The Welwitschia  Legal  Advice Centre [Centro  De  Aconselhamento  Legal  Welwitschia] was created in December 1998 , in Great-Britain, more precisely in London as a community and voluntary organization. It is recognised and registered  with  charity commission  of England and Wales  charity number: 1131751  and  registered   as  company  with  Company  House,  Company  number: 6528173.

This organization was found by a group of young Angolan intellectuals with sacrifice, commitment and a strong will who believed in the dream that today is actually a reality to the whole community and beyond.


WLAC is made up of an elected board and a general assembly.

Organization goals:      

1. the organization goal is to support and defend the interests and concerns of the whole Angolan Community and in particular the PALOP (Portuguese Speaking African Countries) community. We  operate  an  equal opportunity  policy.  It  means  any  member  of  the  public who  needs  our  services  is  welcomed.
2. we support  and  assist  settled  as  well  as  newly arrived community members   access  the  mainstream  services,  to  get  to  know  their  rights  and  entitlements,  combat isolation,  poverty and  help  with integration  into  British Society.
3. our work is performed with great care, attention and the utmost possible responsibility.
4. our Services refer mainly to:
   
   1. Translation and interpreting services
   2. To go with clients to lawyers, hospitals, health centres, to deal with housing, social issues, etc.
   3. To visit clients in detention, custody centres  and  in  their  Homes.
   4. To help looking for jobs, school  and college enrolments  -To help in case of appeal against decisions taken by the social security, housing and immigration services
   5. Referral to other services in order to obtain a more advanced support(specialist  advice) in matters we can not solve.

Immigration

We help with the procedures to:

• obtaining permanent residence in the United Kingdom (ILR)
• obtaining British nationality through  naturalisation
• registering children born in United Kingdom as  British
• obtaining certificate  of  Residence for European Community citizens
• obtaining the British passport
• further  representation  to  the  Home  Office-Lodge  fresh  Claim  to  the  Home  office

Therefore any information the community wants regarding the Home Office regarding immigrants, please contact our office.
We are always up to date with Home Office regulations and any change regarding Immigration laws.


Social security

• Income support
• Jobseekers allowance
• Child benefit
• Child tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Employment   Support   Allowance

Housing

• We defend citizens who are about to be expelled from their residences
• How to get a Council permanent housing - Homelessness   issues

Education:

• Advice on all aspects of education legislation in the United Kingdom
• Appeal against school expulsion
• Help in choosing an educational institution of your preference

Debt/Money  &  Consumer  Issues

• Help  with  Fuel   debts
• Water   Debts
• Negotiate   With   Creditors  on  your  behalf
• Help  With   Budget
• Help  With  Other  Consumers  Issues  that You  might  have

We  carry  out  outreachwork   in  different  parts  in  Greater  London  by  accompanying   clients  to different places  and  by  visiting the  housebound,  in  their  homes. We  organise  cultural  and  recreational  activities   for  the  youth  and elderly people.   The WLAC  has  a  Women's  Forum  as  well   as  Youth Forum.

As such, our work demand high quality and we will keep on fighting for the best. All our work is free of charge and absolutely confidential.   We  are  bounded  by  the  Data  Protection  Act  1998. We  are  registered  with  Information  Commissioners  Office. The  WLAC  holds  quality  mark  from  CLS at  general  help  level  with  casework  on  immigration,  housing,  welfare  benefits  and  refugees  issues.


WLAC is affiliated  to   the following organisations-: OISC, CLS, ILPA, NCVO, Evelyn Oldfield  UNIT,  ADVICE  UK,BAN and many others.

At the moment we are sponsored by:

• London Councils
• Lloyds TSB Foundation

CONTACTER VOTRE FAMILLE

Comment le Service International des Messages et des Recherches de la Croix-Rouge peut contribuer au rétablissement des liens familiaux.

La Croix-Rouge peut vous aider:

Transmission des nouvelles familiales Lorsque les moyens de communications habituels ne fonctionnent pas, un Message Croix-Rouge vous permet de garder le contact avec vos proches. Veuillez noter que ni argent ni colis ne peuvent être acheminés

Preuve de détention Le CICR pourra vous prêter son assistance pour obtenir la confirmation d'un statut de détenu ou de prisonnier de guerre.

