News
STUDENT SOCIETY SUPPORTS REFUGEES8 Dec 2006 |
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| A new society aimed at helping refugees by promoting awareness of their needs and volunteering has been established by De Montfort University students in Leicester. The Student Action for Refugee Society (STAR) was set up by law students with the help of the national STAR organisation – a major student charity and pressure group. Toc H St Andrew's refugee day care centre in Jarrom Street, Leicester opened in February and is the focus of STAR's work. The centre, managed by former asylum seeker Kevin Ncube, is run by national charity Toc H which strives to break down religious and cultural barriers and is committed to building a fairer society by working with communities to promote friendship, service and confront prejudice. STAR volunteers work at St Andrew's Centre on Mondays and Fridays to talk to refugees about the issues facing them and generally helping with services provided there. This includes handing out food parcels and clothing and help with documentation and filling out forms. In the near future, STAR also plans to develop a mentoring scheme between students and refugees in the Leicester which will be a balance of friendship and counselling. |  |