Why does Hope exist?

Imagine fleeing persecution and having to seek protection in another land. You’d hope for welcome, sympathy and for your rights to be respected. Sadly the British asylum system is complex and often hostile. Many people are refused the protection they desperately need simply because they get lost in the system.

When your asylum appeal is refused, you are evicted from your house, all your money is stopped and you are not allowed to work. You are left street homeless and destitute.

With 13 houses around Birmingham and the Black Country, Hope offers a roof over your head, money for food and essentials and the legal advice and representation you need to overturn flawed refusals of asylum; so you can start to live a normal life in safety.

What Hope Does

Destitution Fund

Hope provides cash grants of £30 per week for people left destitute while challenging flawed refusals of asylum. People are usually staying in Hope Housing, with friends or family, or with other charities.

Housing

We have 13 houses in Birmingham and the Black Country that are home to 39 people left homeless and destitute while challenging flawed refusals of asylum. We cover all housing and utility costs.

Wellbeing

Well Being is central to the Hope approach. Our staff and volunteers make sure that people are safe and able to make friends and connections in their own neighbourhoods.

Legal

We will ensure that anyone in Birmingham, Coventry or the Black Country made homeless by the asylum system understands why they have been refused and what steps they can take.

Hope People

Staff

Phil DavisDirector

Phil has been working with destitute asylum seekers for over 15 years. He is responsible for the overall management of Hope Projects, including fundraising and new developments.

Tarisai GogodoOperations Manager.

Tarisai has worked in a wide range of homelessness charities. She has a BA Business Admin Degree from Birmingham City University and an MSc in Poverty Reduction and Development Studies from University of Birmingham.

Aliya KhanHead of Legal

Aliya is a Fellow of the Chartered Legal Executives FCILex for 16 years specialising working with victims of torture and abuse. She has done asylum and immigration work since 2003. She joined Hope in 2016 and registered the organisation with the OISC and now heads the legal department. She is registered at OISC Level 3.

AmandaHousing Support

Amanda brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to Hope. She is responsible for the safety and well-being of the women we support and the houses they live in.

Louise WattsLegal Officer

Louise is qualified at OISC 3. She has a wide range of professional experience and academic knowledge to bring to the team. Louise is passionate about advocating and campaigning to end the hostile environment and protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

Selbin KaboteHousing Support Officer

Selbin Kabote is an activist who for many years has campaigned for the rights of migrants and people who come to the United Kingdom to seek political asylum. Selbin believes in the power of highlighting positive arguments for migration. Selbin is also a freelance journalist who has worked for many years as a media trainer in the UK.

Farah MohamedWellbeing Officer

I am responsible for the health and wellbeing support of asylum seekers that hope projects supports.
I’m passionate about the plight of asylum seekers and my goal is to help offer at least a little reprieve from the stressful lives they are being compelled to live. I‘ve helped support refugees and asylum seekers both in the UK and internationally and currently working towards MSc in psychology with interest in migrants’ mental health.

Sue ConlanLegal Associate

Sue has been involved in the immigration field for more than 30 years, both within the voluntary sector and private legal practice. Her current work includes training, consultancy and complex casework, particularly for people who have been refused asylum, including appeals. She is an OISC level 3 registered adviser with Hope Projects and the Director of TACTIC.

Dinesh LiyanegeTrainee Legal Advisor

Dinesh joined Hope Projects recently as legal trainee in their Legal Project. He is a refugee, lived through the UK asylum system for 8.5 years. He passionate about the Law and understands it has adverse effects on people’s day-to-day life, especially the vulnerable.

Dinesh like baking, trying new cuisines and cooking them in his free time. He enjoys hiking and loves nature.

Volunteers

Hope relies on its volunteers. We are particularly grateful to the following:

AliVolunteer

Trustees

Rev. Neil JohnsonChair

Rev. Dr. Neil Johnson is Deputy Chair of Birmingham Methodist District, presbyter of The Church at Carrs Lane and Honorary Research Fellow at the Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham. He chairs Birmingham Christian Homelessness Forum and is vice chair of the Adavu project addressing modern slavery.

Derek BennettTreasurer

Derek Bennett qualified as chartered accountant in 1959 and worked professionally in finance and later in business. He has served as a trustee of Birmingham Law Centre, South Birmingham Foyer Trust, and as a Board member of Mercian Housing Association. He was a founder member of Birmingham Supporters of Freedom from Torture and is currently Treasurer of Bournville Amnesty International and Director of Midland Industrial Association.

Dr. Surinder GuruTrustee

As a migrant herself, issues of migration have always been close to Surinder’s heart. At the Asian Resource Centre in the 1980s She gained frontline experience of immigration advice work and it was here she became involved in anti-deportation campaigns as another means of resisting the iniquitous effects of immigration policies. In the 1990s She moved into teaching Social Work at the Selly Oak Colleges and the University of Birmingham where her research into domestic violence, counter-terrorism and trafficking has been widely published. She was a Board Member at Friendship Housing and Care for 15 years until 2014.

Dominic BradleyTrustee

Dominic is Chief Executive of Spring Housing. He is an experienced Managing Director in the non-profit , charitable and housing sector. Skilled in Social Housing, Management, Business Growth Strategies, Community Engagement, and Leadership. He has a Combined Honours Degree in Education Studies and Managing People.

Ranjit Sondhi CBETrustee

Born in India, he has lived, studied and worked in the UK since 1966. A graduate in Theoretical Physics, he founded the Asian Resource Centre in Handsworth, Birmingham in 1976. He was Senior Lecturer in Community and Youth Studies at University of Birmingham Westhill from 1985 to 2005. He has served as Vice Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, a governor of the BBC, a trustee of the National gallery and on the Civil Service and Criminal Cases Review Commissions. He is currently Vice Chairman of Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG and a Board Member of Citizens UK; Guide Dogs for the Blind; Chairman, Sampad; and Nishkam Health Project.

Louise CalveyTrustee

Louise is head of services and safeguarding for Refugee Action. She leads their work on refugee resettlement. She joined Refugee Action in 2011. Before working with Refugee Action, Louise worked with young people affected by homelessness and drugs & alcohol and those vulnerable to exploitation. She began her career as volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Patrons

The Rt. Hon. Clare ShortPatron

Clare Short was MP for Birmingham Ladywood for 27 years before standing down in 2010. She was Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to 2003 and set up the Department for International Development. She resigned from the government over the Iraq war.

She is currently chair of Cities Alliance a multilateral agency focused on improving the lives of slum dwellers. She is also a trustee of Africa Humanitarian Action which focuses on Africans responding to humanitarian emergencies in the continent.