Every year, there are hundreds of people arriving in the UK, some looking for jobs, others fleeing from an unsafe country they called home. Many of them end up in the North East, and very often they require help to adapt and integrate into the UK. Certain organisations, exist to help migrants, refugees or asylum seekers. We interviewed the CEO of one of these organisations, Action Foundation, and here is what they said.
What is your background/back story?
I started doing this kind of work as a community worker for a church in Stockton on Tees. I did that for about ten years, working on local estates and engaging with the local community, hoping to make life better for local people. As part of the church, we had people from 20 different nationalities and from all sorts of different backgrounds, including asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.
This season taught me the beauty and challenge of life together when we’re all quite different, it also gave me the experience that I draw on for my work at Action Foundation.
Why should people be interested in the work of Action Foundation?
Fundamentally, we work in the business of helping people. There is a Zulu word Ubuntu, which sums up what we do very well, meaning we’re concerned with our common humanity. We start from the premise that we’re all human beings together, but some of us are in this country seeking safety and need extra help to get on with life.
How long have you worked for Action Foundation?
I have worked for Action Foundation for just over five years. I began a couple of weeks before the first national lockdown for Covid-19.
What does Action Foundation do?
We support asylum seekers, refugees and migrants and we help them in four different ways.
Firstly, we provide some of them with houses and support to help them gain the independence to live in the UK.
Secondly, we run English language classes, courses on digital skills and provide employability support through our Language and Learning service.
We also provide case work which could be help on any range of issues such as registering at the local GP surgery, finding out what is happening in the local area, help with starting volunteering somewhere or where to go for immigration advice.
Lastly, we have a children, family and young people’s project, which provides a range of youth activities and support for families.
Can you tell me about successes?
We like to talk about success in terms of the way lives are changed through our work. This might mean somebody no longer sleeping on the streets or someone who is able to leave an abusive relationship. It might be a woman reunited with her husband and children after years apart, or it might be a refugee getting their first job in the UK or young people raising their aspirations and bettering themselves.
It’s refugees giving back to their communities, new business starting and friendships being built between neighbours.
Can you tell me about your plans for the future?
Firstly, it’s survival. We are in a good place as a charity, but we don’t take anything for granted in the present economic climate and there is always more for us to do in order to get help to the people who need it.
What other initiatives are you involved in?
One of the particular areas of interest for us regards immigration detention. We want to be able to provide support in communities rather than the prison like conditions of detention centres. We are also involved in the North East Anti-Racism Coalition and various other local regional and national partnerships in the areas we specialise such as homelessness, young people and digital inclusion.
Which other organisations do you work with?
There’s quite a lot going on. We work with Local Authorities, other charities and campaign groups including those who work with the wider public on issues such as homelessness or mental health.
Why is your work important?
Our work is important because it is about human flourishing. It is awful that someone has had to leave their country to stay safe. We are trying to lessen the impact when this happens, and giving them a helping hand and hope for the future.
What would be your vision of a better future for people in the Northeast and the country and the world as a whole?
The Northeast is a wonderful, welcoming place, but like the rest of the country it is suffering. All too often we hear that migrants are to blame for the problems of the country and society. My vision is that we stop the scapegoating and political point scoring and have a sensible discussion about migration. While this is true for the Northeast, it is also true for the rest of the country and probably the whole world.
You can learn more about the work of Action Foundation by clicking here.
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