Information updates for AVID members on detention policy and AVID's advocacy work
AVID works with and for our members as a voice for detainees. We actively work to reduce the negative impacts of detention and push for change in the detention system.
This includes attending stakeholder meetings with the Home Office or other departments to raise issues of concern, submitting responses to policy consultations, providing evidence to monitoring bodies, holding awareness-raising events, writing briefings or gathering evidence on issues that our members bring to our attention. We work not only to ensure this reaches decision-makers but also that it leads to real change for detainees.
We work nationally to advocate on behalf of detainees and our member visitors groups, but we also work locally with visitors groups on specific issues that may arise in a particular detention centre.
- We are members of the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) which is the key Home Office stakeholding group on asylum issues, attending by NGOs from a wide range of sectors. The NASF was replaced by the Strategic Engagement Group (SEG) in September 2015. Minutes are posted here.
- We attend the NASF Detention Sub Group every quarter, chaired by Alison Samedi (Deputy Director, Illegal Migration, Identity Security and Enforcement Policy) and Sam Grant, Liberty. We can raise issues relating to detention practice in this forum on your behalf. Minutes are posted here.
- We are also members of the NASF Equality Sub Group which meets quarterly.
- We can also take forward issues of concern in individual IRCs and STHFs or make submissions to the Home Office ourselves
- To keep things simple, we produce Quarterly Policy Briefings for our membership to summarise key policy outputs, outlining all relevant detail from meetings attended. These are confidential to AVID members.
To find out more about our policy work or to raise an issue, contact our Policy and Communication Manager, Gee Manoharan gee.manoharan@aviddetention.org.uk/0207 281 0533