The 1990s
New Residents
In 1999 the government of the time made major changes in immigration and asylum policy which led to the dispersal of significant numbers of asylum seekers in 2000 to Glasgow, and specifically to North Glasgow including the Red Road area. Glasgow at the time was the only city in Scotland that accepted people seeking asylum and has taken some 18,000 people since 2001, which is the largest intake after London. Accommodation for people seeking asylum is provided by Glasgow City Council, the Angel Group and YMCA Glasgow.
YMCA Glasgow is the second largest service provider and manages one of the Red Road tower blocks, accommodating a significant proportion of people seeking asylum. Community projects in and around the Red Road area have provided a great deal of much needed support for people who have had to flee their own countries after their lives have been gravely threatened and who have suffered persecution as defined by the Human Rights Act 1998. Community projects have been actively involved with and made a major contribution to the development of North Glasgow Integration Network which aims to support and promote integration of native Scots, black minority and ethnic people, and recently-arrived migrant workers from Eastern Europe.