Lorsqu'un Message Croix-Rouge ne peut pas être transmis, et si la situation dans le pays concerné le permet, des recherches supplémentaires pourraient être effectuées pour localiser le membre de votre famille.

Vous n'êtes pas en mesure d'entrer en contact avec votre famille? Lorsque des familles sont séparées á cause de situations de conflits armes, de bouleversements politiques ou de catastrophes naturelles, la Croix-Rouge britannique tente de rétablir le contact entre les familles.

Ce dont nous aurons besoin pour être en mesure de vous aider : Données personnelles - Vos nom, prénom(s) et adresse - Votre lien de parenté avec la personne que vous recherchez - la raison de la perte de contact

Données sur la personne recherchée - Nom et prénom(s) - Date et lien de naissance - Nationalité - Dernière adresse connue - Date et circonstances des dernières nouvelles

Le Service International des Messages et des Recherches : - est gratuit et confidentiel - passe par l'intermédiaire neutre du Comité International de le Croix-Rouge (CICR) et des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge du monde entier

LONDON BRANCH 0207 730 6179

ou telephoner en composant le 0207 235 5454
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
ou site web www.redcross.org.uk

We will continue to provide free, impartial advice and information to Angolan nationals in Greater London and elsewhere in the UK to the highest standard.

Our advice will always be independent of the policies of any funders.

We will actively continue to develop our outreach work services to meet the needs the most vulnerable members of our community.

We will always involve our users/clients and community interests in management of the service.

We will continue to develop our commitment to training of our volunteers to achieve the highest possible standard of advice.

The Welwitschia  Legal  Advice  Centre aims to provide advice and information service that meet the needs of African  Portuguese  Speaking  nationals, people  of  African  descent  and  any  member  of  public  who  needs  its  services.  We  operate  in  Greater  London  but  mainly  in North  East  London. In the next two years, our aim is to expand our services in other parts of Greater London through outreach work especially in the areas where most Portuguese  Speakers  reside. It is envisage that with this expansion the centre will be able to serve over 1000 clients  a  year. We also aim to employ a coordinator to take charge of a much-needed coordination not only of the project but also for the centre as a whole.

Also in the next two years we would like to employ a second adviser preferably an
Housing adviser. In  future  we  would  like  to  move  from  our  current  location  as  yet  again  it  has  become   too  small  for  our  activities. This will enable us to deliver more services to our clients and help in the development and expansion of our activities.
We also wish to  maintain both; the Quality Marks and certification of exemption from OISC.  We  aim  to  achieve   Investor  in  People  and  Matrix.  Also in the near future subject to funding, clients and members will be updated with news of African  Portuguese  speaking  countries as well as law and legislation in the UK through newsletters. Finally, social activities will be increased in order to combat isolation in the community.

Our Values
The services we provide are based on values that we regard as fundamental. There are:
Equality
Confidentiality
Free service to all
Empathy and non-judgmental approach with clients
User involvement in planning our services
Open complaints process.

Our Strengths
Established reputation for providing free, impartial, independent and good quality advice. Affiliated to Advice  UK. CPGA and JCWI Evelyn Oldfield Unit,  ILPA  and  NCVO
Good networking links with Local Authorities, refugee Community Organizations and we maintain a high local profile within the Boroughs we operate in Greater London.
Dedicated and experience volunteers
Good language ability within staff there is a multilingual volunteer team.
Compassion and understanding of refugee issues.

Our Weakness
Our office space has gone smaller and smaller and we are expanding and we need to secure a bigger office space where we can accommodate more staff and volunteers and client’s waiting room.

Our opportunities
At  the  moment, we  are  in  BAN  partnership.  We  submitted  partnership  application  through  BAN  to  London  councils commissioning.  We  are  considering  reaplying  to  ESmee  Fairbairn   Foundation so  that   we  can  add  another  adviser  to  our  centre.  With  help  from  Evelyn  Oldfield  Unit  we  are  exploring   the  possibility  of  other  funders.   

