Hinkley Point C (HPC) is a nuclear power station that is being con-structed in the Bridgwater and West Somerset council areas of Somer-set. It represents an update of Hinkley Point B, which was already on the site.

Licence for the project was granted in 2012 and the build approved by the EDF board in 2016.

And as always with projects like this, opinions were divided as to what the impact of the project would have. Be it the impact worries about safety, the need for a nuclear energy, the economy or the volume of newcomers that the project will attract to what is a small area. But HPC was willing to do something, to mitigate against the impacts. In our area of work, as an example, they wanted to put a project in place that will work towards integrating newcomers into Somerset life, build communi-ty cohesion between the newcomers and settled communities.

HPC published and invited bids from the voluntary and community sec-tors, to this ends. As you would expect, since Somerset has a very ac-tive third sector, many organisations, including Diversity Voice, ex-pressed interest. The organisations were eventually whittled down to three, with us as one of the three.

We were invited to do a full application and happy to say that we did and we were one of the two that were chosen.

We know from our experiences that new people coming to a new area face a lot of difficulties and barriers, particularly to do with language, finding their way around or accessing local services, like schools for their children. We want to make this transition as easy as possible for everyone to settle and become part of the community. With our knowledge and our skilled team of staff, we knew we could support them and make their lives a little bit easier.

The project starts soon.

Our aims and objectives:

We aim to promote welfare, provide information and create a support network for members of All communities living and working here. We will organise social and cultural events and initiatives to broaden cultur-al awareness and diversity, as well as to help with social integration and inclusion.

We are successful in HPC Fund Bid

Diversity Voice Victoria Park Community

Centre

Victoria Park Drive

Bridgwater, TA6 7AS

Tel: 03000 750 105

Fax: 03000 750 106 admin@diversityvoice.org.

uk Newsletter Date: 1st September 2018

Inside this issue:

HPC Fund bid Volunteers

1-2 3

Poland Independence Day Event

4

Event Poster 5

St Nicholas Day Event 6

Event Poster 7

Poland Independence Day Event - Polish

8

Independence Day Workshops

9

Link worker Project Enrol English Classes Yeovil Taxi Drivers

10 11

Lingo Link Project SW M Conference Conference

12 13

Status of EU citizens in the UK

14- 16

DV Training on R to R & Habitual Residency test

17

Family Law Solicitors We can help with Exams Congratulations to Dominik

18-19 20

PreSchool services Advertise with Diversity Voice Become a Trustee

21 22 23

Office Administrator Vacancy Suffragettes Contact details

24 25 26

We will promote awareness of the culture, history, tradition and languages of the diverse residents in the area. What can we offer: There are a lot of things we want to offer. Part of our application is immigration support so we will focus on Permanent Residency for those who aim to stay. We will help them to complete their Permanent Residency forms, this service will be Free of Charge for the families and workers HPC chain workers and those who came to Somerset to back up jobs due to HPC investment. We will run confer-ences on Brexit so people will be kept up to date with information and what they need to do.

We will run community English classes to help the family members who’s English is limited. By improving their English their confidence will grow and integration in to the community will be less traumatic. Again this will be Free of Charge for the HPC members.

We already run a fantastic project called Lingo Link which helps new com-ers to the area to meet up with a local person (in a café or social place) to share both of their knowledge on customs and language. They can chat about anything which will help with their integration. Once we have put 2 people in touch with each other they can decide on how often they want to meet. To access the Lingo Link project please email

linggolink@diversityvoice.org.uk

Our professional qualified interpreters and translators will be available to help HPC families. For example, we will be able to organise interpreters for voluntary organisations for example CAB, Mind or any other charities. We are also able to translate important documents. This service will be Free of Charge for HPC peo-ple. We would need 10 working days notice to request our services. For meetings please supply date, time, full address of venue and a short description of your in-volvement with HPC. To access this service contact us by emailing HPCenquir-ies@diversityvoice.org.uk. Please do not call us.

Diversity Voice will plan Community Events to reduce barriers and promote posi-tive integration for newcomers. To promote social cohesion through the events. All this information and more will be available for the HPC families and workers in a welcome pack and on our community website.

Finally, we are delighted to have this opportunity to be part of the team supporting the HPC workers and their families. It is an exciting time for all of us.

Thank you all to all those who worked hard to make our success possible.

Bringing Communities Together

HPC Community Fund successful Bid application Page 2

Page 3

Volunteers wanted to help run and organise events

We are looking for volunteers who would like to support our organization in the course of events that will take place at the end of the year 2018; Independence Day organized on the 10th of November at 11.00 to 18.30 and St Nicholas Day party on the 8th of December at 11.00am until 16.00pm.

Both events will be held at Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS.

11th of November is an important day and we anticipate the arrival of many peo-ple from different nationalities and representatives of various organizations for our event on 10th November.

Diversity Voice began organizing the Santa's Day fun event for the Polish commu-nity in 2007. About 150 children and their parents participate in such an event every year.

