Cardiff University Fresh Claims Project
Cardiff University Fresh Claims Project builds on our existing partnership with Asylum Justice that delivered the award-winning Ukraine Project Cymru from 2022-2024.
Ukraine Project Cymru provided bespoke one off advice and a limited casework service to Ukrainian refugees in need of immigration advice in Wales and was funded by Welsh Government. The project also delivered a series of Community Legal Education sessions to the wider Ukrainian community in Wales.
The Fresh Claims Project is a continuation and extension of this work, but focuses on a different client group. The project is led by experienced immigration and asylum lawyer Jennifer Morgan, and supported by Coordinator Suzy McGarrity, who both work with a team of student volunteers from the School of Law and Politics.
The project aims to provide a full casework service to refused asylum seekers in Cardiff and surrounding areas who want to provide new or updated evidence to the Home Office in support of their cases.
This client group is not permitted to work or receive any state support which means that they are often homeless/sofa surfing and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Our students support Jennifer with research and drafting tasks to help clients source and present new evidence to the Home Office.
“Multiple research reports in recent years have identified Wales as an advice desert for immigration and asylum law. The real-world impact is that many asylum seekers with arguable cases do not receive the advice and support that would allow them to gain the refugee protection they are entitled to. Our project provides desperately needed legal support to vulnerable clients, as well as giving students hands-on experience of working with clients in the asylum sector.”
The project’s first cohort of clients includes people from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Lebanon.
We are extremely grateful that our refocused project continues to receive funding from Welsh Government.