WLAC provide the following services:

• free, confidential and impartial advice
• interpreting service
• PALOP news
• accompanying clients to welfare offices, doctors, solicitors, schools and home office
• visiting clients in detention centre
• referring clients to other agencies
• Provides information on :
  immigration
  housing
  education
  health
  welfare benefits
  employment opportunities
  new UK legislation

One of the aim of the WLAC is to relief poverty, stress and provide free, confidential and impartial advice, information, assistance, representation, counseling. translation and interpreting services on matters such as; immigration, money debts, welfare benefits, health, housing, social services, education, training and employment. Therefore we are here to help and support this vulnerable and disadvantage group.

Our charity activities continue to concentrate on the above named topics. Due to language barrier. lack of knowledge of law and legislation , our clients have difficulties in accessing the mainstream services. They also suffer from stress, isolation and mental problems all these caused by the past experience in the country of origin. WLAC continue to address social exclusion of its services users in different ways for instance by delivering a sound quality advice, helping clients access the mainstream services and by organizing social and cultural activities.

Despite their other commitment ( professional and family), our volunteers have been working hard as usual. They are committed to helping the community to settle/adapt and integrate into the British society. What is more, volunteers are always willing to

help and make sacrifices. They accompany clients to housing services. DHSS Home Office, Solicitors firms, etc. They visit clients at their homes specially those who cannot reach the office for different reasons. Recently, the WLAC has set up a women’s group in

order to help single mothers, elderly and assistance and support on all matters regarding women.

WLAC has successfully registered with the Offices of the Immigration Services commission. The centre now holds the certificate of exemption. It  also  holds Quality  Mark  at  general  help with  casework.

The AAIC staff Development and training Policy states that the AAIC recognizes that its staff, with their commitment, skills and abilities are most valuable resource of the organization. As such the AAIC is anxious to help staff develop. The AAIC staff development and training policy is an agreed framework providing personal, job and organization development for each member of staff. It is the responsibility of the Management Committee to ensure that all staff in the organization receives adequate and appropriate managerial supervision.

During the year 2001, the AAIC successfully attended asylum level 2 training run jointly by OISC and FIAC as part of meeting the OISC requirements. This mean that from now on, the centre not only will be able to provide immigration advice freely allowed to fill in and submit SEF to the Home Office on behalf of the client. This is a remarkable achievement for the centre and great help for our service users. It will save them from going to unscrupulous solicitors who take advantage of their vulnerability

The AAIC also attended training in monitoring and evaluation for refugee community organizations run by Charities evaluation services. This was a very useful highly recommended to anyone. It will help us prepare future business plan, write annual report and fill in funding application forms. A media training run by Refuge Council Community development team was also interesting. We learned new skills for instance how to talk to the media, how to contact your local MP, how to conduct an interview and how to write a newsletter.

Right now, thanks to award for all is running a mental health-counseling course for volunteer befrienders in support victims of domestic violence within the community. The other training planned for the future are; learning how to advice, reception skills, learning how to represent (all those courses will be run by external agencies) The center is considering running it training course for the volunteers before the end of the year 2002.

www.mwangole.net

www.angonoticias.com

www.noticiaslusofonas.com

www.gingaocultural.org

www.comunidadeangolana.com

www.ango-imagem.net

www.angola.org.uk

www.jornaldeangola.com

www.semanarioangolense.net   

www.apostolado.info

www.capeverdeinlondon.co.uk  

www.tpa.ao

www.rna.ao

www.homeoffice.gov.uk

www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

www.ilpa.org.uk

www.oisc.gov.uk

www.fco.gov.uk  

Consumers Affairs Links

www.USwitsch.com

www.moneysupermakert.com

www.theenergyshop.com

www.gocompare.com

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Radio online addresses

Praia FM - www.nave.cv/cvtaudio/cvt_PraiaFM.asx

Luanda Antena Comercial - www.nexus.ao/lac

RDP-Africa - www.iheard.com/stations/international/african/rtp

Radio Nacional de Angola - www.rna.ao/canala.htm

Angolan Music Site - www.canalangola.net  

 
Para contactar a sua familia (PORTUGUESE)
De que forma o serviço Internacional de Rastreamente e Mensagens pode ajudar a restabeleser a ligação com os seus familiares.

