annual report 2016 -2017 - hibiscus...

Annual Report2016 -2017

2 | Hibiscus Initiatives

Established in 1986 by Olga Heaven MBE, Hibiscus Initiatives is a leading specialist charity committedto supporting foreign nationals affected by the criminal justice system and immigration restrictions.

Thirty years on, our expertise and depth of experience is widely acknowledged and valued. Womenremain the focus of Hibiscus Initiatives’ work and we continue to extend our services to women. Wealso work with vulnerable men in some custodial settings where pilots proved successful.

Our work falls into four broad areas l Advocacy, information, assistance and mentoring in prisons and on release l Assistance and support on returns and reintegration to home countries l Assistance with community resettlement and reintegration in the UK l Identification and support to victims of human trafficking

Our visionA society where foreign national, black, minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) individuals are free frominequalities, treated with respect, have equal access to justice and are able to make informed choices.

Our purpose We provide advocacy, support and specialist services to marginalised vulnerable foreign national andBMER women, and men affected by the criminal/civil justice system and immigration restrictions toenable informed choice. We promote social justice and respect to reduce inequalities.

Our values Social Justice – Hibiscus Initiatives is committed to social justice. We aim to impact positively on thelives of our clients.

Integrity – We work with integrity, respecting the diversity of our clients, to overcome inequality ofaccess to social justice.

Learning and Innovation – The charity promotes a culture of learning and innovation.

ABOUT US

COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

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Hibiscus Initiatives | 3

The past year has seen us celebrating our 30thanniversary, but sadly the demand for our servicegrows and the needs of our clients continue tochange, becoming more complex and immediate.They face considerable and multiple disadvan -tages including language and cultural barriers,mental and physical health issues, experience ofviolence and abuse, separation from children andfamily and immigration restrictions which canmean no recourse to public funds and not beingallowed to work.

Set against this background our work continuesto be demanding and challenging; there isongoing pressure on finances and all resources;we work in a competitive environment which canimpact on collaborative and partnership working.Fundraising is time-consuming, increasingly com -petitive and resource intensive. But despite this,we have been able to achieve much during theyear.

We expanded our services significantly, not leastwith the opening of our Women’s Centre and weare supporting many more people in all ourservices. The following pages set out thechallenges we have faced and our achievementsin overcoming them. None of this would havebeen possible without the dedication and hardwork of our skilled team of staff, volunteers andTrustees to whom we are very grateful.

Our approach to our work is trauma-informed,empowering and holistic and our clients remainthe centre of our activities. Their involvement isintegral to our work and we have renewed ourcommitment to the value of ‘Really listening toour clients’ to ensure services are what clientsneed and that all the resources we have are usedto maximum effect. Our clients’ stories*, set outin this report, demonstrate not only the need forour services but the achievements and resilienceof our clients when given appropriate support.

From the Chair and Chief Executive

Adrienne Darragh, Chief Executive

Rachel Youngman,Chair

* All names have been changed to protect the clients' anonymity.

THE YEAR AT A GLANCE

l We celebrated our 30th Anniversary in December 2016

l We launched our Women’s Centre, a women-only safe space, funded by the Big Lottery Fund

l We were awarded a three-year grant from the Home Office to continue our work inImmigration Removal Centres

l Three members of staff were accredited by the Office of the Immigration ServicesCommissioner (OISC) to give immigration advice at Levels 1 and 2

l We extended our mentoring programme to four prisons and in the community

l We increased our prison work to HMP Send and HMP Downview

l SERCO funded a specialist welfare project for five years at Yarl’s Wood to enhance our workwith the women there



THE YEAR AT A GLANCE

l We worked towards PQASSO quality accreditation mark

l We moved to more spacious offices at Resource for London

l We had a successful field trip to China to enhance our understanding of our Chinese clients and establish relationships with potential support services

l We introduced Wellbeing and Yoga sessions in our Women’s Centre for women in the community

l Our clients come from 103 countries and speak over 40 languages

l We increased our staff team from 18 to 23

THE CONTEXT

Foreign nationals (non-UK passport holders)make up 11% of the UK’s prison populationand in March 2017, there were 9,791 foreignnationals in prison.

