Blogs

Brexit and attracting and retaining migrants in Scotland – SPICe Guest Blog

October 8, 2018

Following on her previous blog posts, in this piece the SSAMIS researcher Dr Paulina Trevena builds on the findings from her joint Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) and University of Glasgow research project:‘Attracting and retaining migrants in post-Brexit Scotland: is a social integration strategy the answer?’ discussing how the Brexit vote impacted on the feelings of security of migrants living in Scotland, and the challenges of Scotland’s prospects of attracting migrants.

Read the blog at:

https://spice-spotlight.scot/2018/10/08/guest-blog-brexit-and-attracting-and-retaining-migrants-in-scotland/

After Brexit: Scotland’s struggle to compete for migrant workers

July, 2018

In this piece for The Conversation, SSAMIS P.I. Professor Rebecca Kay (University of Glasgow) draws on the findings of the ‌Choices Ahead: Approaches to Lower Skilled Labour Migration after Brexit report to discuss what effect Brexit is likely to have on sectors which rely heavily on EU migrants to fill gaps in the labour force - particularly when it comes to lower-skilled, lower-paid jobs in sectors such as social care, agriculture, food processing, construction and hospitality. With a particular focus on Scotland, Prof. Kay goes on to outline what needs to be done to ensure the UK continues to attract, and importantly retain, migrant workers after Brexit.

Read the blog at: 

https://theconversation.com/after-brexit-scotlands-struggle-to-compete-for-migrant-workers-100545 

Post-Brexit Immigration Policy: Scotland wants to go its own way - LSE Brexit Blog

June, 2018

In this post for the LSE Brexit Blog, Dr Sarah Kyambi (University of Edinburgh) discusses the findings from our joint SSAMIS / University of Edinburgh report Choices Ahead: Approaches to Lower Skilled Labour Migration after Brexit. In the blog post, Dr Kyambi outlines the implications of Brexit on lower-skilled migration to the UK and the challenges facing Britain in terms of developing a post-Brexit immigration policy, and why Scotland is exploring ways to encourage migrants to settle permanently.

Read this blog at: 

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2018/06/22/post-brexit-immigration-policy-scotland-wants-to-go-its-own-way/

Attracting Migrants to Scotland: Research Results - SPICe Guest Blog

June, 2018

Following on from her previous blog, in this piece SSAMIS researcher Dr Paulina Trevena presents the findings from her joint Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) and University of Glasgow research project: ‘Attracting and retaining migrants in post-Brexit Scotland: is a social integration strategy the answer?’ This blog post explores whether introducing a social integration strategy for all migrants in Scotland could support the goal of attracting and retaining people here.

Read this blog at: 

https://spice-spotlight.scot/2018/06/28/guest-blog-attracting-migrants-to-scotland-research-results/ 

Migration in post-Brexit Scotland - SPICe Guest Blog

February 26, 2018

In this guest blog, SSAMIS researcher Dr Paulina Trevena introduces her joint Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) and University of Glasgow research project: ‘Attracting and retaining migrants in post-Brexit Scotland: is a social integration strategy the answer?’ The project runs from September 2017 to July 2018, and the final research report will be available at the end of June 2018.

Read this blog at: 

https://spice-spotlight.scot/2018/02/26/migration-in-post-brexit-scotland/

Challenges of Settling in Rural Scotland: Drawing Parallels between ‘New Scots’ Refugees and Central & Eastern European Migrants

October 5, 2017

In this contribution to the University of Glasgow's reaseach and knowledge exchange website Policy Scotland, SSAMIS researcher Dr Holly Porteous discusses how – despite generally having very different backgrounds to migrants from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and other Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries – Syrian 'New Scots' refugees face some similar challenges to CEE migrants in their experiences of building a new life in rural towns and villages across Scotland. Drawing on research into CEE migrants in rural Scotland, this blog post highlights how sharing research findings, best practice, and migrant/refugee experiences related to processes of rural settlement offers the potential to improve policy outcomes and thus the experiences of migrants and of future New Scots refugees.

Read this blog at: 

http://policyscotland.gla.ac.uk/challenges-settling-rural-scotland-drawing-parallels-new-scots-refugees-central-eastern-european-migrants/

Language Cafe as a site of Wider Cultural Integration

February 1, 2017

In this contribution to the online journal 'Europe now', Claire Needler explores the outcomes of our Make-it-happen Peterhead initiative, in particular the language café which has now become a regular feature at the 'Encounter' community café run by Modo. Partnership working between Modo, WEA and SSAMIS has made this longer term project possible. The Language Cafe offers alternating daytime and evening sessions, combining language learning with arts and crafts activities, for adults and children, information and advice sessions (e.g. first aid) and support for wider cultural exchange and community building. 