Contacting your family (ENGLISH)
How the Red Cross International Tracing and Message Service can help restore family links.

Contacter votre famille (FRENCH)
Comment le Service International des Messages et des Recherches de la Croix-Rouge peut contribuer au rétablissement des liens familiau.

Our aims and Objectives are: - To help young people to have easy access to the mainstream service - To provide general advice, information on immigration, housing, education, training, employment opportunities and other issues related to them - To act as a mediator between the youths and the mainstream service providers thus improving the uptake of services - To provide social activities so that youth crime and reconvictions can be reduced amongst young people.

ACTIVITIES:
-To provide free interpretation and translation services - To organise seminars and workshops on HIV & AIDS, STD, Teenager pregnancy, drugs and substance misuse and its consequences. _To promote the health and general well-being of the youths by organising health related project. - To Easily facilitate the integration of young people into the British society by organising seminars and workshops on British history and culture. -To refer clients to specialists providers. -To mediate between the youngsters and their parents. -To carry out outreachwork -To help young  Unaccompanied minors settle in the U.K.

PROVISION ON INFORMATION AND ADVICE SERVICE
The WLAC provides youths with information on immigration, housing, welfare benefits, health, employment and training, debt and money advice. This is provided face to face. The clients can either make an appointment or just drop in. The issues that we are unable to resolve we do refer to other specialist providers that we network with. OUTREACHWORK This is done by accompanying clients to different places such as; GP's surgeries, hospitals, Solicitors firms, social services, courts, housing services, Benefit Agency, Jobcentre, school and colleges, etc. This enables communication between the clients and civil servants. The WLAC also speak a and negotiate on client's behalf.

SEXUAL HEALTH /TEENAGER PREGNANCY
The WLAC provides crucial information on availability of the services to those affected by the HIV and AIDS or at risk, prevention methods. It also gives advice aims at young female teenagers about the dangers and perils of teenager pregnancy and STD. Currently the WLAC is running a pilot project on HIV and AIDS. Many  youths experience language problems, especially that Portuguese and not English is their first language. This problem not only impedes the take-up f services available to them but also many young people are unaware of the existence of these services and opportunities they are entitled to. Language barrier coupled with lack of knowledge of their rights and entitlements are often a constraints efforts of integration into the British society. The WLAC helps to mitigate this problem by providing free translation and interpreting services.

UNACCOMPANIED MINORS FROM ANGOLA
Since 20001 we have been helping unaccompanied minors from Angola to settle in the U.K. There 100's of unaccompanied minors from Angola in the U.K. The majority of whom started to arrive in 1990's in the height of the Angolan civil war. They are looked after by social services under section 17 & 20 of the Children Act 1989. During the Angolan conflict, a lot of children lost either one or both parents, some have seen their beloved ones being killed, some have lost contact with their relatives completely. Many young Angolan were used as a child soldiers and others especially young girls were used as sex slaves and porters. Those who were fortunate enough made it to the U.K. While in the U.K. they are trying to rebuild their lives. Here at the WLAC we try to help through the provision of Advice, information, assistance, guidance on employment and training, educational opportunities available for them in the U.K. It liaises, negotiates and speaks on their behalf with social services, housing dept, jobcentres, and referral to the specialist providers. It also helps those who have lost touch with their relatives find them through British red cross International Tracing people.

WLAC is against child abuse
WLAC is Against molesting
WLAC is against child trafficking 
WLAC  is against child physical punishment 
WLAC is against child smaking.
Don't ignore it, take it seriously, report.
Be kind to your child
Be patient to your child
Be a friend to your child
Be Gentle to your child

Over the past few months or so a lot of children and young people in our community have been wrongly accused of being possessed with bad spirits or demos by the pastors. As a result many parents have reacted by either physically punishing or sending their children back to Africa against their will. Our advice to the parents would be don't accept everything that the pastor says. If your child is stubborn and not listening to you, try to talk to him/her nicely without hurting. If necessary seek professional help. Here at the WLAC we have a Team of a dedicated parents who can help in mediation and solve the conflict between a child and a parent in a cultural appropriate way.