We are looking for people who will help us in conducting these two important so-cial events. We are looking for :

People to decorate the room

Organize games

Music preparation

Gift wrapping for children

People to help serve food

Face painting or being a coordinator of various games

We are looking for about 4 volunteers. They will help and support staff members,

they will also need to be able to attend a two hour preparatory meeting about 3-4

weeks before the event. Join us on the Celebrations to help in particular activities.

Events with preparation and cleaning will take about 5 hours. We will ask you to

apply for DBS, which Diversity Voice will cover the costs.

If you are interested, please contact us by email:

admin@diversityvoice.org.uk or call 03000 750 105.

Diversity Voice Under the Umbrella of “Bridgwater Together” are pleased to invite you to an event to celebrate Poland’s Independence Day on Saturday, November 10

th at 2:00 pm – 5.30 pm. The event will be held at Victoria Park Community

Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS.

Please come and join us to celebrate Poland's Independence Day! It was on the 11th of November 1918 when Poland after 120 years of non-existence restored its’ sovereignty. For many people it is a day to reflect on their country’s history and an opportunity to express their patriotic sentiment.

This is a great opportunity to show society the Polish culture and the meaning of the 11

th of November and to build a good relationship. The event is also to cele-

brate Independence Day of other European countries like Czech Republic cele-brated on 17

th November. Diversity Voice underline 100 years of British Remem-

brance Day to remember members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty, as well as all those who have been involved with and affected by war and conflict.

We welcome new workers of Hinkley Point C and their families. Other representa-tives of the local police, educational organisations etc will also be joining us on this special day so there will be good opportunity to learn and share.

It’s an important date for all Polish people and we would like to make all the effort to commemorate these dates and to make it possible for us to celebrate together.

Everyone from different nationalities and children of all ages are welcome to come together to enjoy and celebrate this important day. Let’s get the children in-volved and help them to understand what Independence Day is all about. With fun activities for whole families, crafts and activities for kids, face painting, games and a range of creative workshops like ‘kids painting a rainbow’ run by Pete the Poet, polish band Lavender, short history movie about Polish people living in Somerset since the II world war, run by Michal Puzynski, adult international food tasting from Poland, Latvia, Romania, Portugal, and all sorts of activities.

Young people will learn to appreciate the courage and sacrifice of Polish ances-tors in the struggle for independence. This will include a workshop which is a real story about Wojtek the Polish Bear who became a soldier in the Polish army. Films will be presented regarding history and the beauty of Poland.

Let’s unite our diverse community and join together on that special day! We will be delighted if you are able to join us at this event!

There is no need to book

Celebration Day of Poland’s Independence Day on Saturday, 10th November 2018

Page 4

Page 5

Every year on the 6th of December we observe Saint Nicolas Day, also known as "Santa's Day". At the end of the year we will celebrate this important day with the event organised by us, held on the 8th of December at Victoria Park Community Centre in Bridgwater.

Everyone is welcome including all the families of the Hinkley Point C professionals, who are new to the local community. We will provide refreshments for everyone and the event is FREE of charge.

It is traditional to give small gifts to children and loved ones at that time.

We are planning to have a space for up to 150 children and their parents, so do not wait, register your child by email to HPCenquiries@diversityvoice.org.uk with the child's full name, age, contact number and email address and also parents full name by the 14th of November. We have activities planned for that day such as: Pete the Poet, Face painting, Pass the Parcel, Musical Statues, and many more Parents will have a chance to familiarise themselves with the services offered by Diversi-ty Voice and those of our partners such as: Citizen Advice Bureau, West Somerset Ad-vice Bureau and get all the information regarding Hinkley Point C development.

We are looking forward to see you, your families and friends. We are hoping for you to have a great time.

Co roku 6 grudnia obchodzimy Dzień Świętego Mikołaja. Pod koniec roku będziemy świętować ten ważny dzień zorganizowanym przez nas wydarzeniem, które odbędzie się 8 grudnia w Victoria Park Community Centre w Bridgwater, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwa-ter, TA6 7AS w godzinach 14.00. do 17.30.

Zapraszamy wszystkie osoby z różnych narodowości oraz pracowników Hinkley Point C razem z rodzinami, którzy są nowi w lokalnej społeczności. Zapewniamy przekąski i ciekawe atrakcje. Jest to tradycyjna okazja, aby podarować małe prezenty dzieciom i bliskim w tym czasie.

Planujemy zapewnić miejsce dla 150 dzieci i ich rodziców, więc nie czekaj i zarejestruj swoje dziecko przez e-mail na adres: HPCenquiries@diversityvoice.org.uk z pełnym imieniem i nazwiskiem dziecka, numerem kontaktowym i adresem e-mail oraz danymi rodziców przed datą 14 listopada. Wydarzenie jest BEZPŁATNE.

Mamy zaplanowane przeróżne gry i zabawy na ten dzień, takie jak: Pete Poeta, Malow-anie twarzy, Podawanie paczki (Pass the Parcel), Muzyczne posągi i wiele więcej…

Rodzice będą mieli okazję zapoznać się z usługami oferowanymi przez Diversity Voice i naszymi partnerami, takimi jak: Citizen Advice Bureau, West Somerset Advice Bureau i uzyskać wszelkie informacje dotyczące rozwoju projektu Hinkley Point C.

Czekamy na Ciebie, Twoje rodziny i przyjaciół. Mamy nadzieję, że będziesz się dobrze bawić.

Celebration of St Nicolas Day in Bridgwater 2018 Page 6

Zabawa Mikołajkowa w Bridgwater 2018

Page 7

Diversity Voice razem z Bridgwater Together zapraszają wszystkich dorosłych wraz z pociechami na Uroczystość z okazji Dnia Niepodległości, która odbędzie się w sobotę 10 listopada w Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS w godzinach 14.00. do 17.30. 11 listopada to data przywołująca wydarzenia z 1918 roku, kiedy to Polska po 123 lat-ach zaborów w końcu odzyskała swoją niepodległość i pod dowództwem Józefa Piłsudskiego realizowała ideę wolnego kraju. To dzień, w którym wspomina się tych, którzy o tą wolność walczyli, którzy gotowi byli oddać za nią własne życie. 11 listopada i cały listopad to również ważny dzień dla innych europejskich krajów jak Czeska Re-publika, Łotwa, czy Wielka Brytania, które Świętują Remembrance Day, czyli Dzień Pamięci poległym w drugiej wojnie światowej bądź Dzień Niepodległości jak my Po-lacy. Zapraszamy wszystkich z różnych narodowości aby wspólnie dzielić się radością i świętować ten ważny dzień, jakim jest Święto Niepodległości. Diversity Voice przede wszystkim pomaga w in-tegracji nowych osób i dlatego chcielibyśmy zaprosić pracowników Hinkley Point razem z rodzinami. Osób, które niedawno przyjechały do Somerset. Nie zabraknie również przedstawicieli Policji, Edukacji oraz innych organizacji, co da możliwość rozmowy, porady i wsparcia w te-matach poruszanych przez społeczność. Jest to wspaniała okazja do aktywności społec-znej i poznania nowych i ciekawych ludzi oraz budowania silniejszych więzi w ramach szerszej społeczności polskiej. Wspólnie z Bridgwater Together zapewniamy: gry i zabawy dla całej rodziny, film o historii Pol-ski, polskie wojenne piosenki grane przez przez grupę muzyczną Lavender, koncert na bębnach afrykańskich, testowanie tradycyjnych potraw, krótki film o Polakach mieszkających w Somer-set od II wojny światowej zaprezentowany przez Michała Puzyńskiego. Na najmłod-szych czekają: warsztaty pracy z Pete the Poet- malowanie tęczy, malowanie twarzy, tatuaże, zajęcia plastyczne, muzyka dla dzieci, warsztaty o Wojtku -Żołnierzu oraz kreatywne konkursy i zabawy oraz wiele innych. Wszystko to ma szansę pozostać w głowach naszych maluchów na dłużej. Zachęcamy zatem do wspólnej zabawy , aby pokazać innym społecznościom to, co najlepsze w naszej kulturze i narodowym charakterze, by zbudować mosty i promować polski model integracji, oparty na przyjaznych relacjach i dumy z naszego narodowego dziedzictwa. Pokażmy jedność naszej zróżnicowanej wspólnoty, spotkajmy się w tym wyjątkowym dniu ! Będzie okazja spróbowania kuchni z różnych części świata w tym z Portugali, Polski, Łotwy, Rumuni i innych krajów. Warsztaty prowadzone przez afrykanskich bebniarzy pozwolą na poznanie wielokurturowej tradycji z różnych części świata i jednocześnie świętowania jak ważnej dla Polakow daty odzyskania niepodleglosci. Nie trzeba rezerwowac miejsca. Wystarczy przyjść i skorzystać z wielu atrakcji, które są przewidziane, a jeszcze nie opisane. Projekt jest finansowany przez HPC Community Fund. Więcej informacji już wkrótce na stronie www.diversityvoice.com.

Page 8 Uroczystość z okazji Dnia Niepodległości 10 listopada 2018

Page 9

November the 11th is a special day in many countries, as Remembrance or Armistice Day; the day when World War I ended. The day for remembering the horrors of the war and for honouring the sacrifices of those who fought and died in it.

In Poland, it is also the day the country regained its independence from Austria-Hungarian, Prussia and Russia. Poles are celebrating 100 years of this independence this year. After the final Partition of Poland in 1795, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ceased to exist, and its land divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Poland disappeared from the map For 123 years. As this was not bad enough, the countries tried to eradicate Polish culture and language. But Poles did not give up, and fought to get their country back through insurrections (the most famous of which took place in November 1830 and January 1963). The insurrections failed. Yet the failures did not break the Polish spirit, as they tried to preserve their culture as best as they could, while waiting for the right moment to break free. The perfect moment came just after World War I, when Russia was in the midst of the Soviet Revolution and Austria-Hungary and Prussia were considerably weakened after losing the war. After defeating and disarming the occupying forces, Poland seized control of their country once again. Józef Piłsudski returned to Poland, after his incarceration by the Germans, and assumed authority on the 11th of November, forming a new government and calling parliamentary elections. 11November was declared Independence Day in 1937. Sadly, it was celebrated only two time before World War II. After the war, Poland came under communist occupation and 11 November disregarded as Polish Independence Day by the new occupiers. This did not, however stop Poles from celebrating the day, as a way of defying the new occupiers. The day was restored in 1989, after the fall of the communist government. Various commemorative events, including art exhibitions, concerts, fun runs and marches and parades, have been going on across Poland since the beginning of 2018. Diversity Voice will run a number of workshops across Somerset, Dorset Devon and

