Racist Riots 2024: Safety and Security Resources (Blog 3/6)

This blog presents key insights from a scoping exercise* exploring the racist riots of August 2024, carried out by an independent consultant in collaboration with Migration Exchange. This collective piece of work draws on the input and insights of many organisations and peers in the refugee and migration sector.

This blog focuses on available support around safety and security, with links to key providers and helpful resources. It is the third in a series of six blog posts.

This scoping exercise was carried out by a freelance consultant commissioned by Migration Exchange. The aim of the work was to: provide an overview of the racist riots, to reflect on how organisations in the refugee and migration sector, and communities, were impacted with a view to sparking preventative action; and to present the key resources and providers of safety, security and resilience support. The scoping work was carried out from Oct 2024 — Jan 2025 and involved desk research and 1:1 conversations with providers, funders and key partners.

The racist riots had a profound impact on refugee and migration sector organisations and the communities they support. It is crucial to ensure that organisations are well equipped to deal with future spikes in threat, and to increase safety and preparedness. This blog presents a range of organisations offering safety and security support and shares the link to the Safety and Security Handbook hosting further resources.

Safety and Security Resources

There are many providers offering support and guidance around safety and security. Whilst not all have contextual experience and understanding of the refugee and migration sector, there is an increasing sensitivity around the need for specific support to this community in light of the ongoing hostile environment and racist rhetoric.

We have developed a Safety and Security Handbook which includes:

• A list of providers offering safety and security support including physical and building safety, digital security, risk assessments and training around de-escalation and bystander intervention.
• A list of existing resources to support in times of crisis and unrest, including personal safety videos for women, risk assessment guidance, hate crime reporting information and guidance for staying safe in protests and counter demonstrations.

Key providers of support:

Hope Not Hate works on researching far-right extremism and provides threat monitoring intelligence and resources for mitigating related threats.

Community Security Trust (CST) provides security and safety training through their SAFE programme. Their webinars cover topics such as basic security, crisis management, and conflict management, with a particular focus on helping organisations develop security plans and conduct risk assessments.

Safer Foundations provides safeguarding consultancy and training for those working with refugee and migrant communities. They focus on safeguarding practices and risk assessment, ensuring that organisations are prepared to protect vulnerable individuals.

Tripod Training is a Scotland based organisation supporting grassroots movements, activists and social justice organisations to tackle the root causes of injustice. They deliver training and support around individual and community safety, using a collaborative approach to ensure solutions are tailored to organisational needs.

Glitch specialises in online safety, and is an award-winning UK charity that focuses on protecting marginalised groups from online abuse. Their training helps individuals become active bystanders online and stay safe in the digital space. They will begin offering full support services in Spring 2025.

Tactical Tech offers digital security training focused on human rights organisations. They provide an introduction to digital security, tools for managing data communication, and sessions on planning risk assessments to ensure comprehensive online safety.

Kindling Interventions provides tailored bystander intervention training to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV). Their training is offered across three main areas: workplace, community, and sports/football settings, helping participants intervene in low-level harms effectively.

Tell MAMA supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and provides personal safety training for Muslim and minoritised communities. They have a helpline and also offer free counselling support to anyone who has experienced abuse or been the victim of a hate crime. This includes access to counsellors speaking various languages.

Stop Hate UK offers a variety of tools and training to raise awareness of hate crimes. Their resources include the Stop Hate Line, hate crime reporting apps, and training on understanding hate speech, Islamophobia, and community-based hate crime awareness.

For more info and to access the full list of resources and providers, please read and download the Handbook.

We will be releasing a Wellbeing and Resilience Handbook to accompany the Safety and Security Handbook in March 2025. This will provide to support organisations to access providers and resources focused on building resilience in the aftermath of the racist riots.

Find out more and learn about available support

If you work in an organisation that focuses on refugee and migration issues or fund organisations working in this sector, and would like to find out more about the findings from the scoping work exploring safety and resilience linked to the racist riots, please register to join one or both of our online workshops in March.

Workshop 1: Safety and security
3 March at 1:30 pm — 3 pm (on Zoom)
This session will focus on safety and security management during and and in the aftermath of the riots. Organisations will have the opportunity to discuss and share their experiences and agree key priorities to better prepare for the future. There will be a panel including providers of safety and security support covering areas such as digital security, risk assessment and critical incident management, personal safety and building security.

Workshop 2: Resilience and wellbeing
31 March at 10:00 –11:30 (on Zoom)
This session will focus on resilience and wellbeing. It will share recommendations for organisations to better support and protect staff and volunteers, and hear from providers of resilience and wellbeing support.

Sign up here: Registration form

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To contact us, please email on mex@global-dialogue.org

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Migration Exchange is hosted at Global Dialogue, a registered charity (1122052) partnering with philanthropy to advance rights, equity and diversity.