Foreign national prisoners come from 196countries but over half are from nine countries,(Poland, Ireland, Albania, Romania, Jamaica,Lithuania, Pakistan, India and Somalia).

5% of prisoners identify themselves as Gypsy,Romany or Travellers, despite only making up0.01% of the general population.

Three-quarters of foreign nationals enteringprison to serve a sentence in 2015 were sentthere for non-violent offences.

484 people were still held in prison as of 9January 2017 under immigration powers,despite having completed their custodialsentence.

More than 36,000 foreign nationals have beenremoved from the UK since 2010, 5,705 ofwhom were removed in 2016.

People were still held in prison as of 9 January 2017 under immigration powers

11% of all prisoners are foreign nationals

5% of prisoners identifythemselves as Gypsy,Romany or Travellers

484

11%

5%

196



Detention statistics from www.gov.uk/government/statistics

Other statistics from Bromley Briefings – Summer 2017

On 16 June 2017 there were 3,994 women inprison in England and Wales.

11% of women in prisons are foreign nationals.Some are known to have been coerced ortrafficked into offending.

84% of women in prison have committed non-violent offences.

48% of all custodial sentences given to womenin 2016 were for theft offences.

In 2016, 28,903 people entered detention(and pre-departure accommodation) in theUK. 28,800 of these were adults and 103 werechildren.

In 2016, 114 different nationalities entereddetention in the UK.

The longest length of detention recorded inthe first quarter of 2017 was 1,423 days.

THE CONTEXT

Women in prison in England and Wales

3,994

People entered detention in 2016

28,903

11% of women inprisons are foreignnationals

11%

84% of women inprison have committednon-violent offences

84%

48% of all custodialsentences given towomen in 2016 were fortheft offences

48%

114Different nationalities entered detention in the UK in 2016

The longest length of detention recorded the first quarter of 2017

1,423 days

‘Hibiscus supported meemotionally… they brought me an immigrationlawyer to give me advice and I won the case...’

‘Hibiscus changed my life… I can live and work in the United Kingdom because of

Hibiscus Initiatives’

‘Without Hibiscus I don’t know where I would be now’

‘Hibiscus needs to be more outthere. Hibiscus needs to be moreadvertised… A lot of women get withdrawnbecause they don’t know where to get help…’

‘Hibiscus are life savers… giving you direction, this is what you could do….’

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY



What our clients say:

OUR WOMEN’S CENTRE – A SAFE SPACE

The Women’s Centre is a specialist women-only space created toprovide tailored facilities and services. The Centre offers a range oftraining sessions, education classes, workshops, yoga and wellbeingsessions, legal clinics and one-to-one sessions with caseworkers orprofessionals. At the Centre we offer women not only emotional andpractical support, but also the opportunity to socialise with others whomay be going through similar experiences, thus reducing isolation anddistress.

Our clients are at the heart of what we do and our Women’s Centre is a safespace that reflects their aspirations andencourages them to be self-reliant.


‘Hibiscus is helping me meet new people’

‘Hibiscus is helping me with my problems…It is supporting me so much. Thank you’

‘The Centre is comfortable, people are helpful and friendly’

‘Thank you for supporting people like me’

‘They are good listeners’

OUR WOMEN’S CENTRE – A SAFE SPACE


OUR COMMUNITY WORK

“Mentoring and befriending with Hibiscushas been a wonderful experience. As avolunteer I feel like I am able to make apositive contribution to Hibiscus’ clients…Beyond that, I am also learning a lot myself “

Volunteer mentor

Our community work includes the serviceswe offer women in our Women’s Centre,intensive case work and our mentoringprogramme. We take a person-centredapproach to address our clients’ complexneeds. Our interventions are flexible andincreasingly informed by their involvement.The majority of issues we deal with involveimmigration, housing and access to benefits,but we give support and practical advicewherever it is needed. Sadly since the EUreferendum decision the tensions, mistrustsand divisions in society, as well as all thenegative media coverage, have adverselyimpacted on our clients.

