London MEP, Jean Lambert, welcomed Yen Nyeya from GHARWEG, the Southwark-based refugee welfare organisation, to the European Parliament this week to discuss how best to adapt to demographic change in the UK and across Europe. The group, which offers advice, training and careers guidance to refugees and asylum-seekers, took part in a conference organised by the Green group in the parliament addressing immigration and integration.
After the meeting, Jean Lambert interviewed Yen Nyeya about GHARWEG’s work to help migrants settle in the UK. The organisation offers IT training courses targeted at the unemployed, especially refugees and asylum seekers, provides English courses for speakers of other languages as well as literacy and numeracy classes. In addition it helps people develop their soft skills and gives career and training advice.
Jean Lambert MEP, whose office is also based in Southwark, said:
“It is now widely recognised that migrants make a huge contribution to the wealth of the European Union. Indeed, we wouldn’t be the prosperous continent we are now if it hadn’t been for Africa’s role in our history.
“GHARWEG has a great deal of knowledge about the challenges of social integration because they work with migrants on a day-to-day basis. Many people in the organisation can draw on their own experience of being a migrant and can therefore offer practical help and advice to new arrivals. I truly welcome their input to this debate in the European Parliament.”
Go to www.greens-efa-service.org to watch Jean Lambert’s interview with Yen Nyeya.
To find out more about the services offered by GHARWEG go to www.gharweg.org