Read this blog at: 

http://www.europenowjournal.org/2017/01/31/language-cafes-as-a-site-of-wider-cultural-integration/

And Make It Happen Angus!

January 19, 2017

Make It Happen Angus is a SSAMIS initiative led by Dr Paulina Trevena aimed at addressing some of the issues many newcomers to Angus are struggling with, namely isolation and lack of opportunities to build meaningful links with the established population. In this article Paulina discusses how the idea came about, what happened in the 2016 run of the Make It Happen Cafe, and plans for 2017. 

Read this blog at: 

https://gramnet.wordpress.com/2017/01/19/and-making-it-happen-in-angus/

Living and Working Together in Scotland: Lessons for Policy and Practice

November 9, 2016

This event brought together findings from research conducted by SSAMIS, GREC and CPAG, and focussed on evidence-based practice and recommendations for future policy. In this blog, Moya Flynn (one of the Co-Investigator’s on the SSAMIS project) describes what happened over the course of the day, which was structured around the key themes of employment, poverty and family issues, and community initiatives.

Read this blog at: 

https://gramnet.wordpress.com/2016/12/12/living-and-working-together-in-scotland-lessons-for-policy-and-practice/ 

Read the event page at:

http://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/gramnet/research/ssamis/disseminationevents/headline_483581_en.html 

SSAMIS in Peterhead: what happened next?

Make It Happen combined art, language and politics workshops in a new community café in Peterhead, which was an ideal venue as it was just launching over the summer, with a longer term ambition to become a hub for cultural and community events, right in the heart of the town. The café has now received funding to run for a year, and has been named ‘Encounter’. SSAMIS are working in partnership with the WEA and Modo to run a weekly language café there.

Read this blog at: 

https://gramnet.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/ssamis-in-peterhead-what-happened-next/ 

Making It Happen in Peterhead

September 5, 2016

The Make it Happen Café in Peterhead was a SSAMIS initiative led by Claire Needler from 25th to 30th July 2016.  Its main aim was to create a welcoming community space in the heart of Peterhead where migrant workers and local people could come together around different social activities. In this article she describes some of the background, happenings and potential future of the project.

Read this blog at: 

https://gramnet.wordpress.com/2016/08/24/making-it-happen-in-peterhead/

Which Exit after Brexit? Supporting EU nationals in the post-Brexit reality

July 4, 2016

In the immediate aftermath of Brexit referendum we have seen reports of a sudden increase in hate crime and anxieties amongst EU migrants regarding their future in the UK

As researchers who have been specifically exploring the experiences and aspirations of migrants from Eastern Europe to Scotland over the last 3 years through an ESRC-funded project, we feel it important to highlight some of the likely impacts on migrants’ lives and plans for the future. 

Read this blog at: 

gramnet.wordpress.com/2016/07/04/which-exit-after-brexit-supporting-eu-nationals-in-the-post-brexit-reality/ ‌

We also suggest some areas where local initiatives can make a positive difference. 

Why David Cameron’s four-year benefits plan won’t reduce EU migration?

January 7, 2016 

The UK government’s proposal to prevent EU migrants from claiming welfare benefits for four years has run into new difficulties. The bid has been deeply unpopular with many European partners during David Cameron’s EU re-negotiations, and now the think-tank British Future claims it won’t achieve its purpose of cutting migration to the UK either. This is based on surveys of Polish migrants in Southampton on England’s south coast. British Future claims the policy would only have a “moderate impact” and “there is little to suggest it would be transformative”.

Read this blog at: 

theconversation.com/why-david-camerons-four-year-benefits-plan-wont-reduce-eu-migration-52877

Challenges faced by Central & East European migrants: welfare and support services in rural Scotland

November 3, 2015

In this blog post, published in connection with the Policy Scotland Welfare Reform Network’s event ‘Supporting Migrants in Welfare Reform’ (November 2015), SSAMIS researcher Holly Porteous discusses ways to address challenges facing migrants from Central & Eastern Europe who are living, working and accessing social security services in rural Scotland. The post explores some of the challenges faced by service providers in providing appropriate support for the diverse needs of Central and Eastern European migrant communities. It also offers examples of good practice and informal arrangements that were instrumental in helping migrants access locally available support. 

Read this blog at:

http://policyscotland.gla.ac.uk/challenges-faced-by-central-east-european-migrants-welfare-and-support-services-in-rural-scotland/