Our mentoring project supports foreignnational women while in prison andcontinues as they re-establish life back in thecommunity. It offers both emotional andpractical support, aiming to encouragewomen to become independent and maketheir own choices. It is a mutually beneficialrelationship in which both mentor andmentee can develop their potential. Mentorscan help with education, training oremployment needs or simply have a friendlychat over a cup of coffee. Hibiscus mentorsare volunteer women from differentcountries, from all walks of life, who oftenspeak additional languages.


OUR COMMUNITY WORK

Women’s Centre

l In the past year we have assisted 76women in our Women’s Centre

l We have delivered 56 activitiesincluding literacy and IT classes

l We had 40 mentoring sessions

The majority of interventions were aboutinformation, advice and advocacy on

l Immigration (44%) l Housing (36 %) l Benefits (32%) including JSA, ESA

child benefit and child tax credit l Health (18%), referrals to counselling,

GPs and post-natal support

Abella’s story Abella came to the UK from France in 2011. She left behind her own business, fleeing a violenthusband who had threatened to kill her if she left him. Within months she was working invarious jobs in the UK.

While suffering from depression and a close family bereavement, Abella, in her own words,made a ‘big mistake’, by stealing personal items from her employer. For this she was given aCommunity Order of unpaid work. She was severely depressed and suicidal when she cameto Hibiscus as she was unable to pay off her large debts. She was also being sexually harassedby her landlord but did not report it to the police, as she was afraid of becoming homeless.With Hibiscus’ support, Abella disclosed the sexual harassment she experienced to the Policeand she was found a safe place to stay. Once she was in a stable situation Hibiscus helpedher find work and she continues to live in the UK and enjoys her new job. Abella wants to beindependent and is determined to pay off her debts without relying on anyone else.

Chau’s story Chau is a 23 year-old Vietnamese national who came to the UK in 2013 to study but overstayedher visa. Chau wanted to return home but her parents who still live in Vietnam wanted herto remain in the UK. She was fearful about returning voluntarily as her parents were applyingpressure for her to see a solicitor in attempts to legalise her stay in the UK. Chau had visiteda local reporting centre saying she had overstayed and she was then placed in detention. Chauseemed petrified about her parents finding out she wanted to return home, but she could notafford to pay for her flight as she was financially dependent on them. Hibiscus maintainedcontact with Chau and her caseworker and, with our assistance, a flight was booked and shereturned home within a month of engaging with us. Hibiscus assisted her by providing fundsto cover emergency accommodation, so she was able to stay in a hostel while she began toresolve the situation with her family. With our support Chau was able to make the decisionsshe wanted.


Our primary concern is to support those in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs), offering returns andresettlement assistance to those who are actively interested in returning to their country. A part ofour service is also focused on assisting our clients with practical and emotional support through theirstay in detention. The prospect of having to leave the UK, along with the uncertainty that being indetention brings, leads to many of our clients being traumatised, scared and vulnerable. Significantnumbers are unable to speak English or understand the UK immigration system. In delivering ourservices in the IRCs we provide advice and guidance to clients ensuring they are in a more stable andpositive position upon returning to their country. We work alongside statutory and charitableagencies to find the best possible outcome for the clients, and signpost those wishing to challengetheir case to services that can assist them. Offering trauma-informed emotional support runsthroughout our resettlement work and helps to ease our clients’ transition from the UK, assisting themtowards a dignified return.

