The LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees Project aims to improve the safety and quality of life of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) asylum seekers and refugees. Many LGBT asylum seekers and refugees face isolation and vulnerability on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. BeLonG To's project will support service providers to better understand the situation of LGBT asylum seekers and refugees and the gaps in service provision they encounter. It will also guide service providers on how to work sensitively with this target group. The project primarily focuses on youth and young adults.
The LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees Project carries out a number of activities including:
This project completed in January 2013.
Seeking Sanctuary
Case Study
Our case study tells the story of Maalik, who was a service user of the LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees Project.
In Maalik’s country of origin, being gay means the difference between leading a peaceful life and one that is filled with danger, persecution and a constant fear of being ‘outed’. By the age of 19, Maalik was used to constant verbal and physical harassment. Moreover, he was in a position where reporting this abuse to the authorities could potentially result in greater trauma and abuse. As a result, Maalik came to the decision that he needed to flee and seek asylum in another country.
Maalik arrived in Ireland in late 2010. He made an application for refugee status and moved into a Direct Provision accommodation centre. During this time, Maalik confided in a health worker that he was gay and that he needed the opportunity to talk about his past experiences, his present situation and the trauma he had experienced as an LGBT person in the asylum process. The health worker gave him the details of our LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees Project and arranged a meeting with our project youth worker.
Maalik first attended our project in early 2011. Maalik then attended regular one-to-one support, which gave him the opportunity to work through many of the issues that he had. The support Maalik received gave him the confidence to attend a number of our youth groups, where he felt for the first time that he was accepted for who he was. Young Irish LGBT people attending these groups welcomed him, befriended him and even advocated on his behalf during the time he was in the asylum process. Our ERF project youth worker also advocated on Maalik’s behalf and put him in contact with LGBT friendly services.
In time, Maalik became more involved in BeLonG To by running his own workshops. He also advised our staff on the situation of LGBT asylum seekers and refugees. In early 2012, Maalik received refugee status and has continued his involvement with us.