Stories
We’ve collected profiles, Q&As, first-person accounts, in-depth features, top tips and films from across the UK’s community-led welcome activities.
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Experience
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My experience with “super volunteers”
Marisol Reyes Soto is a researcher at University of Birmingham’s Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS). She led the research on an evaluation of the Community Sponsorship scheme in its pilot phase. Here she reflects on the impact meeting volunteers had on her.
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“It feels like my life has started again”
Rana is a single mother to two girls. They fled Syria after her daughter’s school was bombed. Two years ago, she was resettled in Liverpool through Community Sponsorship. Here she tells us about the kindness of the people in Liverpool and her ambitions to become a nurse.
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“It was the first time we ever saw something like this.”
Amira, Rashed and their three daughters arrived in Northern Ireland in September 2019, where they were welcomed by the Small World Community Sponsorship group. With Christmas just a couple of weeks away we thought we would talk to Amira about her first Christmas in the UK. She shares her surprise at her daughters’ star turns and why she thinks getting involved in each other’s festivities is so important.
Advice
More stories tagged Advice-
How to use social media to raise awareness of Community Sponsorship
Social media can feel like an intimidating place sometimes but it’s actually a wonderful way to connect with other people who want to welcome refugees and inspire others to get involved.
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“Community Sponsorship wasn’t just pie in the sky - this was something very real on the ground that very real people were doing.”
Svenja Powell co-founded Canterbury Welcomes Refugees in 2018. We chatted to Svenja about who’s who in her group, support from local students and how to organise a fabulous fundraiser.
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Five things I’ve learned: Ellie Stacey, Community Sponsorship volunteer, Cornwall
Ellie Stacey has been at the forefront of Community Sponsorship since its launch in 2016. A former head teacher, she played a key role in setting up Bude Refugee Support Group before moving south and joining Falmouth and Penryn Welcome Refugee Families. She also finds the time to mentor other groups in the southwest. Here Ellie shares some of her learning about volunteering and resettling a refugee family.
Films
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Dreams Come True in Manchester
In 2018, Noura, Sakeer and their family arrived in Manchester, after living in harsh conditions in Lebanon. UNHCR introduced the family to St. Michael & St. Bernadette’s, a community sponsorship group which welcomed the family into their community. The family have quickly settled into the community, becoming close friends with the group members.
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“They push me so I can stand without help”
In 2017, Syrian refugees Hani, Amneh and their two children were welcomed to a new life in Ottery St Mary, Devon, thanks to Abide, a Community Sponsor group in Devon.
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"If you want to make a change, then you can"
We spoke to Kate from Herne Hill Welcomes Refugees, and she told us about the impact her local Community Sponsorship group has had on her sense of community and encourages others to get involved!
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How does Community Sponsorship Work?
This animation tells you a little bit more about how Community Sponsorship works and the practical things you will get involved with if you become a volunteer.
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Join a Community Sponsorship Group
In every region of the UK, there are Groups that are preparing to welcome refugees to their local areas through Community Sponsorship. If someone in your local area has already started a Community Sponsorship Group, we can put you in touch. If no one has started a Group in your local area yet, maybe you could be that person?
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“It has brought us closer together.”
Iman Khan from Kettering Refugee Assistance tells us about why he got involved in Community Sponsorship and the impact that it's had on his community.
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ITV London News- Homes for Ukraine
ITV London spoke to Dymtro about his experience of leaving Ukraine, and Sean and Shahudul about their positive experience of hosting him in their London home.
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Introducing Community Sponsorship
Community Sponsorship enables people across the UK to transform the lives of vulnerable refugee families by welcoming them into their local communities and supporting them as they rebuild their lives in safety. Find out more in this video.
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Home is where the bread is
Food can taste like home. It connects us to our heritage and our memories. The Fayyad family were so happy to be welcomed to Falmouth by their Community Sponsors. But there was one thing missing: Arabic-style bread. The family began to bake their own bread, and shared their skills with their sponsors.
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Coming Home to Wales
In 2018, Mohanad and his family arrived in Wales, after fleeing the war in Syria and living in harsh conditions in Lebanon. Croesco Teifi, a community sponsor group in Wales, made this possible. This year the group welcomed a second Syrian family, Ahmed and his family, into the community.
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Advice for landlords with houses to rent
Hear from landlords Jo and Ingrid about why they'd recommend renting to refugees to every landlord and find out what support exists for you if you have a property to rent.
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Making the world a better place through resettling refugees
"I am much more confident that the world will be a better place - soon!" Marian McNichol from the Settle Refugee Group talks about the makeup of their group and how knowing the support there is for refugee resettlement in Settle makes her proud of her community and hopeful for the future.
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A Warm Devon Welcome
Meet some of the Community Sponsorship groups who with the support of Lead Sponsor, The Pickwell Foundation, are welcoming families to Devon. Hear about impact welcoming refugees is having on them and their communities.