Useful telephone Numbers
NSCPCC 08088005000
ChildLine 08001111
Police, Fire and Ambulance 999
Kidscape 08451205204
(Bullying & Child Abuse)
Gingerbread 08000184318
(lone Parents)
Daycare Trust 02078403350
(Everything about Childcare)
Children Legal Centre: 01206872466 (legal issues affecting children and young people)

Yellow pages for local social services Reconstruct: 08003891571
(Freephone for Children and young people)

The WLAC also provides education advice to the people who need it. At the centre we have an education adviser trained by ACE.(Advisory Centre for Education)

The WLAC believes that your child's education is one of the most important influences on their future development and life chances. But what happens when things go wrong? The majority of our community members are unaware of their legal rights concerning their children's education. It is important to obtain swift and prompt advice as soon as issues arise that could affect your child's educational welfare.

• The WLAC gives advice on different educational issues such as;
• What choice of school you have for your child.
• If you can teach your child at home
• What to do if your child is being bullied
• What happens if your child does not have a school
• How to get help if your child has special needs
• Where to complain if you are not happy about your child's school or education
• What you can do if your child is excluded from school
• How to complain against school
• How to appeal against school decisions.

Centro  de  Aconselhamento  Legal   Welwitschia(Servindo  a  Comunidade Desde 1998)
O  Centro   de  Aconselhamento  Legal  Welwitschia  e  uma  organizacção  não  governamental  que  oferece  aconselhamento  gratuito,  confidencial,  imparcial   e  independente  sobre  diversos  assuntos  assim  como;

Imigracao  e  Nacionalidade.

• Visto  de  casamento
• Autorizacao  de  Casamento
• Visto  Permanent (Indefinitely  Leave To Remain)
• Cartao  De  residencia Para Cidadao  da  Comunidade  Europeia
• Pedido   para  Nacionalidade  Britanica  e  registos  para crianças  como  Britanicas.
• A  Welwitschia   e  Regularizada  e  Autorizada para  Fornercer   Serviços  e  Assessoria  em Imigração  e  Nacionalidade  no  Reino  Unido  pela  OISC.  Reference:N200100073

Beneficios

• Beneficios  para  criancas  (child  tax  credit,  child  benefit)
• Income  Support
• Subsidio  de  Desemprego (Jobseekers  Allowance)
• Ajuda  Apreencher   Formularios  dos  Beneficios
• Recursos  Contra  a  Decisao  da Seguranca  Social
• Falar   e Negociar  em  Nome  do  Cliente  com  as  intidades
• Ajuda  para  obter  emprestimo  da  Segurança  Social  (Social Fund)

Acomodação/Housing

• Recursos  Contra  a  Decisão  de  Housing
• Ajuda    Apreencher  formularios  de  Housing  Benefit/Council  Tax

Dividas/Dinheiro

• Negociamos  com  companhias   de Agua,  Energia,  telephone  e  bancos  para pagamento  de  dividas  a  prestações.
• Educação
• Recursos  contra  a  decisão  da  delegação de  Educação  de  negar   o  seu  filho/a  o  lugar  na escola  secondaria  da  sua  preferencia
• Negociar  conflictos  entre   escola  e  o  aluno.

Endereço   do  Consultorio  do  Sul:
Stockwell  Community  Resource  Centre.  1  Studley  road  London  SW4  6RA. (Atras  Da  estação  Todas  as Quartas  das  10.30  -1.30)
Consultorio  Do  Norte:Imperial House 64  Willoughby Lane London N17 OSP Tel: 02088081255, Seg-Quinta  Das  10-17.30
Tel;  07956630369/ 07529332821  Liga  ja  para  o  seu  apontamento. 
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Web:  www.w-lac.org.uk

A  Welwitschia    Sempre  Disponivel   A  Servir    A  Comunidade