Current projects

MRSN operates the following five projects to help Greater Manchester refugees and asylum seekers to fulfil their potentials:

Community Development

MRSN provides practical help, tailored training and advice to new and established refugee community organisations on organisational, funding and other capacity building issues.
We work with over 50 refugee organisations in Greater Manchester.
We publish a bi-monthly newsletter, provide access to IT resources and meeting room space.

Advice Development

MRSN operates a general advice service from our main office at Pheonix Mill, 20 Piercy Street, Ancoats and outreach advice session from our advice centre at 129, Princess Road in Moss Side.
We provide a comprehensive range of advice and information on a wide range of issues including benefits, housing, debt and NASS payments.
The service is open to all refugees and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester.

Health Advocacy

The Health Advocacy Service is run by the Volunteer Co-ordinator and a team of about 8 volunteers who speak the main refugee languages and have a range of experience and cultural knowledge. Volunteers are matched with asylum seekers and refugees needing help with
* accessing health and disability benefits and entitlements
* accessing health care and social services

Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES)

The Refugee Integration and Employment Service helps refugees to integrate into the UK. Each new refugee person who chooses to participate will have a Case Manager who will manage the transition from asylum seeker to refugee. The objective is to facilitate smooth and quicker integration into a refugee's new life in the UK. A key element of this is assisting people to find suitable employment.
In Greater Manchester and Blackburn with Darwen, RIES is coordinated by Refugee Action. MRSN manages a team of volunteer advocates for the service, who support newly granted refugees to access mainstream services

Refugee & Migrant Forum

The Refugee & Migrant Forum Manchester aims to enable refugees and asylum seekers to express the needs and aspirations of their communities and to play a part in influencing policy in the city of Manchester and across the UK. Manchester Refugee Support Network provides the Forum with an organisational base