INTERNATIONAL RESETTLEMENT


Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs)

l We work in Yarl’s Wood, Harmondsworth andColnbrook IRCs

l We helped 1,492 clients last year l We organised 68 workshops l The majority of our clients come from the Indian

subcontinent, Albania, Nigeria and China l The average length of detention for our clients is

69 days

This year we launched our Specialist Welfare Serviceproject at Yarl’s Wood. We focus on supporting clients inbuilding social networks, navigating life in the centre,making positive use of time and promoting emotionalwellbeing and self-care. We have also been able to offerwomen livelihood training to increase their chances ofemployment on their return, as well as a peer supportgroup and regular trauma healing workshops.

INTERNATIONAL RESETTLEMENT


This year, Hibiscus went to China! We make regular trips abroad to increase ourunderstanding of the countries to which our clients arereturning and to foster links with charities and organisationswhich can provide support to them on their return andresettlement.


Adrienne, our Chief Executive and Donna, Headof International Resettlement and Services forThose Detained, undertook a field trip to China,to gain a deeper understanding of Chineseculture in relation to migration. We find that ourChinese clients are some of the most isolated andleast likely to engage with official bodies, becauseof the language barrier and the culturaldifferences. We wanted to improve ourunderstanding of the reasons Chinese peoplecome to the UK and the issues they face whenthey return to China. China is a vast country so thefield trip focused on Beijing and the FujianProvince from where the majority of our clients

originate. We were able to identify supportnetworks for returning clients and build up socialnetworks. We met with Jinde charities, anorganisation that embraces all faiths and isregistered with the Chinese government. We alsomet with returnees and ex-clients as it is importantto maintain contact to see how past clients aregetting on and gather information to better informour resettlement work. Travelling through Fuzhougave a real feel of the culture, and this valuableexperience has enabled us to expand our links inChina and develop relationships with agenciesthat can provide practical support to our clientsin their home provinces.


Our aim is to support people in prisons by providing access totimely information and assistance, helping them to make thenecessary steps to change their lives and reduce re-offending. Weaim to encourage and inform our clients, who are often marginalisedby language and cultural barriers, of the present range of options,thus increasing awareness of their rights and enabling them to accessand exercise these rights.

Our work in HMP Peterborough continues to flourish and we haveextended our services to HMP Downview and HMP Send. Howeverthere have been challenges in reaching foreign national women inprisons. The combination of Transforming Rehabilitation and theclosure of HMP Holloway in July 2016 has made it more demandingbecause of physical distances, restrictive funding arrangements andthe different prison regimes.

The aim of our work is to make sure that our clients’ transition fromprison back into the community is as smooth as possible. Theservices we provide are based on addressing the pathways toresettlement. Ultimately, our role is to facilitate clients in rebuildingtheir lives and reducing the cycles of re-offending. For thosewanting to return to their countries of origin, we provide infor -mation and assistance to enable them to return with dignity.

At HMP Peterborough during the year: l we supported 326 new clients l we conducted a total of 2,824 interventions l we organised 47 group meetings

At HMP Downview and HMP Send during the year: l we supported 52 foreign national women

through our Specialist Support Service with theLondon CRC

OUR WORK IN PRISONS


Maria’s story Maria is from Portugal but has lived in the UK for 14 years. She was sentenced to 2.5 yearsin custody for passing prohibited items to a prisoner during a visit. Her mental health isfragile, com pounded by the loss of her partner from suicide and the separation from herchildren, one of whom she has not seen for five years. She keeps in contact with them byphone and letters. Maria has been served with formal notification that she is liable to bedeported to Portugal, but does not want to return as she regards the UK as her home andidentifies as British. Hibiscus staff helped her understand official documents, advocatedon her behalf, referred her to mental health agencies, and provided her with extensiveemotional support in her mother tongue.

Maria has attempted to address her problems, attending a subs tance misuse course,engaging with the mental health team and under taking work within the prison. Hibiscuswere also able to put her in contact with a legal charity who have agreed to take on her caseand help her challenge her deportation.

