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Writers with Futures
In partnership with Maryhill Integration Network
Tuesday 17 June 2008
Woodside Hall (G20 7QE)
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'A year ago, a writers group was established in Maryhill bringing together asylum seekers, refugees and local people to explore their experiences as long-standing and new communities in Glasgow. This event marks the launch of an exciting anthology of their work.'
Approximate Attendance: 156
Background
Maryhill Integration Network (MIN), based in North West Glasgow, has become an increasingly important part of daily life for both local and city-wide residents since its creation in 2001. The network currently engages with over 400 people, made up of 34% Asylum Seekers, 38% Refugees and 28% Local Residents.
Over the last seven years, the core team have developed their community engagement with an impressive number of initiatives, including:
- Drop-In Sessions
- Monthly Meetings
- Creative, Music and Cultural Project
- Framework for Dialogue
- The Oasis Women's Group
- ESOL and computer classes
- Volunteers
In addition to this, the Writers with Futures group was established a year ago by a number of asylum seekers, refugees and other local residents who live mainly in the Woodside area, although not exclusively. They meet every second Tuesday to share and create new work.
Overview of Event
Remzije Sherifi, MIN's Development Officer, describes this as the "crowning event" of the last 12 months, with the ambitious publication and launch of Writers with Futures first anthology. This moving selection of beautiful and painful pieces of prose and poetry is the result of a rewarding collaboration between asylum seekers, refugees, local residents and volunteer writers/editors. The event involved readings from the anthology, a performance of Songs of Home, Songs of Hope by MIN's Creative, Music and Cultural Project, a book sale, information stalls and an opportunity for socialising. Due to the number of young families involved with the event, a free crèche was provided.
A selection of the writers also attended Bill Butler MSPs Parliamentary Reception on Wednesday 18 June, as part of Refugee Week Scotland 2008, providing thought-provoking readings for the guests. By the end of the week's events, the run of 300 anthologies had sold-out, and a re-print is currently being considered.
In FOCUS: Kathleen
Originally from Glasgow, Kathleen has always worked with words. She has worked not only in the UK, but also as far afield as the Czech Republic and Malawi, teaching literacy, running reading groups, and working as a writer too. She recalls first hearing about Maryhill Integration Network either via a letter from the Housing Association or by a church notice. She read that there was a Drop-In session being set-up and her background in literacy made her an ideal person to get involved. Kathleen has been connected with MIN now for some years, and so when they decided to establish a writer's group, Kathleen was the natural choice as teacher.
At first, there were no plans to publish the work that the members were producing, but this soon became an ambition for MIN. Kathleen was editing the group's work from the very beginning, with some time allocated during each class to looking over edited and typed up versions of their poetry alongside the original handwritten versions. Kathleen says the purpose of this was twofold. First of all, the comparison between versions helped improve their language skills and, secondly, it gave the group members an opportunity to write about their experiences; to tell their stories about why they are here with clarity. On speaking about this process, Kathleen says: "It took time to establish trust in order to get them to speak to me about their lives, but once they opened up they found it easier."
However, despite the success of the group with the publication and sale of an Anthology, Kathleen says this is not the end. This book is now a tool and rather than beginning to write new work, they now need to use this book to help combat racism. She speaks about the need to contact schools and speak to the older pupils, S3 - S5, who may be "a wee bit racist" and show them the reality of what life as an asylum seeker or refugee is really like.
Kathleen is definitely a lady for direct action. She comments: "I live in Ruchill which is not the most liberal part of the city. I had trouble convincing friends about why asylum seekers are here." This is why the book opens with the poem 'Prejudice', which Kathleen wrote on behalf of a friend from her church, who was afraid of her asylum seeking neighbour until her neighbour brought her a small bunch of flowers when her husband died: 'I'm so sorry,' she said. 'I didn't know about your husband.' There were tears in her eyes, and she gave me a wee hug. Kathleen speaks warmly about the "Glasgow Girls" from Drumchapel and the great work they did a couple of years ago on the issue of detention: "You have to stick your head above the parapet and say it's wrong … There is too much bureaucracy connected with refugees. Patterns follow patterns - we need to break this cycle. We need to see them as individuals; as people."
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Literature 
