A blizzard and plans for tomorrow

In Cornwall having set aside a day to prepare for tomorrow's workshop at Camborne School. But woke up to thunder and lightning and a blizzard. At this rate it looks as if today's meetings (in Helston and elsewhere) will be cancelled. Unless there is a sudden thaw, not sure how I will be able to get to Camborne. Let alone all the people who are coming to work with me.
Have an email from Judith Cook, who is up county (Liskeard) i.e. about 45 miles away. No snow in sight there.

Camborne School then Ponsanooth

Today is our last day of classroom workshops this term - and we start off in Camborne, my home town. Camborne is one place where I really wanted to take this project. In the season, hundreds of workers are in the town - and off season, too, increasingly now. We'd seen and learned about the lack of connection they had with local people when we staged I Packed This Myself at DMT Galleries.

And this morning is no disappointment. This was one of the most impressive groups we have worked with this year. Lots of students had gone to the Royal Cornwall Show (it's the first day) so we had large group of those remaining - nearly 40. They were shy at first, then truly engaged with the subject.

Much of the background research on migrant workers had been done locally. They knew the places we were talking about.  Inga talked about the things that she had brought with her in her bag - her athletics record, her interest in running and rock climbing, and her dream to be a police officer or go into the army. Vadim, again, showed his Sherlock Holmes novels (in Russian) and the religious amulet given to him by his grandmother and a small plaster angel, from his girlfriend.  It was a captive audience. At the end one girl asked if Inga thought she would achieve her dreams. Inga said yes, she did. In life there are some people who will, of course, achieve their dreams because they are determined, and Inga is probably one of them. At the end others asked questions and one girl in particular (far left in the photo above) made a statement: I think you work very hard and deserve every penny you earn, she said.

We were, frankly, touched. And even more so when the student teachers asked Inga and Vadim to stay behind afterwards. They went upstairs to the staff room and googled athletics clubs that Inga might be interested in joining, and telephone numbers of places where Vadim might be able to pursue his medical career. It was an extraordinary morning.

Then off to Redruth and down the Falmouth road to Ponsanooth, for our first workshops with Primary School age children.  Kennal Vale Primary School is a small oasis of calm and concentration.  The children were a delight.  We talked about journeys and people who had made difficult transitions. I introduced Vadim (Inga had gone back to work) and asked there were questions. A forest of hands... So many questions that the hour goes by very quickly.  Children get into groups and think about things that they might take on journeys themselves, to remind them of home. They are interested to see the contents of Vadim's bag.  One girl considers taking hawthorn blossom that she picked in the playground at lunchtime.

Making plans for workshops in Cornish schools

We'll be at Treviglas (Newquay),  then Camborne at the start of June.  Inga (who works at SEF Leedstown and made The Hidden Life of a Cornish Farm with three colleagues) and Vadims, also  from SEF, will be working with me.

Two news items about migration in The Times today. "Tensions rise as jobless migrants are blamed for the pain in Spain."  A report from Vic, an industrial town north of Barcelona, which is struggling to cope with hundreds of unemployed people. The vast majority are immigrants - Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans. At least 10,000 had been working in the town - doing the jobs that others did not want. When the Spanish ecnomic bubble burst, they faced destitution. In reaction: people are calling for immigration to be controlled. Spain's equivalent of the BNP (Platform for Catalonia) are whipping up anti-immigrant feeling about this - ignoring the fact that the economy previously depended on their input.

The second reports on Home Office figures: Record immigration surge as more than 200,000 get British passports in a year." The surge last year was 58%. It's the highest since records were first published 47 years ago. Of those receiving a British passport, more than half come from Africa and the Indian subcontinent.  One possible clause? The Times suggests a rush to apply for citizenship befre rules linking it to earnings, skills and education take effect.

Otherwise keeping an eye on recent publications about migrant workers and immigration.

Recently from the Migrants' Rights Network.... Immigration documents checks and workplace raids: a negotiators guide

They say ...

"Ever tried an immigration officer’s uniform on for size? Unless you’ve worked for the UK Border Agency itself, we would imagine probably not.

But if you’re an employer in the UK, you are supposed to have been getting pretty familiar with the business of checking immigration documents, particularly since tougher regulations on irregular working came into force in February 2008. The hike in UKBA workplace raids since then has also increased the spotlight on workers’ immigration status.

Bringing immigration enforcement into British workplaces, the Government has presented new challenges to activists, trade unions, migrants, migrant organisations and employers.

These challenges can only be met with proactive negotiation with employers to ensure that only necessary document checks are carried out, and that these are carried out consistently and fairly. This should deny any unscrupulous employer the opportunity to exploit migrant workers, to divide workers or to threaten those that stand up for their rights.”

And John Vincent's Network ebulletin, as usual, is full of news.

Migration issues – Government, Government Agencies and Local Government

Longitudinal study of migrant workers in the East of England

 

Focusing on the perspective of migrant workers in the Eastern region (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs, Herts, Essex and Beds.) Studying: factors that influence decisions on coming to and length of stay in the UK; barriers to full participation in the regional economy; and, barriers to social inclusion in the local community; how these change over time and whether public policy has an influential role on these decisions.”

“Is the progressive case for migration truly progressive?”

 

Article by Tim Finch, the Head of Migration, Equalities and Citizenship at ippr.

  

New books for young people featuring migration

Gillian Cross. Where I belong (OUP, 2010), a story involving a Somali family - read a review in the Guardian by Mary Hoffman.

First workshop of the week and daffodils during the day

Daffodils, left by my mother, to start the day.

Then to Helston School  for the first of two workshops on consecutive days this week. An engaging discussion with 120 students (Y11), and Ewa. The teacher here - point of contact, Joe Stuteley - has said that students could have knee-jerk tabloid-fuelled attitudes towards migrant workers. And that is what we need to combat. We give a presentation at the start: they go off to their classrooms. Then return for a plenary discussion. No sign of prejudice - in particular. But it's quite an hard audience to warm up. The hall is freezing - perhaps that is part of the problem. Also on a personal level find it very strange to be back in this school. It was my old school.

Then talking to possible assistants for future workshops - in Helston and Camborne.

Heading home, quite late in the afternoon, am surprised to see the pickers still picking. It is already growing dark. 

But this is the peak season. Mother's Day - the absolute pinnacle of the daffodil season - isn't far off. So the tractors are still at work until well into the evening.