! - Make sure you keep people informed by updating your Facebook group with all the event details! And post those pics people! Tweet it! - Use Twitter to keep people informed with your activities and reach a wider audience:
#STARactionweek
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
How to: Get into your student/ local press
Include media in your event plans - Ask yourself the following questions when organising your event: could we use the media to publicise it? Could we invite media along to an action? How could we make our action media friendly, e.g., by doing something visibly exciting that would make a good picture!
Use key messages - Whether it’s a telephone call, a letter, or an interview, always focus on key messages. The key message for this year’s Action Week is:
“We are (university name) STAR and we are going to (insert your form of action e.g. take action in the street / have a petition etc) to campaign for the end of the detention of asylum seekers.
Every year, hundreds of asylum seekers have their claims processed through the Detained
Fast Track. In this system, asylum seekers are kept in prison-like conditions for the
duration of their application. STAR thinks it is wrong that asylum seekers can be detained
without charge, purely for administrative ease.”
Contact the Student Press - Your Students’ Union/ university media society will have a website and newspaper that will be on the lookout for interesting stories, and students taking action for refugees makes fantastic news!
It is always best to establish contact through someone you know. Be sure to ask around your members to see if anyone knows anyone who has written for the student paper or local press before contacting the media source directly. Get to know your local media – Find out about local media outlets and target them with your
press release. Try your:
local student newspaper
local paper
local and student radio
Allow enough time – Make contact early! There is no use telling a busy reporter the day
before your action; ideally get in touch at least one week beforehand. Email the press release and
follow up with a phone call to check they got it, and then remind them again the day before the
Students Against Detention event. You could also send a press release after the event with
photo, to explain what happened, how many people turned up etc.
Identify your spokesperson – Your spokesperson should be someone who is articulate and
happy to be contacted. Make sure that they are well briefed on your action, as well as the aims
and purpose of Action Week, and have read the background information in this pack. It is
important that they phone STAR National for a briefing before engaging in any local media work.
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
Call Jack Hansen on: 0207 697 4134.
Link up locally – See if local refugee organisations, such as your volunteering partner, your
Student Union or other student societies are willing to give you a quote in support of your action.
Editors are more likely to run the story if you can show that it has relevance in your university or
local community.
Invite the journalist/ photographer along – Journalists may wish to come along to your event – and don’t forget picture desks if it is going to be a visually interesting action!
Be organised – Make sure you are there for the press! Although you may not be able to
guarantee that all the people who said would come turn up, always ensure that there is a core
group of people and a spokesperson to talk to the press at your event. Make sure that they turn
up at least half an hour before the time when you agreed to meet the journalist(s).Don’t miss an
opportunity!
Invite celebrities or MPs – Try writing to local celebrities and MPs to invite them to your
Students Against Detention event. If they can’t make it, ask for a supportive quote that could be
inserted into your adapted press release. Local MPs, MEPs, councilors, mayors, actors,
newsreaders, sports people and musicians are all worth considering as a means of raising
interest in your event. Their appearance alone is often enough to attract media attention.
Letters for publication – You can use a letter to get your message into a student or local
paper. Letter pages are widely read and can be used to promote and feedback on Action Week.
Keep your letter simple and your points short and clear – 150 words max! Stick to key messages
and avoid jargon.
Last year, there were 15 articles in student and local press about Action Week, including an article on the UNCHR homepage! 2 MPs and an MEP attended events to show their support for STAR’s campaign. You can massively increase the impact of your actions with a little persistence!
Action Week 18-24 February 2013
PHOTOGRAPHY/ VIDEO CONSENT FORM
FOR OVER 16’s I give permission for STAR to take photographs or film of me for use in relation to STAR’s work including the right for STAR to use them in publicity materials, articles, websites and social media.
Name:………………………………………………………………….……………………………
E-mail address:……………………………………………………………………………………
Signed: …………………………………………………………. Date: …………………………
FOR UNDER 16’s
If the participant is under 16 years old, please fill in the following:
Child’s date of birth: …………………………………………………………………………
Name of parent/guardian:……………………………………………………………………
Contact number/email: ………………………………………………………………………
I permit STAR (Student Action for Volunteers) to use photographs/video of me/my relative in relation to STAR’s work including the right for STAR to use them in publicity materials, articles, websites and social media.
Signed: …………………………………………………………. Date: ………………………
(must be signed by parent/guardian if individual is under 16 years old)
