Conditions refugees have to navigate
Support is needed for experiences such as – grief and loss, isolation, cultural dislocation, limited English, prejudice, feeling lost, collapse of identity, impoverishment, uncertain accommodation, gaps in basic living support, difficult legal processes, marginalisation and exclusion from daily-life goings on, loneliness, loneliness, lack of ‘home comfort’ and kind inclusion …..
Ways to engage
A few volunteering suggestions to consider (just for starters):
- Home welcomes – meals with neighbours and friends, overnight stays
- Location explorations (walks, talks, ‘where are we’)
- Well-being projects
- Therapeutic treatment (e.g. counselling, acupuncture, massage, healing)
- Workshops (e.g. language, nature-related, UK-orientation support)
- Outings (walks, films, meals, games)
- Cross cultural dialogues and explorations – e.g. stories, gender issues
- Donation co-ordination and/or delivery – with contacts here and in reception sites (local or further afield)
- Collaborative researching of history of migrations / refugee welcome
- Destitution relief – temporary or brief bridging accommodation support
- Fun activities with children
- Skill share – cooking exchanges, sewing
- Invitations to explore local initiatives, goings on, and inexpensive resources
More ideas include:
- Administrative help
- Second homes / accommodation possibilities
- Help to paint walls or prepare accommodation space
- Gather domestic items for arriving family use
- Befriending
- Stress reduction, trauma reduction support
- Fund raising
- Gardening
- Conservation initiatives
- Foraging walks, nature forays
- Social networking for women
- Family hosting
- Social justice discussions and films
- Youth collaborations
- Art, music, theatre activities or outings
- Crafts
- Sport
You can also sign up to other exploratory ideas, such as our TIME EXCHANGE project.
Who can sign onto the BBT HUB
This BBT HUB is to help network and involve local people, practitioners and organisations – for example, local therapy practitioners, creative artists, teachers, local groups (e.g. Transition Town groups, Quakers, churches, The WI, Rotary, the circle of women elders, etc), councillors, counsellors, schools, families, youth initiatives and individuals wanting to actively contribute ideas or offer collaborative support. Access to the BBT HUB is restricted to volunteers who have their offer of help listed on this site, under password control.
Beyond Borders Totnes & District 