Wiltshire. If you would like us to run a workshop in your school, council or work place,

please contact our office on admin@diversityvoice.org.uk Please book our service in

advance to avoid any delay. The cost of the workshop will be £100.

100 Years celebration of Poland’s Independence Day-Workshops for schools and preschools

Page 10Link Worker project offers 20 FREE hours

EAL support for schools

I am delighted to inform you that Diversity Voice with Somerset County Council have agreed to increase our initial support for Polish children in schools from 10 to 20 hours free service to cover cohorts in transition between schools, so free services will now be available to pupils from: • Reception year in first/primary schools • The youngest year group of all other schools, e.g. Year 3 and 5 of middle

school, Year 7 of secondary school, Year 9 of upper school. We want to make sure that with our expertise and support EAL children in your school will reach their full potential and they will develop the right skills, which enable them to succeed each year. More information about this service can be found on our website https://www.diversityvoice.org.uk/our-services/link-worker/140-link-worker-language-support-services.html

To request our services please email us on linkworker@diversityvoice.org.uk

To join English classes in Sedgemoor and West Somerset that will help you build confidence with everyday situations and improve your conversational English. We are gathering contact details of prospective attendees if you are interested in registering please provide your contact details and relationship to Hinkley Point C (HPC) construction. This mean if you are family member , worker of HPC or chain worker of HPC you are entitled to free lessons. Also if you came to fill jobs for workers who left job for HPC project you are eligible too. To book your place please e-mail to: hpcenquiries@diversityvoice.org.uk Classes will start in January 2019 and will go through the year. Classes will be based in Bridgwater and West Somerset. Depends of the needs of our learners. Details of classes will appear in November 2018. Please contact us in advance. Like us on Facebook for up-to-date and start dates at Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/diversityvoice/

HPC Community Fund How to enrol for English classes for HPC workers/

families and HPC chain workers/families

Page 11

Hate crime is an incident or act of violence or aggression that is directed at a person because of who they are or someone else thinks the victim is. Hate crimes are incidents that are motivated by prejudice on the grounds of Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Transgender Identity and Disability.

Diversity Voice ran a focus group for Romanian Taxi drivers in April 2017. The drivers were frequently being attacked by passengers during the night. Some of the drivers were even accused of sexual crime, including rape, and taken to court but were found not guilty. As an outcome from the focus group Diversity Voice has strongly campaigned with several organisations to make changes. As a result, Yeovil and Weston Super Mare have been selected as towns to run a Night-Time Economy research. Diversity Voice, Avon and Somerset Police, University Centre Weston, SARI and licensing are jointly working on this project, to analyse the level of hate crime within the Night-Time Economy. Local authorities are asking taxi drivers, restaurants workers and shop owners in Yeovil and Weston to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire is available online. This will be followed by face-to-face interviews by researchers. The police, Diversity Voice and Sari will collect and analyse the information. You can see the questionnaire on our website. https://www.diversityvoice.com/en/information/police/3161-helping-taxi-drivers-in-yeovil-and-weston-super-mare-to-reduce-hate-crime.html The feedback from the questionnaires will go towards making sure that we get the best outcome from the research, to help shape any additional support for vulnerable drivers and shop owners.

Helping Taxi drivers in Yeovil and Weston Super Mare to reduce Hate Crime Against them.

Page 12 New Experience! New Friendships! Lingo Link project.

Imagine being in a new country where you don't speak the language fluently and you don't fully understand the local culture.

If only you had a friend who could help you get to grips with it all! Now, through Lingo Link organised by the Diversity Voice, you have the opportunity to be that guide for someone in this situation – and learn a bit about their language

and customs as well. So, if there is a particular language or country that you're interested in, please get in touch and we'll try and arrange for you to meet with a suitable Lingo Link partner.

Lingo Link puts you in touch with a newcomer to the UK in your local area and arranges the first meeting for you. You choose where you would prefer to meet (in a coffee shop, café or pub), how often you meet, and how the two of you want to use the sessions.

We are setting up meeting areas in Café’s in Sedgemoor, West Somerset and Minehead to coincide with our new project for HPC , all details will be available on our website and Facebook.

To take part, or for more information, please email lingolink@diversityvoice.org.uk with your contact and location details.

4 easy steps to join us

Step 1. Just email us on lingolink@diversityvoice.org.uk , give your telephone number and town where you live preferred place for your first meeting. Don't forget to mention the language you use, and the target language you'd like to learn.

