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SESPM

South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM)

The South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM) provides a leadership, co-ordination and advisory function for migration in the South East. SESPM is hosted by South East England Councils, with all SESPM work funded by the UK Borders Agency.

Objectives for 2012-13 include:

  • Support and lead services in the South East to address challenges and maximise opportunities of migration.
  • Monitor and report trends relating to the nature and effects of migration to and from the South East.
  • Promote understanding of all aspects of migration and the integration of migrants with communities.
  • Enable collective voice from the South East experience to inform and influence national and local policy and decision making.
  • Build robust cross sector partnerships facilitating open and collaborative working.
  • Provide a conduit for two way information exchange between government departments and local area partners.

Read the full SESPM business plan for 2012-13, including sections on the partnership’s work plan and migration statistics.  Our ‘Introduction to SESPM sheet’ also gives an overview of our work areas and current partners.

In addition to responding to Government proposals and consultations, SESPM also commissions occasional research on topical migration issues. Visit our SESPM research page for more details including recent work on skills gaps developing as a result of the cap on non-EU migrant workers.

Our areas of research for this year include:

Free Training on Assisted Voluntary Returns (AVR)

Working collaboratively with the UKBA and Refugee Action, SEPM has co-ordinated a number of successful free AVR workshops across the South East, including workshops in Kent, Slough, Hampshire & Oxfordshire with future workshops set to take place in Surrey and West Sussex in 2013.

Positive Futures Project

SESPM is leading an innovative pilot into addressing the complex issues surrounding former Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children with a negative asylum decision leaving care. SESPM are in collaboration with UKBA, Kent Social Services, FCO, UNHCR, CPI, Red Cross, University of Kent, Migrant Support Network & RA for this project which will be ongoing into 2013.

Research into the Impacts of Irregular Migration in local areas in the South East

SESPM are working with the University of Reading, who are leading this, researching the impacts of irregular migration. This work aims to identify and fill evidence gaps around why people become visa-overstayers and the impact that this has on society and the economy, including labour markets.

The work of SESPM is funded by the UK Borders Agency. For more information on South East Strategic Partnership for Migration contact Roy Millard or Zack Foulds at South East Councils -roymillard@secouncils.gov.uk & ZackFoulds@secouncils.gov.uk  – 01304 872186.