Student Action for Refugees

Who We Are
LSE SU Student Action for Refugees (STAR) is part of a national network of student societies that seek to empower and improve the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and abroad. We do this through campaigning, fundraising, educating and volunteering!

Our annual flagship is LSE SU STAR Refugee Week!
The 2019 theme was “Uncertain Futures", reflecting the many dimensions of uncertainty faced by refugees and asylum seekers, both in the UK and abroad. All fundraising in aid of STAR - Student Action for Refugees!

Here’s a snapshot of what else we do!
CAMPAIGNING
We organised a Human Rights Day Stall, where students dropped by our stall to sign our #FamiliesTogether petition. We called on the Home Secretary to change the restrictive rules that keep refugees in the UK apart from those they love, and thus reunite families torn apart by war and persecution.
This campaign is ongoing - more actions to come!

FUNDRAISING
A highlight was Run For Refugees, organised in collaboration with LSE SU Amnesty International and LSE SU Athletics and Running. To commemorate two years since the demolition of 'the Jungle' in Calais which began on 24th October 2016, students ran 5km at Parliament Hill to fundraise for Help Refugees. Through registration fees and additional donations, we raised £615, funding humanitarian aid and advocacy work to support refugees and asylum seekers in Calais.
We will organise another fundraising run to fundraise for STAR and Amnesty International UK in autumn 2019!

EDUCATING
For our Immigration Detention Awareness Week, we organised three events!
Asking the question "Why the British detention system is failing asylum seekers and migrants and how we can make change", we hosted an informative and insightful Panel Discussion featuring a host of immigration detention activists.
Also, students visited our Giving Tuesday Stall to find out more about the current detention situation in the UK wrote postcards to their local MP calling for an end to immigration detention.
Finally, at our Movie Night / Social, we watched BBC Panorama's Undercover: Britain's Immigration Secrets, a Bafta-winning documentary revealing the horrific reality of immigration detention in the UK. Plenty of free food was provided, including pizza, popcorn, and Ben & Jerry's.
More educational events will be organised in 2019-20!  

VOLUNTEERING
We recruit volunteers for programmes run by partner organisations, including Notre Dame Center for Refugees (NDRC) and Salusbury World, to support participants as they learn English, search for jobs, and rebuild their lives in London.
In the 2019-20 academic year, we plan to establish an English conversation club - stay tuned!

MORE INFO!
STAR National
Lastly, as part of STAR’s national network, we participate in nationwide campaigns on issues including family reunion, equal access to higher education, and immigration detention.
In summer 2018 AND summer 2019, we received their Silver Comet Award for our great work! We've also received a Gold STAR Award from LSE SU :)

Social Media
For the latest updates, like us on  Facebook and follow us on Instagram!