Our community resource Centre
Our centre provides a welcoming community space for Kongolese individuals and families. Services include an Internet Café, After School Club, Information Technology, language and numeracy classes.
We are open Monday to Friday from 9.30 - 17.30, Saturday by appointment only
Telephone Advice session: Every Monday and Thursday, from 14.00 to 17.00 on 07487524886
Service Provided
Legal Advice & Specialist Case Works
We are open Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 5.30pm & Saturday: 10.30am to 2.30pm (by appointment only)
Learning Support
and Women Advocate Group
ESOL class for Adult: Wednesday from 4.00pm to 5.30pm
After School Club for children: Friday from 4.00pm to 5.30pm
Women Advocate Group: 3 Saturdays a month from 3.00pm to 5.00pm
Schools Holidays Support
Floating Boat Class onboard of Beauchamp Lodge Boat on Paddington Water Canal
(Seasonal Project, Saturdays and Sundays)
Outreach Programme
Visiting elderly people, detention centres and hospitals
(Seasonal Project)
Help for individuals:
Our services include advice in immigration, asylum and welfare benefits. These services are free to people who are eligible and at competitive rate for others. Appointments are made from 13.30 to 16.30 Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We accept appointments from individuals or from referring agencies. Book an appointment or make a referral.
We also run an Outreach Programme to support those in Immigration Detention Centres, Hospitals and Care Homes.
For more information contact our welfare team on 07487524886 or email us at kongolesecentre4info@gmail.com
Immigration Advice
We offer free, independent and confidential legal advice and information on immigration (OISC level 1)
Our advisers understand that having irregular immigration status or an immigration problem can be extremely stressful.
The advice sessions are by appointments only but sometimes we can provide advice by telephone, depending on the nature of the issue.
The advice we offer includes:
- All aspects of Asylum and human rights law from initial applications to appeals before the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
- All aspects of immigration law, including entry clearance applications, applications for leave to remain within the immigration rules and outside, to related appeals before the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
- Citizenship & Nationality law including applications for the exercise of discretion
- Rights of free movement in the EEA
The list is not exhaustive and if your problem does not appear to be listed, please contact us as we may be able to help or refer you to someone who can.
We also provide a referral and signposting services where those we support need additional or follow up legal representation services for hard cases, appeals and court & tribunal hearings
Book an appointment or make a referral by clicking here
We provide advise on areas including
- Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
- Section 95 Support Application
- Income Support
- Child Benefit
- Pension Credit
- Careers Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Council Tax
- Child tax Credit
Book an appointment or make a referral by clicking here and specify your Issue
Translation
We offer free interpreting and translating services for Kongolese speakers who have English as their second or third language.
Contact us for more information
Women’s Group
We run our women’s group weekly ( Monday to Friday from 9.30 - 17.30, Saturday by appointment only) with the aim of combatting isolation, improving the health and overall wellbeing of Kongolese women who have experienced gender–based violence and trauma.
The group is the hub of many activities including sharing experiences and volunteering. Women who come along chat, exchange ideas, learn about their health, relax in a kind and equal space and support and learn from each other to overcome challenges they face as refugees and migrants to the UK.
Health Project
Our health project aims to increase access to health services and healthy living activities and to identify barriers to accessing both.
We also raise awareness on prevention of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and many more.
For more information contact Mrs Floresse Lembe, Community Outreach Worker on 07301247554 or email at kongolesecentre4info@gmail.com
IT and language skills development
One of the biggest problems of being a migrant or refugee is the language barrier. Our Kongo Learn ESOL Project; integrates Kongolese migrants and refugees with the local community by helping them improve their communication skills.
Our IT and ESOL classes are run weekly at our resource centre Friday from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. For more information drop in at the resource centre or email us at kongolesecentre4info@gmail.com
Volunteer and pre-employment training
We provide volunteering opportunities and support with, job search, interview skills preparation, customer services skills and interpreting.
For more information on taking part contact Peter on 07487524886 or drop in at the resource centre or email us at kongolesecentre4info@gmail.com
Help for Organisatons
We believe that it is only through joint voluntary/community action and a strong united voice, that we can influence change.
We have close relationships with several voluntary and statutory organisations serving refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minority groups including Refugee Council, Shelter, Red Cross, and Citizen Advice Bureau
We provide capacity building training, work placements, management training, policy formulation, volunteer recruitment and monitoring and evaluation of refugee projects in Westminster
We also engage policy makers on housing, welfare, racial harassment, access to services and any other issue that may impact on the lives of Kongolese refugees and asylum seekers in the borough.
Contact Us
Address:
Kongolese Centre for Information & Advice, Bangladesh Centre, 19 Samford Street, London NW8 8ER
Telephone:
+44 207 7249747 or +447487524886
Email:
Opening Hours:
Mondays to Fridays 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturdays available via appointment only
Appointments are made from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm throughout the week excluding Mondays and Thursdays. We accept appointments from individuals or from referring agencies.