Step 2. We'll find you a partner who speaks the language of your preference. Step 3. We'll send you details of your language partner (name, telephone number or email address by e-mail or txt message). Step 4. Join the adventure of learning today!

Project funded by HPC Community Fund through Somerset Community Foundation

Page 13

On Thursday 8th March 2018 the South West Strategic Migration Partnership held a

conference in Taunton about Resettlement and Reconnecting Asylum Seekers and

Refugees in the South West.

The conference was aimed at colleagues that work across all the areas of asylum and migration.

There were several speakers, ranging from successful stories from Asylum seekers who have been resettled in the UK to dedicated workers from agencies and from the Home Office.

The attendees came from county councils, many organisations and volunteers across the South West, who all work together in successfully resettling Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the UK.

People were able to discuss, in the workshop sessions, what challenges they are experiencing and ways to overcome them. Also, what is needed to make the resettlement process easier for everyone involved.

What was overwhelmingly clear from the conference was how dedicated and committed everyone is in helping these vulnerable people settle into their new lives and environments, and to carry on the support for as long as it is needed.

Diversity Voice have been working with Asylum Seekers and Refugee children at schools and has purchased software in Arabic language for the iPad to support our work.

CEO Rafal Skarbek with Paul Morrison, Director for Resettlement, Asylum Support and Integration, Home Office

South West Migration Conference

Status of EU citizens in the UK. Update. Page 14

Status of EU citizens in the UK Here is some updated information (28 February 2018) on the situation of European

Union citizens living in the UK. The information is taken from Home Office website.

The UK government has reached an agreement with the European Union on citi-

zens’ rights, at the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. This will pro-

vide certainty about the future to millions of EU citizens and their families in the UK.

Most importantly, it will allow EU citizens to stay here after the UK leaves the EU on

29 March 2019, and to continue to access public funds and services.

Agreement on rights for EU citizens and their families

The agreement includes the following:

• People who, by 29 March 2019, have been continuously and lawfully living

here for 5 years, will be able to apply for ‘settled status’. That means they will

be free to live here, have access to public funds and services and go on to

apply for British citizenship.

• People who arrive by 29 March 2019, but won’t have been living here lawfully

for 5 years, will be able to apply to stay until they have reached the 5-year

threshold, when they can apply for the settled status.

• Family members who are living with, or joined EU citizens in the UK by 29

March 2019, will also be able to apply for the settled status, after 5 years in

the UK.

• Close family members (spouses, civil and unmarried partners, dependent chil-

dren and grandchildren, and dependent parents and grandparents) will be

able to join EU citizens after exit, where the relationship existed on 29 March

2019.

• EU citizens with settled status or Temporary Leave to Remain will have the

same access as they currently do to healthcare, pensions and other benefits

in the UK.

There is no need for EU citizens living in the UK to do anything at

the moment. There will be no change to the status of EU citizens

living in the UK while the UK remains in the EU.

Status of EU citizens in the UK continued Page 15

Assessment of application for settled status

You’ll be able to apply for settled status if you’re an EU citizen, or the family

member of a citizen of an EU country. The UK has agreed with the EU that the

conditions for EU citizens and their family members to get settled status in the UK

will be the same as, or more generous than, those set out in the existing Free

Movement Directive. In most cases this means you will need 5 years of continuous

and lawful residency in the UK. The criteria will be set out in the withdrawal

agreement between the UK and the EU.

If you meet the criteria and submit a valid application you will be granted status,

unless:

• You weren’t resident in the UK by 29 March 2019 (see note 2)

• You’re refused on the grounds of your serious criminal convictions or for

security reasons

The withdrawal agreement will become a part of UK law and so the Home Office will

not be able to refuse an application for any reason not covered by the agreement.

Note 2: Unless you’re a close family member of an EU citizen living in the UK but

were living outside the UK when the UK left the EU.

Applying for settled status

EU citizens and their family members in the UK will need to apply to get their status

document. Getting this status proves (for example, to employers or public service

providers) that you have permission to continue living and working here in future.

The application fee will be no more than the cost charged to British citizens for a UK

passport. If you already have a valid permanent residence document, it will be free.

We’re making the application process as streamlined, quick and user-friendly as

possible. We’ll use existing government data to reduce the amount of evidence you

will need to provide. For example, HMRC’s employment records will show us your

UK work history.

As an EU citizen applying to the scheme, you will need to:

• Provide an identity document and a recent photograph to confirm your identity

and nationality

• Declare any criminal convictions

Status of EU citizens in the UK continued Page 16

You won’t have to:

• Account for every trip you’ve taken out of the UK

• Show evidence that you held comprehensive sickness insurance (see note 3

below)

• Give your fingerprints

We expect the online application form to go live in late 2018.

The Home Office will provide support to ensure that your application is not turned

down because of simple errors or omissions. We will contact you where it appears a

simple omission has taken place and help you fix it. We will also let you know if you

need to provide more evidence, before a decision is made.

So people have enough time to apply, the scheme will remain open for applications

for a considerable period, at least 2 years, after the UK leaves the EU. During this

period your rights in the UK will be protected. If you apply under the scheme, but

don’t receive a decision before the end of this period, you can continue living here

until the decision is made.

