How to have a positive impact on Refugees in your community
Refugees and asylum seekers face a range of barriers when coming to seek safety in their host country, such as inadequate housing, lack of employment opportunities and racism. It is our mission to break these barriers down, so we have listed some ways that you can have a positive impact on refugees and people seeking sanctuary in your community.
Volunteer
Volunteers play a vital role in delivering services for charities. Volunteers can be a shoulder to lean on, a friendly face when you walk through the door and a source of unwavering support through the hardest of times. Without volunteers, charities simply wouldn’t function.
Here at WERS we have a team of over ninety dedicated volunteers who help with the delivery of our services.
Volunteering is a great way to see the impact you are having on people’s lives, as well as strengthening your connection to the community around you. If this is something that interests you then come and get involved at WERS, where you could be a support worker, a gardening voluntee or an admin assistant, just to name a few!
We also encourage our service users to become volunteers as they offer a unique insight into the experiences that our service users have faced and continue to face.
To find out more email: volunteers@wers.org.uk.
Join A Campaign Group!
Sometimes social injustice in our community can feel overwhelming and can leave you feeling powerless to change the situation around you, however joining a local campaign group could help to combat these feelings. Campaign groups give a voice to those that aren’t often listened to and this is an extremely powerful tool for change. Moreover, they engage with decision-making bodies, by joining a campaign group you could help to influence policies in a way that aligns with your beliefs and therefore make a real difference to the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in your community.
Here's a list of campaign groups that are open to anyone or are refugee-led or student-led:
· Together with Refugees
Together with Refugees is a coalition of organisations that advocate for a more compassionate approach to refugees. They provide ideas on their website on how to support their campaign.
· Regional Refugee Forum North East (RRF North West)
RRF North East run community campaign groups across the North East, led by refugees and asylum seekers in order to support refugees and asylum seekers in the region.
· STAR – Student Action For Refugees
STAR is a student led organisation that advocates for equal access to universities for refugees. They operate in 44 universities and colleges, in the North East there is a group located in Durham.
· Newcastle University Amnesty International Society
If you are a student at Newcastle University then this is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people, advocate for change and voice your beliefs.
Donate Food or Clothes!
Refugees and people seeking asylums face a variety of challenges and food insecurity is one of them. Donating food or clothing helps to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers in your community get the support they need. Food donations have a direct impact on those that need it most. If you are struggling or would like to donate food, The Trussel Trust has a foodbank finder which provides the location, opening times and contact details of foodbanks.
One local to WERS, is the Newcastle Foodbank, situated in the West End of Newcastle. Their website lists the food donation points which can be found around Newcastle and many are conveniently located in big supermarkets such as Tesco or Morrisons, or you can donate at the foodbank centre itself. One top tip before donating any items of food or clothing is to check the website to see if there is a list of urgently needed items, this way you can ensure that you are addressing the specific needs of your community.
By participating in any of the activities above you could help to create a meaningful impact on the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in your community. It doesn’t need to be something big, even the smallest of things can have the greatest of impacts.
There are different ways you can get involved through WERS - find out more.
* Freya Black is a recent graduate with a degree in Politics and Spanish from Newcastle University, Freya is currently teaching English in Spain. Beyond her academic achievements, Freya is driven by a profound sense of empathy and social responsibility. She is compelled to advocate for the support of refugees and individuals seeking asylum.