“Without Hibiscus, I would be depressed in this place”

“This experience would have been chaotic without yoursupport and assistance”

“It is so good to be able to speak in your own language. It is so frustrating not being able to communicatebecause you do not speak English. I am so happy that Ican speak with you”

Clients

‘I was impressed with the positive impact Hibiscus hason the women that use their service, especially those inprisons…..I got a strong sense of the empowermentHibiscus gives to its users.’

CAPA Intern


SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

During 2016/2017 we identified and supported 25 potential victims of trafficking; 13 were identifiedin prisons and the other 12 were identified in IRCs

Human trafficking is a serious global issue, aparticularly abhorrent crime and a form ofmodern slavery. Human trafficking involves sellingpeople as commodities for sexual exploitation,forced criminality, domestic servitude andcontrolling them through coercion.

Our work in prisons, IRCs and in the communityplaces us in a unique position, where we are ableto identify potential victims of trafficking. Ourknowledge and experience gives us the relevantskills to support them during their time in prisonand continue to provide support via ourresettlement department or connect them withother services.

The work with potential victims is aroundidentification, referrals to the relevant statutoryand non-statutory organisations and helping toresolve any issues the potential victims mightstruggle with.

All support we offer is client-focused and tailoredto individual needs.


Livia’s story Livia is a Romanian national, who came to the UK aged 19 after meeting her boyfriend whomshe thought was the love of her life. He promised a better life abroad and ‘Everything was gooduntil we arrived in the UK’. But then her boyfriend forced Livia into prostitution. Sheexperienced physical violence on a regular basis and her boyfriend used to hit her daily to controlher. She tried to escape many times. Livia even reported it to the police but was left on her ownafter leaving the police station, when her boyfriend who had followed her, forced her into hiscar. She was exploited and abused for many years before she was arrested in a raid. She waseventually convicted and sentenced to six years for controlling prostitution. It was only whileserving her sentence that she disclosed everything to one of Hibiscus’ project workers and anImmigration Officer and was then recognised as a victim of modern slavery. Livia wasencouraged to work with the Police to support the investigation against her traffickers. Onceshe completed her sentence she was deported to Romania. Hibiscus liaised with organisationsin Romania to ensure she received the right support upon her return to the country. Hibiscusalso provided her with winter clothes as the temperature on her return to Romania was minus20 degrees. Livia still remains in occasional contact with Hibiscus’ caseworker.

During the year Hibiscusstaff have spoken at variousconferences and events witha specific focus on anti-trafficking and victim care.

SUPPORT FORVICTIMS OF HUMANTRAFFICKING

Since the expansion of ourCommunity project we are workingwith more women who have beentrafficked for sexual and criminalexploitation. There is extremelylimited support available after theinitial reflection and recoveryperiod, which can be as little as 45days. In our experience somewomen end up and remain in veryunsafe situations because that is theonly way they can survive.


l Rachel Youngman, Chair Rachel has both national and internationalexperience across a range of sectors, both at CEOand board level, including the United Nations,European Council, national governments andregulatory bodies. She was previously InterimCEO of the Prisoners’ Education Trust.

l Anne-Marrie Whittaker, Company Secretary Anne-Marrie has over 25 years’ experiencewithin the criminal justice and social care systems.

l Liz Hogarth OBE, former Chair Liz has worked in the criminal justice system sincethe mid-70s and was central to the government’sresponse to the Corston Report. She wasawarded an OBE in 2008 for services to womenoffenders. She continues, in a voluntary capacity,to advocate for reform of women’s treatment inthe criminal justice system.

l Margaret Crisell Margaret has almost 40 years’ experience as asolicitor, specialising in children’s, family andmental health law. She now serves as a tribunaljudge.

l Helen Easton Helen is Senior Lecturer in Criminology atLondon South Bank University where she is the