Note 3: In some circumstances, comprehensive sickness insurance is still required

for the purposes of accessing tyour healthcare need, but will no longer be consid-

ered as a requirement for acquiring settled status.

Permanent residence status under EU law

While the UK remains in the EU, you don’t need to apply for a document proving

that you can live in the UK, unless:

• You’re an extended family member of someone from the European Economic

Area (EEA) or Switzerland

• You want to apply for British citizenship

• You want to sponsor your partner’s visa application under immigration Rules

A permanent residence document confirms that you have rights under European

law. In the future, EU law will no longer apply and the migration and status of EU

nationals will be subject to UK law.

The rest of this article can be found on our website or by clicking on the link below https://www.diversityvoice.com/en/news/society/3152-status-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-update.html

Training For Right to Reside and Habitual Residency Test for EU nationals

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We have been working with your colleagues for over the last 10 years. Over the years we have witnessed how difficult it could be to work with families from ethnic minorities. This is due to very complicated rules, which both British government and European Union put in place to protect vulnerable people. We offer to deliver the Right to Reside and the Habitual Residency Test for EU citizens. Our trainers are qualified Right to Reside and Habitual Residency Test trainers. We also have experience, gained over many years, of helping with appeals to tribunals. Diversity Voice has been awarded funding from HPC Community fund to run training free of charge for social workers, family get set workers, advice workers from different organisations, which will support Hinkley Point Families and workers. The benefits of this training includes: 1. Helping to understand how to assess people’s eligibility to the welfare system. This is because people who move from abroad to the UK, usually, must do this test before applying for benefits. This test may stop them if they don’t provide right evidence to prove their eligibility. This is a full day’s training. So if you are a manager at Children or Adult Social Care, Getset, CAB or other organisations, please contact us by email at hpcenquires@diversityvoice.org.uk. With sessions comprising 10-12 participants. (However, we do joint workshops with less participants). The course usually starts at 9am and finish about 4pm. Including break for lunch and 2 short breaks for tea coffee. The course covers: Explanation of the meaning Right to Reside and HRT, and who to apply to When people are exempt from HRT and R2R test The employed, self-employed, Those on jobseekers, on long-term sick,

dependent parents or grandparents Case law. Minimum earnings threshold for EEA migrants. How other family members and spouse impacts on the test. What to do when a family suffers from divorce or separation and the child

carer has to apply for benefits for the first time. What you need to do when a child is in full time education. We will use our premises, your premises or somewhere else. you will also need to decide on who to send on this training and send us a list containing their names. Courses begin from February 2019 and ongoing. We will contact you to complete our training registration, once we know how many people you intend to send on the training. We are hoping that this training will speed up the process of assessing and averting crisis situations for the many families you work with.

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Family Law Solicitors

Domestic Abuse – Help Is Out There According to the Office for National Statistics • 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6-7 men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. • For every 3 victims of domestic abuse 2 will be female and 1 will be male. • In the year ending 2016, 1.2 million women and 713,000 men reported

experiencing domestic abuse in England & Wales. • In England and Wales 2 women each week are killed on average by a partner

or former partner as a result of domestic abuse. In 2016/2017 13 men and 82 women died.

• Men are over three times less likely to disclose that they are

experiencing domestic abuse than women. Help is out there. We can help. Case Study As a new mum, Cassie didn’t realise that she was being abused. She was tired and emotional having not long had a baby and Michael was always telling her that things were her fault and that standards had slipped at home since she had become a mum. Although she missed her friends and family, Michael had persuaded her that moving away would give them a fresh start and make them a proper family unit. She wanted to make him happy, as she was still on maternity leave, Michael also controlled the family finances and bought the shopping. When Michael started hitting her he made her believe that she drove him to it. He would shower her with presents afterwards and with promises to change. It wasn’t until after many months, when the health visitor saw a mark on Cassie’s arm and noticed how thin she had become that she started to realise that Cassie started to believe that things weren’t her fault and that neither she nor the baby were safe anymore. With help Cassie accessed support from domestic abuse support services and legal advice. The solicitor was able to assess her for legal aid and gave her advice about her options which included seeking a protective injunctive called a Non-Molestation Order against Michael to keep her and the baby safe. Cassie’s housing options were also explored and the solicitor was also able to offer advice about issues concerning Michael’s future contact with the baby. Help is out there. We can help. Here at KSFLP Ltd we are passionate about helping victims, whether male or female, of domestic abuse. Our aim is to empower people by presenting them with their options and supporting them through the process. A member of our team sits on the Taunton Deane Domestic Violence Forum and we therefore retain good links with frontline professionals also working with victims of abuse in the community.

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Dominik Stosio joined Diversity Voice in October 2016 as a Bilingual Support Linkworker. He supports children in schools and preschools with their education, including Somerset Social Care through translation and interpreting. Dominik works in Mendip and South Somerset. To enhance his qualifications and skills in interpreting and translation Dominik in May 2018 successfully completed a one-year, Level 3 Certificate, course ‘in Community Interpreting’.

