34 Can’t Stay. Can’t Go. Refused asylum seekers who cannot be returned I don’t really see it come up very often. (Red 3.17 Closing comments Cross staff member, Leeds) Closing comments from our participants related Provide legal aid for Stateless applications mostly to the need for better understanding of the Two staff members felt there is a need for legal aid level of suffering experienced by refused asylum for Stateless applications. seekers who cannot be returned. Provide advice around AVR I think there should be a greater understanding The staff member in Leeds stressed that, since of the levels of suffering that people do the Home Office has taken the AVR programme in experience as a result of destitution, and taking house again, there is no longer impartial advice on that into account and what is humane to put AVR. Such advice is invaluable. people through. (Red Cross staff member, Glasgow 1) Make people feel valued The staff member in Teesside felt there is a need to Kasim (Iraq) would like the Home Office to walk a “make these people feel valued – people want to mile in his shoes: feel like they’re doing something worthwhile”. She felt this could be achieved in a number of ways, If government come and stay with some including providing volunteering opportunities, asylum seeker, homeless people, no have having better access to structured English and food, no eat, no have clothes, no have place maths classes on a long-term basis, and having for live, no have anything, live in the street. access to a sewing machine to make things for After, he’d understand how it is very difficult their children. for you…. After, he understand what happen. But, you know, Home Office have this nice Recognise mental health issues life. He sleep in that condition, have nice car, One of the staff members in Glasgow (Glasgow have nice money – he no care about me. But 1) called for greater awareness and recognition if he one day, two day, come to feel sleeping of mental health issues in this group, particularly in outside park, or sleep in the street, and no relating to trauma. food. After he understand how this is hard life. And if he sees people in this situation, without Consider the length of time people have been family, without country, without everything; if he in the UK understand this life, people, why people leave A number of our participants have been in the their country and come here, then he will have UK for more than ten years. The staff member in to think about people. (Kasim, Iraq) Leicester felt this needs to be considered: Walid (Algeria) concluded: If you have come here ten years ago, it’s not really reasonable for them to be removed and I don’t want to be rich, big money, nice house, sent back to a country where maybe they’ve nice life. No, I don’t want to be rich or nice life. not spent loads of time, and they’ve got no I need just a normal life. (Walid, Algeria) connection there. (Red Cross staff member, Leicester)