Lead of the Gender and Sexualities ResearchGroup in the School of Law and Social Sciences.She has a thriving research and consultancyportfolio relating to criminal justice issues andtrafficked or sexually exploited women.

l Sara Khan Sara has worked in the areas of mental health,equality and diversity and as a practitioner in thePrison Service.

l Geraldine McLeod Geraldine has worked as a Probation Officer formany years and is an experienced long-termtrustee.

l Becky Shepherd Becky has worked as a criminal justice practitionerfor 17 years and currently works in an innerLondon Youth Offending team. She has a MSc inCriminology and is an occasional lecturer atLondon South Bank University. Becky is also amember of the Quaker Criminal Justice Network.

l Anne Stephens Anne was a long-term member of the Inde pendentMonitoring Board at HMP Holloway beforejoining Hibiscus Board. She also sits as a layMagistrate.

Our Trustees

OUR PEOPLE


Our Staff Chief Executive: Adrienne Darragh

Project Managers: Vanna Derosas, Michaela Jarosinskaand Donna John

Team: Abdul Ahmed, Seika Aziz, Sister Margaret Baxter,Simona Blaj, Giulia Bonacalza, Caitlin Boswell-Jones, AntaBrachou, Elena Brihan, Katy Edwards, Diana Seybou-Hamani,Jerry Hughes, Anu Liisanantti, Amy Mills, Monica Ortiz,Alessandra Rossi, Waseem Saghir, Kerry Smith, KellyO’Sullivan, Amanda Williams, Tesni Woodfall, Ella Wooster.

Our Volunteers We are grateful to our volunteers andmentors. They complement our workand enhance the services we provideas an organisation. Across our workin prisons, in detention and in thecommunity they assist staff and clientsin a range of ways. This may be asinterpreters and translators, mentorsto women coming to the end of theirsentences, as workshops facilitators orhelping out with admin tasks. Wehave 45 volunteers, working in avariety of roles, from interns workingin the office through the CAPA andTWIN schemes (an international andEuropean student learning progra mmerespectively), to crimino logy studentsgaining work experience. Past clientsalso continue to volunteer forHibiscus, maintaining relationships withcurrent clients. We want to express ourthanks to all our volun teers for all theirhard work and commitment.

OUR PEOPLE


l We are developing our welfare services tofamilies facing removal from the UK

l We are extending our partnerships withother organisations, workingcollaboratively and creatively, to maximisewhat we can do with limited resources

l We plan to extend the range of servicesoffered in our Women’s Centre

l We aim to establish our presence in morefemale prisons

l We are improving our IT systems and usingtechnology to improve our efficiency

l We aim to achieve the PQASSO qualitymark accreditation

l We plan a field trip and fact-finding visit toRomania

l We aim to extend Legal Immigrationtraining so there will be more staff qualifiedto give immigration advice to level 2

GOING FORWARD

MONEY MATTERS 2016-2017

Summary of financial information is given here. Full details of the audited accounts and Trustees’report for 2016/17 can be found on our website: www.hibiscusinitiatives.org.uk

Income for the year:

Expenditure for the year:

Number of staff (FTE):

(£735,389 - 2015/16)

£847,620

(£611,317 - 2015/16)

£780,432

(14 - 2015/16) 18



WHERE OUR MONEY CAME FROM 2016 -2017

HOW OUR MONEY WAS SPENT 2016 -2017

TOTAL£847,620

TOTAL£780,432


OUR THANKS

We express our appreciation to the funders and individuals who supportour activities and without whom our work could not be possible.

This project is part funded by EU Asylum, Migration and IntegrationFund. Making management of migration flows more efficient acrossthe European Union.


Hibiscus Initiatives is a registered charity no. 1104094Company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 4533442Registered office: Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA

Hibiscus Initiatives Resource for London 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA

T: 44(0) 20 7697 4120 F: 44(0) 20 7697 4272

Email: [email protected]

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