We congratulate Dominik on this achievement.

Congratulations to Dominik

Help with GCSE and SATS Exams

Diversity Voice provide support for students preparing for their exams, be it (SPaG) or Maths (KS1, KS2), SATs and GCSEs and our help is focused on linguistic issues EAL students may face during preparation or on the day of the exam.

In general Diversity Voice are able to help students prepare and revise for a variety of exams and qualifications. Schools should know of this provision (some do) and contact us if they need extra help by writing to admin@diversityvoice.org.uk or linkworker@diversityvoice.org.uk

Together with schools we aim to help students achieve their full potential. Regardless of their first language, they deserve that chance.

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Introducing cost savings for early years interpreting/translation and Polish early years worker services from September 2018

Information from Somerset County Council - A recommendation was made earlier this year by the Early Years Subgroup of Schools Forum (subsequently approved by Schools Forum) to introduce cost savings for early years support for settings to help meet the needs of EAL learners. This includes interpreting/translation and Polish early years worker services, with cost savings required from September 2018. The subgroup felt in the context of overall funding levels for settings in Somerset that they needed to maximise funding going directly to settings and this required reductions in centrally spent budgets including those supporting EAL learners. Following the Schools Forum decision, usage by individual settings for the last financial year ending 31 March 2018 was analysed and patterns of usage by individual settings identified. Some provisional conclusions on how we could reduce spending were reached and high users contacted by telephone to establish which options for reducing costs were preferred. The majority of settings responded that they felt they would be unable to contribute funding towards the services they receive because of the very difficult budget situations they are experiencing. However, a significant number said they would like the option of purchasing services beyond anything that would be offered free of charge. I have therefore made sure that this option does exist. For Polish early years worker services, provided by Diversity Voice, a larger number of settings make similar medium to high usage and will therefore need to be affected by cost savings. However, all settings can assume they can access Polish early years worker support free of charge unless they have already been contacted by SCC. For settings making high use of services currently and who will therefore be affected by cost savings, reduction in levels of free use of services will not be so high that they prevent the majority of your work continuing so I would encourage you to make bookings for work from September onwards. You will also have the option of contributing costs in order to preserve levels of usage. For any settings wishing to start making use of services, you can be assured that unless you are likely to become a high user, you will be able to access services free of charge. Diversity Voice – Our aims are to facilitate communication between early years providers and Polish children and families. To help children moving from Poland settle into their new environment quickly and achieve their full potential. To request our service please email earlyears@diversityvoice.org.uk

Somerset County Council survey

Current contracts for the Polish Early Years Worker Service (provided by Diversity Voice) and interpreting/translation services in other languages (provided by DA Languages) will expire at the end of August 2019. Decisions will need to be taken about whether and how to recommission services to continue after that date. Somerset County Council is therefore seeking feedback from settings using the services about their value, what has worked well and what improvements could be made. It would help us greatly if you would take the time to think about your own experiences and answer the questions below. Your participation is very important because it is vital that we receive feedback from as many settings as possible, in order to make sure we are fully informed before making decisions about future services. Your setting will receive a paper version of the survey (see end of survey for return address) or you can request an electronic version – to obtain an electronic version please email pnewman@somerset.gov.uk

Advertising with Diversity Voice Page 22

I would like to interest you in advertising on our website www.diversityvoice.com which attracts scores of users from ethnic minorities and beyond daily. Diversity Voice is a direct access organisation, whose aim is helping ethnic minority community members with integration and acculturation. We provide advice and sup-

port in several areas, including housing, employment and education. We have over 1500. Our activity is non-profit and non-political. In the current economic climate, it is essential for companies to be able to reach their clients or potential employees swiftly and to be the name that they can identify quickly for the service required. With our offer, your busi-ness will have a great opportunity to make a lasting presence within po-tential client through our website. We have been working with the migrant communities in the South West of England for over 11 years. We have become a well-recognised first con-

tact for many people arriving here and a hub for large numbers of ethnic minority residents, where they can find help and advice as well as socialise. Our networking activities enable us to reach thousands of people and the website has enjoyed great interest with over five hundred thousand visits registered so far. You can also advertise in our Newsletter which is distributed to thousands of peo-ple. We can assure you that you will find our service beneficial to your business both in terms of publicity and cost. All proceeds go towards our work in the community. Our rates are as follows: A written advert - £40 per month • A small photo ad (5 x 4 cm) in prime position on home page - £30 per month or

£150 per year • A large photo ad (20 x 4 cm) in prime position on home page - £50 per month

or £400 per year • Promotion in e-newsletter to all members £80.00 • Newsletter advertisement, for a one-page advert - £200 • All the above for £600 per year If you would like to put an advertisement on our website, please email details to ad-

min@diversityvoice.org.uk. Alternatively, please contact our office on 03000 750105

to discuss details or find out more.

Please note that if you are an individual who

wants to put an ad on the site, without generating

profit from it that it will be free of charge. When

you accept our rates for advertising you are

agreeing with the conditions and charges of the

advert.

