Camphill and partners seek Home Secretary meeting
Type: NewsTopic: Brexit | Camphill | Policy and legislation
Published on: 29th August 2018
Camphill Scotland and our partners including SCVO, Volunteer Scotland, Cyrenians, L’Arche and Volunteering Matters have written to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, to request an urgent meeting to discuss our concerns about the impact of Brexit, and about the current treatment of Tier 5 applications from Non-EU Citizens wishing to volunteer in Scotland. This has seen significant increases in the levels of refusals of these applications. We are deeply concerned that these factors will have a major impact on volunteering in Scotland and have serious consequences for the third sector, and for society in Scotland and the UK as a whole.
Camphill Scotland Director, Dr Neil Henery said
Camphill was founded in Scotland by Austrian refugees and remains very much a European, and an international, movement. 170 (or 68%) of the 251 short-term volunteer co-workers currently living and working in Camphill communities in Scotland are from other EU countries.
Volunteer co-workers and employees from non-EU countries also make a major contribution to the work of Camphill. We are already experiencing a negative impact from Brexit and can now also report a significant rise in the refusals of Tier 5 Charity worker visa applications from non-EU nationals.
This is very alarming as without a supply of volunteers and staff from abroad, Camphill in Scotland could not continue in its present form to the great detriment of the over 600 people with learning disabilities and other support needs who depend on us for their care, education and support.
