History
Scottish Refugee Council was established in 1985 in response to a growing need for assistance for refugees in Scotland. It was set up with the help of the British Refugee Council (now Refugee Council) and London-based Refugee Action and was operated by a small team of staff and volunteers. The organisation was originally based in Edinburgh where demand was greatest. In its early stages it primarily worked with refugees from Chile and Vietnam, helping with asylum claims, understanding the welfare system and getting access to housing and education.
During the 1990s the Scottish Refugee Council expanded because of international events and a need for more comprehensive refugee services. One major new development during this time was the 1993 establishment of a reception centre for Bosnians who faced persecution and ethnic cleansing in Serbian concentration camps. In 1999, in response to the escalating crisis in Kosovo, the Scottish Refugee Council worked with the Refugee Action, UNHCR and other partners to set up reception centres as part of a humanitarian evacuation programme. The Scottish Refugee Council was at the forefront in helping these refugees settle and integrate into Scottish society. In 2000 the focus changed from resettlement to helping people return safely or make claims for asylum.
The Immigration and Asylum Act (1999) established Glasgow as one of the largest refugee dispersal centres in the UK. This led to a significant increase in the number of people seeking asylum in Scotland. Following this change, the Scottish Refugee Council faced a 20-fold increase in the size of its client base. At this time it was necessary for the organisation to relocate to Glasgow. When its Glasgow-based advice centre was opened in 1999 it delivered 250 advice sessions per week. By 2001 this had grown to 150 sessions per day. The centre is located within the Cadogan Square complex in Glasgow city centre.
With the dispersal system came challenges to integration and racial tension. One tragic result of this was the fatal stabbing of Firsat Yildiz, a young Turkish Kurd who had recently been dispersed to Glasgow. Following this the Scottish Refugee Council helped to establish the Refugee Integration Forum to lead a community approach to improving the lives of refugees and asylum seekers.
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