In April, Napier Barracks Drop-in Centre partnered with the University of Kent to arrange a visit to the Canterbury campus for 38 residents from Napier Barracks wishing to learn more about studying in the UK. Often, asylum seekers find themselves having to flee and abandon their studies mid-education, and some may never have had the chance to go to university in their countries of origin. Others have been studying in the UK but have had to claim asylum during their course and have not been allowed to continue their studies because, as an asylum seeker, they must live in the accommodation assigned by the Home Office on £37 per week (£8 if accommodated at Napier Barracks).
The University staff encouraged the Napier residents and gave them practical guidance on applying for courses and studying in the UK. They were also welcomed by scholarship students with lived experience currently studying at the University. They shared lunch together and explored the bluebell woods around campus, finishing in the Kent Community Oasis Garden, where they had the opportunity to plant seeds and reflect on their day.
The participants reported that this experience of feeling welcomed at an educational institution in the UK had reignited hope and boosted morale tremendously. Thank you to our partners at the University of Kent for making this happen.
To read more about the visit, please read the article ‘Exploring Higher Education and Looking Towards the Future: Asylum Seekers Warmly Welcomed at Kent’ on the University of Kent website.
