Asylum Corner Archives - Migrant tales

On January 25^th, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) brought together a large group of experts and well-known panellists in Brussels to debate the ways to balance the narrative on migration on both sides of the Mediterranean. During the event, which relates to the scope of the EUROMED Migration IV project, Aidan White, director of the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), presented the first report on the study he is currently conducting on behalf of ICMPD about media and migration in the Mediterranean area.

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The EUROMED Migration IV project aims to support all EU Member States and all European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI) Southern Partner Countries (SPC) in establishing a comprehensive operational dialogue and cooperation framework, with a focus on strengthening tools and capacities to shape coherent migration and international protection policies. Within this broad set of goals, understanding media dynamics when reporting on migration on both sides of the sea and promoting more truthful and unbiased information on the topic, together represent an ambitious but very much necessary objective for the project.

Continue reading “(Asylum Corner) Reporting on migration: magnifying glass or distorting lens?”

Imagine the (now nearly emptied) Calais “jungle” and mental healthcare services in one single sentence: your reaction would probably sound like “you wouldn’t know where to start”, for you are just a single person and Sisyphus was never your favourite character in epic poetry. But someone might decide to try, in spite of the hopelessness of the situation, and create a group who could at least provide some mental healthcare assistance to those who most need it. The Refugee Resilience Collective (RRC) was born on these assumptions.

Read the full story here.

The reality is, the RRC is just one of the countless volunteer groups and organizations that felt the urge to make the Calais “jungle” a little less of an inhumane place. Leaning on the makeshift medical system created by Médecins sans Fontières and Médecins du Monde at the Calais camp, the London-based collective (composed of 9 clinical psychologists and systemic psychotherapists) has been commuting from the British capital every Friday since last April to conduct group therapy with young asylum seekers, women and volunteers working at the Calais camp.

Continue reading “Asylum Corner: Mental health support to asylum seekers: what kind of support is most needed?”