West End Refugee Service (WERS) is a registered charity which provides support services for asylum seekers and refugees in a friendly, welcoming environment. The range of integrated services aims to address the disadvantage, exclusion and poverty which affect asylum seekers and refugees living in the West End of Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Practical help, advice and advocacy are provided through daily drop-in advice sessions, run by WERS’ multi-lingual support worker and trained volunteers.
- WERS also offers home visits for those who find it difficult to visit WERS’ offices, a Clothing Store, where good quality second-hand clothing and household items are offered free of charge and a Hardship Fund, providing emergency payments to clients in extreme need.
- Emotional support is offered through the Befriending Scheme, the only designated service for refugees and asylum seekers in the city. WERS has also recently launched Skillsmatch, a supported volunteering project for clients that matches their skills and interests with volunteering opportunities in the community, via a bespoke online platform.
- www.skillsmatch.info
- WERS also delivers an extensive awareness-raising, education and training programme addresses the need for accurate information about asylum seekers and refugees and challenges the still prevalent negativity surrounding asylum seekers and refugees.
- WERS’ volunteer programme offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities: befriending, support work, outreach casework, working in the Clothing Store, admin support and gardening. WERS currently has 50 volunteers whose work is highly valued and significantly enhances the work of the charity. volunteering page
