As we see more Community Sponsorship groups investing in properties in which they can welcome a refugee family, one group have navigated this by gathering a group of investors and setting up a Declaration of Trust. This is by no means the easiest route of securing a property, but nonetheless, this is exactly what Paul…
Articles tagged with: Challenges
Useful links | Mental Health
Considering a family referral
Once approved as a sponsor, you will be sent personal information about a refugee family that you will potentially support. It is critical that you read this information carefully and assess whether your group can accommodate the needs of the family.
ESOL Childcare Fund
As you welcome and support families into your communities, one of the key areas of focus will be the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Adult members of the family are required to attend eight hours of ESOL classes per week. We realise that physically attending these classes isn’t always easy – and…
Experts by Experience: Ghazala and Nidal’s first 6 months
Families can be waiting for resettlement for many years, so it’s understandable to hear that Ghazala and Nidal could not believe it when they were told they were going to be resettled to the UK! They shared with us their time and experience of living in the UK, speaking on what their first 6 months…
Experts by Experience: Kadar on getting a driving license
Having a car can be integral to a family’s independence, especially in areas where public transport is limited. However, obtaining a UK driving license can be a challenging and lengthy process. The UK has one of the most difficult theory tests in the world. This is even more demanding if English is not your first…
Experts by Experience: Resettlement as a single parent
Making the journey firstly from your home country to a host country, and then to another country via resettlement, is a hard undertaking for any family – and one that becomes even more difficult as a single parent. The reassurance there is in being able to turn to your partner in such a situation, and…
Experts by Experience: Zahir and Lena on settling into a rural community
Having now lived in the UK for over two years, Zahir and Lena sat down to talk with us about how their family have settled into a rural community, one which now feels like home. They spoke to us about their experience of leaving Syria, the hardship of rebuilding their lives in Jordan, and the…
Supporting refugees to access mental health support
‘In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health…
Understanding the emotional journey of refugees
It’s easy to assume that a refugee’s trauma has ended once they have been resettled in a new country. However, this isn’t always the case. Stages of trauma frequently include the following and need specific approaches and tailored support for each stage: Before migration: Persecution, possible torture and/or imprisonment, war, violence, economic hardship, loss.During migration:…
Considering the impact of trauma
Reset has asked Shellee Burroughs, Clinical Operations Manager at Action for Child Trauma (ACT) International to put together these resources in order to provide some information about trauma in the Community Sponsorship context. As a Community Sponsorship group, your role is never to diagnose or treat trauma, but to signpost the refugees you support to…
Understanding children and young peoples mental health
The children within the family that you will sponsor may have experienced distressing or traumatic events. Adapting to a new country, including a new culture, language and school, can be challenging. Understandably, some children may need support with their mental health. Support services may be available through local charities, the child’s school or the NHS….
Accessing digital services
Accessing services and details online will be essential for the family you support. From registering for and managing their benefits through to connecting with friends and family across the world, developing IT skills will only be helpful. We like to remind Groups that success in Community Sponsorship is when resettled families are able to do…
Addressing housing complaints
As a Community Sponsorship group, you will have gone to great lengths to source suitable housing for a refugee family. You will have invited your Local Authority to view the accommodation for suitability, you may be paying housing rent top-up and you may even have renovated or purchased a property. The refugees you support will…
Adopting an empowerment approach to housing provision
This resource will help your group support refugees to understand their housing obligations, to foster independence and empowerment as renters in the future. The family you support as a Community Sponsorship group will include adults who have lived independent lives. They’ll have been making choices for themselves and their families for a long time. When it…
Changes to BRPs
Prior to October 2024, the Biometric Residency Permit was the ID card that was issued to each family member once they arrived in the UK. BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. The majority of BRPs expired on 31 December 2024. An eVisa is an online record of your immigration status. BRP holders need to create a…
Creating informal English learning opportunities
As refugee families are learning formal ESOL in the classroom, you can play a vital role by encouraging them to make use of all the great ways they can improve their English skills through more informal routes at home. The following suggestions are both practical and easy to incorporate – while also helping to change…
Divorce and separation
Like with any relationship, problems can arise for everyone no matter where or how you have been living. This is including for those who have been forced to flee their homes and are displaced. We have heard of situations where, after arrival to the UK, newly resettled refugees have experienced a marriage breakdown. There could…
Domestic Abuse – Supporting Survivors
Resources to help you understand mental health problems and available support options. This guide is to give you some information about domestic abuse. You don’t need to be an expert in this, but by familiarising yourself with some of the key issues and warning signs, you could really make a difference to someone who needs…
Experts by Experience: property investment
When it comes to finding a property for a refugee family, it can feel like an insurmountable obstacle to overcome given the lack of affordable housing in the UK. We’ve seen how groups have been creative in meeting this housing challenge; some are able to find compassionate landlords who are willing to rent below the…
Experts by Experience: The village that welcomed a family
“It just felt like something that would be real in the increasingly strange, abstracted, times of lockdown; that it would make a tangible and potentially profound difference to the life-prospects of whoever the refugees were and possibly (selfishly?!) that it might also be a positive thing for me” The group started out with Tom, an…