Are you interested in becoming one of our Trustees

Diversity Voice is looking for new trustees for its Board. The Board, which is responsible for the overall governance, monitoring and strategic direction of the charity, works with management to ensure that the charity fulfils its objectives, as set out in its governing documents, in accordance with the charity’s vision and mission, and that the organisation comply with all legal and regulatory instruments. Brief description of Trustee role • governing the organisation, setting policy, strategy and use of funds. • general control and management of the administration • understanding of how the charity benefits the public • ensure compliance with the charity law and other legal requirements Our details: Name of Organisation: Diversity Voice Contact details for the person dealing with this opportunity: Rafal Skarbek Telephone: 07868723419, office: 03000 750 105 Email: admin@diversityvoice.org.uk Address of where volunteering is to take place: Diversity Voice, Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS Start Date: as soon as possible End Date: Ongoing. Time commitment of volunteers: 4-5 days per year Number of hours required: 3 hours per session If interested, please send your CV to: admin@diversityvoice.org.uk or by post to: Diversity Voice, Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS. If you have any questions about our services please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Vacancy for an Office Administrator

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DIVERSITY VOICE, is a non-for-profit organisation that supports migrant communities in the South West. We are a direct access organisation for all communities, local government and businesses. We have recently been successful in a grant bid (Integration Through Education) to the Hinkley Point C Community Impact Fund. We are looking to appoint an Office Administrator to join our team in Bridgwater, as a result.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and self-motivated person, who will help run this project. Responsibilities will include: dealing with finances, supporting other staff members, contractors, volunteers and developing and implementing our policies. This is a Part-time post for 25 hours a week. The hours are Monday to Thursday 12:30 – 5:30pm and Friday 9am - 2pm. Salary is £10,725.00 pa, pro-rata.

Interested candidates should apply, in writing, to Rafal Skarbek, CEO, at DIVERSITY VOICE, Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater, TA6 7AS or by E-mail to admin@diversityvoice.org.uk. The application form, person specification and job description are available at www.diversityvoice.org.uk Alternatively, you can contact us for the pack by email. The closing date is 14

th September 2018. Interviews will take place during the

week commencing September 24th,

2018. Start date in October, early November.

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Women’s suffrage: 100 years since millions of women got the vote around the world

United Kingdom The first countries to grant women the vote in 1918 include Ireland and Azerbaijan. But in the UK, it was only women over 30 who owned a property or had a university education that were allowed to vote. The legislation granted some women in the UK the right to vote, but while its anniversary serves as a reminder of how far we’ve come, it should also underscore how much work still lies ahead. The Act and what it achieved should also not be over-celebrated. While it marked an important beginning of a process, it was in many ways a feeble start. It gave females the right to vote, but only if they were over the age of 30, owned property, were a member or married to a member of the Local Government Register or were a graduate in a university constituency. Most significantly, it paved the way for the Equal Franchise Act a decade later: an extension of the Act from 1918, which gave all women over the age of 21 the right to vote – property owners or not. Despite the political reform of 1918 and 1928 that came as a result of the Suffragette movement led by Emmeline Pankhurst, it took several other pieces of legislation for real social reform to be achieved here in the UK, theoretically granting women rights on par with those enjoyed by men. Azerbaijan Azerbaijan became the first Muslim-majority (although secular) country to enfranchise women when it introduced universal suffrage in 1918. On paper, the genders share the same legal rights but the reality lived by many women in the former Soviet republic can betray that fact because they are often repressed by traditional social norms. This might explain its position of 98 out of 144 countries in last year’s Global Gender Gap Index. In politics, Mehriban Aliyeva was last year made vice president of the nation – but she is also the first lady, with her husband Ilham Aliyev having been president since 2003. Her appointment was hailed as a major stride forward for women’s rights. Poland Poland itself was an early supporter of women’s suffrage. After 123 years of foreign domination. As Poland had no independence between the end of the 18th century and 1918, both women's social role and their fight for suffrage was rather individual. Women's organizations that emerged in the 19th century was connected to the fight for national independence, and their members suffered for their political involvement. The best-known example was the all-female group 'Enthusiasts' ('Entuzjastki'), the first organized women's group working to improve women's status, particularly in education. Women's organizing was not only hindered by tradition, but also by legislation. In Poland, as in many other countries, the return of democracy and a real parliament in 1989 brought a decrease in the proportion of women MPs: from 20 percent to 13 percent in the first free elections. Debates regarding forms of democracy, including the introduction of a mandatory quota system, closely resemble the debates, disputes, and political processes taking place in other European countries.

Victoria Park Community

Centre

Victoria Park Drive

Bridgwater, TA6 7AS

Tel: 03000 750 105

Fax: 03000 750 106

admin@diversityvoice.org.uk

DIVERSITY VOICE

We’re on the Web! www.diversityvoice.

org.uk

Join our facebook page, welcome us as your friend! Join our education forum—if you’re a teacher, perhaps share ideas for promoting learning. And lastly, subscribe to our newsletter, Find details of all the above at: www.diversityvoice.org.uk

Please visit our community web-site at: www.diversityvoice.com

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