In 2000 the City of Sheffield started receiving asylum-seekers from London and the south-east as part of the newly established dispersal system, now administered by the UK Border Agency. UKBA supported asylum seekers are placed in temporary accommodation whilst they await a decision on their asylum application, and many who are granted refugee status remain as long-term residents in the city.

The City Council developed a Refugee Integration Strategy in recognition of the challenges many refugees face in settling into life in the city after status is granted.  The Strategy is designed to promote multi-agency action to support this process based on clearly identified needs and the capacity of stakeholders to deliver actions around these.
The main goal of the Refugee Integration Strategy is to ensure that newly granted refugees are, after twelve months, in a position to integrate successfully in the city, including secure housing, in employment, self-employment, training or education, and are in contact with community organisations.

All new refugees granted status in the city.

The initial “New Lives” Refugee Integration Strategy (2005-8) was developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders and designed to provide a framework for action that would facilitate improved prospects for integration for refugees in Sheffield.  The Strategy identified the needs and issues faced by refugees and the organisations that work with them with in Sheffield and the wider region, and identified key targets in areas including housing, employment, education, health and others. In 2008, a review and evaluation of the 2005-8 'New Lives' Strategy was conducted.  Based on the outcomes of this exercise, a new Strategy for 2009-12 is currently being developed and is due for completion in April 2009.
Delivery of the Strategy is driven by the local multi-agency Refugee Forum, the overall work is guided by the New Arrivals Members Advisory Group, a group of elected Members in Sheffield who guide local priorities and activities in relation to new arrivals into the city. 

Ongoing. Please refer yourself to the contact person for more information.

• The local multi-agency Refugee Forum reviews progress on the various areas of the Strategy on a bi-annual basis. 
• Progress is also monitored by the New Arrivals Members Advisory Group
• For the 2009-12 Strategy, progress will also be monitored, scrutinised and challenged by an Advisory Panel of refugees resident in the city.

The development of the Refugee Integration Strategy is funded by Sheffield City Council.  Delivery of the Strategy is funded via stakeholder organisations and their ongoing work/resources, Sheffield City Council's Asylum Programme and the recently established Refugee Integration & Employment Service (RIES - see separate entry).