Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN) is delighted to announce that the Big Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of £299,090 to the charity, to fund the Shared Routes program. 
Shared Routes is about establishing a ‘Peer Navigator’ programme from within refugee and asylum seeker communities, promoting the skills and attributes of its beneficiaries in Manchester, Tameside and Salford. It will work with refugee and asylum seeking beneficiaries to increase and promote cohesion and engagement with mainstream communities. It will also seek to counter the misinformation around refugee and asylum seeker communities, which contribute to poor community relations and lead to increased community tension.
The project will also promote the skills and attributes of its beneficiaries to strengthen community relations by giving back time, harnessing skills and encouraging volunteering to promote well-being through social action activities.
MRSN cannot wait to start the project, which will involve the participation of many different local community groups and partner organisations. MRSN want to offer their sincerest gratitude to Big Lottery Fund for seeing the potential in the organisation, and their grant will make a great deal of difference to refugees and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester.