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Frequently asked questions

What is the Choices Assisted Voluntary Return Programme?

Assisted Voluntary Return is an international programme funded by the Home Office and European Return Fund, which will be run by Refugee Action from April 1st. The Choices service will provide independent, confidential and non-directive advice for people considering returning to their country of origin. This includes people who have sought asylum, irregular migrants and refugees. It also offers assistance on reintegration planning and support both before and after return.

Why is Refugee Action running an assisted voluntary return programme?

We previously ran a service for 10 years which was also called Choices. That service advised people who were considering returning home but needed more information before taking that step. We wanted to take that learning and use it to provide an assisted voluntary return programme that is of a high quality and which people feel they can trust. We believe that our 30 years’ experience of working with people seeking asylum, refugees and vulnerable migrants means that we have the skills and knowledge to deliver a programme which puts the needs of the service users at its core.

Refugee Action is a UK-based charity. How will you run the overseas part of the service?

We have recruited an overseas team which consists of a manager, two overseas development workers and one overseas information specialist who are building relationships with European and country of origin partners to ensure that high quality reintegration packages and monitoring frameworks are in place. Caseworkers will also stay in touch with returnees for six months and with their permission will relay their experiences back to applicants to increase the level of information available. In many countries of return, we will sub-contract elements of the in-country support to organisations based there. We will also run a longer-term project to monitor and communicate detailed experiences of returnees.

Are there people/countries where Refugee Action will recommend that it is not safe to return? How will you define these?

We will help people find out about the situation on the ground in their country of return, but we will neither tell someone to return nor direct someone not to return. It is their choice whether to return or not. We are responsible for providing them with the independent information they need to make that decision in confidence. We will also be employing a Legal Advice Specialist to ensure that caseworkers can provide service users with the best up-to-date information.

Is Refugee Action going to insist that returnees are monitored? What steps are in place to make sure people won’t be in danger when they get home?

Our overseas team will work with overseas organisations. We will also stay in touch with returnees for six months and relay their experiences back to any applicants with their permission. We cannot guarantee someone’s safety on return. What we can do is make sure that they have all of the information possible to make an informed decision, and that includes the experiences of returnees. As an organisation Refugee Action shall continue to advocate for Humanitarian Protection for those who have fled countries where there is generalised violence.

Refugee Action has previously campaigned on ending destitution. Is it really voluntary if people’s only choices are voluntary return, destitution, or detention and forced removal?

Yes, AVR is a voluntary programme, and is often the best option for the individual. We advocate for a fair asylum system and this includes working to end the use of destitution at the end of the asylum process. We are running a number of projects and pilots aimed at improving the system for people seeking asylum and those who have had their claim rejected. We advocate for better access to legal advice and more ‘right first time decisions.' However, people still need to make informed choices about their lives in the current system. We therefore believe that we have a duty to provide the best possible accurate advice about assisted voluntary return and ensure that the AVR programme is as supportive and client focused as it can be for those who take it up.

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