“My kids tease us when we don’t pronounce certain words with the correct regional accent,” explains Samir*, an Afghan refugee whose family has made a home in their new life in the north of England.
At first, he notes, it was hard for the family to adapt to country living in their new area, but eventually they had blended into the local community so well that his children, who have adopted the local dialect, tease him about his different one.
“Now our community is becoming a diverse community,” adds Samir, who together with his family was resettled to the UK following events in his nation of origin.
The Role of Local Support Schemes
A key reason for the ease with which they have integrated is due to support from a local support program. It provides refugees with wraparound support from a group of volunteers who commit to fundraise, source reasonably-priced accommodation, and assist with the basic challenges of life in a new country.
This involves learning English, accessing work, education or support services, and signing up with a doctor and dentist.
Samir states that thanks to their support team, the family have integrated well – including the local accents.
Government Oversight and Future Plans
The authorities oversees the scheme, which is one of several refugee resettlement programmes. The relevant government minister has previously stated she hoped to expand this model.
“With control restored, we will open up new, limited routes for refugees for whom this country will be the first, safe haven they encounter. We will make community sponsorship the standard, so we know that the rate and size of change does not outstrip what a community is prepared to accept,” she said.
The Power of Local Connection
Sue Wall, part of a supporting group in the area, says that as a older woman, she naturally adopts the same role with the arriving families.
“That’s an identity that the families recognise. If you help people become integrated they are more able to resume their previous profession or something akin to it, which helps with their sense of identity and self-esteem. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a town to raise a family,” she explains.
Empowering Locals for Strong Outcomes
Susannah Baker, the chair of a national support network, welcomes plans to develop targeted matching, allowing communities to be paired with refugee families they think will be a suitable match.
“This places control firmly in the hands of communities, allowing them to select and support refugees they are ready to support,” she says. “It is both compassionate and controlled, delivering strong settlement results because communities are engaged from the beginning. When residents are engaged early, arrivals learn English more quickly, find work earlier, and become part of local society.”
Personal Journeys:
Maryam’s Story: From Anxiety to Community
Maryam*, a 17-year-old Syrian refugee, came to Bristol with her family in 2018. The family was aided by a group of sponsors called Westbury Welcome.
“When I was three I travelled with my family from Syria to Jordan because of the big war in my country,” says Maryam. Initially, the contrast between the busy area of Jordan and the calm street where they were given a home was a shock, she says.
“In Jordan there are crowds. When we arrived here we were given a house but when we looked out of the window and saw there was no one in the street, it was really frightening for me. I said to my mum, ‘should we just go back to Jordan?’ I think without Westbury Welcome we would have been stuck in a pattern of not understanding things.”
She says one of her earliest recollections was the meal the group cooked for the family after picking them up from the airport. “They cooked us traditional rice and chicken. I think it was the biggest meal I had eaten in my life.”
Now the family are part of their community. Maryam is working towards her A-levels and is hoping to then take a year out before going to university.
“Not everyone understands why we came to the UK. We didn’t arrive for fun. Having the group help us with everything from finding a GP to understanding how the buses work made things so much easier for us.”
Eveline’s Perspective: Mutual Benefit
Eveline Johnstone, part of the group supporting Maryam’s family, said they set themselves up under the auspices of a national charity that aids those who want to become community sponsors.
The group has subsequently supported other families. “It’s wonderful for the families to have a whole group of people to support them and it’s great for us to do something positive and to greet people. I have gained so much from the people who have come here,” Johnstone says.
Ori’s New Life: Gardens and Resilience
For Ori*, a Syrian mother, one of the joys of living in Devon – along with the immense support she has received – is having a yard.
“Back home we lived in an apartment block and the garden was on the roof. Here we live in a house with an upstairs and a downstairs, and I can grow flowers, camellias, jasmine and herbs,” she says.
Jane Kivlin is a member of the group that has supported Ori and her family after being inspired by a film about how a Syrian refugee family are at first greeted with hostility but ultimately welcomed. She says of Ori’s family: “They are incredibly strong. They find a lot of things quite challenging but I don’t think I have seen any hopelessness.”
Support in Scotland: A New Start
Abby Boutlee, part of a group supporting an Afghan family in a rural Scotland, says: “It has gone really smoothly. The family have a difficult history and some health problems but they are ready to be ‘new Scots’ and are keen to add to the life of the village. There are 14 of us supporting them and we hope to be a springboard for them into a new life where they can find their feet.”
A Final Reflection
“When we first arrived it was difficult for us,” says Samir. “We found it a very quiet place compared to the urban area we had come from. We felt very isolated and didn’t know anyone. Now I’ve passed my driving test and have been given a place on a postgraduate course. We have made lots of friends here.
“Although we come from a completely different country and culture, we have so much in shared experience with the people of this country. Community sponsorship is a brilliant way to support people in crisis, and to build trust between people from diverse backgrounds.”
*Names have been changed
