Every person deserves the right to heal, to belong, and to thrive
Unit for Relief, Assistance and Social Advocacy - URASA provides community-based and trauma-informed psychosocial support
to urban refugees, asylum seekers, and people facing social exclusion.
Our
services are designed to respond to the complex realitites of displacement, exclusion,
psychological distress in urban environments.We work alongside individuals and communities
who experiences barriers to safety, stability,
and access to essential support -
offering care that is respectful, confidential, and human-centered
We support urban refugees who have been forced to flee their countries and now live in cities, often without stable resources or social networks.
Our work focuses on psychological support, community connection, and access to appropriate services, helping individuals navigate daily challenges while preserving dignity and autonomy
We accompagny asylum seekers throughout their journey by providing emotional and psychosocial support during periods of uncertainity, stress, and administrative complexity.
URASA offers a safe and confidential space where indiviuals can be heard, supported, and oriented toward appropriate assistance while their asylum process is ongoing.
URASA works with forcibly displaced persons experiencing social exclusion, recognising that exlusion from healthcare, education, employment, and social systems
is a key social determinant of mental health.
By addressing these conditions, URASA aims to : reduce psychological distress, promote mental health and wellbeing, restore dignity and
social inclusion.
All our support is
URASA is committed to promoting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing for all forcibly displaced persons it serves.
Our work focuses on addressing the social determinants of mental health
that affect refugees and asylum seekers, including exclusion, unemployment, barriers to healthcare,
and lack of access to opportunities. URASA delivers its
mandate through fur interconnected areas of intervention.
We provides mental health and psychosocial support services to forcibly displaced persons who experiencepsychosocial trauma, stress, and emotional distress. These services aim to : promote emotional wellbeing, reduce risk of mental health challenges, support coping and resilinece.
Support is provided through community-based and trauma-informed approaches that respect dignity, confidentiality, and individual experience.
URASA conducts advocacy to improve access to healthcare services for refugees and asylum seekers who are denied or restricted from public health facilities.
This
includes : advocacy with healthcare institutions, documentation of healthcare access challenges, referrals and rights-based support, community education on health rights.
This work directly address structural
barriers that impact mental health.
URASA addresses the social determinants of mental health by supporting access to : education and learning opportunities, employment and livelihood pathways, social support networks.
By improving access to these
determinants, URASA contributes to long-term psychosocial wellbeing and social inclusion.
URASA promotes community empowerment by strengthening the capacity of forcibly displaced persons and partner organisations. THis includes : training community members and volunteers, building partnerships with
NGOs, universities, and health professionals, promoting mental health awareness and education
This approach supports sustainable impact and community-led solutions.
Getting support with URASA is simple and safe. You do not need to explain everything, You do not need documents,
You are free to stop at any time.
You can contact us in the way that feels best for you : phone, message, email, contact form
You can contact us for yourself or for someone else.
We will listen to you. You can : talk a little, talk slowly, take breaks. You choose what you want to share.
We respect your story and your boundaries.
Together, the best way for support you may include : emotional or psychosocial support, information and referrals to other services, help finding healthcare or education access, support with job search options
Support is : free, confidential, no judgement. You decide what you want
You can contact us for yourself or for someone else.
Since inception, URASA has transformed lives and built resilient communities across South Africa
Join us in creating lasting change for forcibly displaced persons.
Together, we can build a more inclusive, compassionate, and resilient society.
Our trauma-informed and community-based approaches are grounded in best practices and deliver measurable outcomes for mental health and social inclusion.
We have built strong relationships with refugee and asylum seeker communities, ensuring culturally sensitive and trusted service delivery.
We welcome diverse forms of collaboration to strengthen our impact
Support our programs through grants, donations, or project-based funding. Your investment directly enables mental health support, advocacy, and community empowerment.
Collaborate on joint programs, research, advocacy, or service delivery. We partner with NGOs, universities, health institutions, and UN agencies.
Provide expertise, training, or technical assistance to strengthen our capacity and service quality.
Contribute resources, services, or facilities to support our operations and service delivery.
Join a dedicated community of professionals committed to advancing mental health equity and restoring dignity for forcibly displaced populations across South Africa.
Choose how you'd like to contribute. Every role plays a vital part in our mission to restore dignity and advance mental health equity for forcibly displaced persons.
Join our multidisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to advancing mental health equity and psychosocial wellbeing for forcibly displaced populations
Deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed psychosocial interventions to refugees and asylum seekers experiencing acute psychological distress, utilizing culturally sensitive therapeutic approaches aligned with WHO MHPSS guidelines.
Design and facilitate structured capacity-building workshops addressing skills development, psychoeducation, and community resilience-building for displaced populations, incorporating participatory methodologies and adult learning principles.
Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with refugee communities, facilitate service navigation, conduct needs assessments, and coordinate referral pathways to ensure comprehensive psychosocial support access.
Leverage your professional expertise to advance systemic advocacy, research excellence, and organizational capacity development
Develop and execute integrated communications strategies, manage digital advocacy campaigns, produce compelling content for stakeholder engagement, and amplify organizational visibility across multimedia platforms.
Conduct rigorous policy analysis, document systemic healthcare access barriers, contribute to evidence-based advocacy submissions, and support strategic engagement with governmental and multilateral stakeholders.
Provide specialized technical assistance in legal services, medical consultation, interpretation/translation, IT infrastructure, or financial management to enhance organizational effectiveness and service delivery capacity.
Our team will review your application and contact you within 5-7 business days to discuss opportunities that align with your expertise and availability.