Our partners

Strategic Migration Group (SMG)

What is the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Migration Group?

The Strategic Migration Group (SMG) is the main cross-sector advisory group of Migration Yorkshire. SMG is the forum where local authorities, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector come together to discuss how migration in all of its forms impacts on our region. It provides strategic leadership and coordination.

Central government provides funding to Migration Yorkshire to develop and support an effective SMG - what is often described as our ‘enabling role’. This gives the government, and the Home Office as its main agency, a point of contact to have a single strategic conversation with local authorities and others about the management and impact of migration.

SMG meets a minimum of three times per year.

What does the Strategic Migration Group do?

• Facilitates collaboration among the Home Office, national, regional and local government, private providers, non-governmental organisations and regional and local stakeholders to develop a strategic approach to promoting the benefits of migration and minimising any adverse impacts.
• Facilitates strategic debate on migration issues among partners in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
• Monitors migration impacts and trends and raises awareness of issues, risks and opportunities within the Yorkshire and Humber region, to inform policy.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of local, regional and national migration policy.
• Works with local delivery partners to design and oversee delivery of services that meet migrants' needs in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
• Engages and communicates with national, regional and local stakeholders.
• Acts as a channel for information between the Home Office, other government departments and regional partners.

Who are its members?

Members of SMG are drawn from local government, the voluntary sector and statutory agencies. It currently has representatives from:

• local authorities
• Home Office
• asylum accommodation provider (Mears Group)
• asylum support provider (Migrant Help)
• the police
• the health sector
• migrant workers (TUC and DWP)
• overseas students/higher education
• the voluntary and community sector

Focusing on more local issues: the sub regional groups

Sub Regional Migration Groups in the Humber, South and West Yorkshire assist the SMG by providing a forum for representatives from local authorities, the voluntary sector, the Home Office, asylum accommodation and support providers and other key partners to focus on more local issues.