I volunteered in the Calais "Jungle" - ask me anything!

[NurseintheJungle]

NC for this one as it may be outing.

I am a RGN and I volunteered in the migrant camp also known as "The Jungle" multiple times for 2-4 weeks at a time until it was closed. I have also volunteered in Lesbos and Greece. Please feel free to ask me anything you like! However if you make racist comments prepare to be challenged!

Don't be like that, nurse these are genuine questions, I hesitated to ask them because I thought I'd get flamed. Thank you for answering them anyway and good luck to you.

The content of question wasn't the problem it was the inflammatory nature of it.

If they are true refugees then why do you think they weren’t happy to make France, a safe and developed country, their home?

Read my previous answers x

I have pointed out that a mother with young children doesn't put herself or them in the very dangerous and unpleasant transit and living conditions these refugees are experiencing unless she is desperate

What makes you think there weren't children in the camp? An estimated 450 children were lost and disappeared never to be seen again when the camp closed.

What makes you think there weren't children in the camp?

Er, I never said there weren't children in the camp? Confused.

Oh Lord. I knew this would happen. Didn't mean to be "inflammatory". Genuine questions, once again, thank you and good luck. Have a nice evening.

More than once I have been told in response that pictures of camps, boats arriving etc. show an overwhelming majority of young men unaccompanied by families, all with mobile phones blah blah, and to be honest I really haven't known what to say in response.

You tell them that 450 precious children were probably lost to the hands of people smugglers and organ harvesters, and ask why their lives didn't matter. That's the point I was trying to clumsily make before.

More than once I have been told in response that pictures of camps, boats arriving etc. show an overwhelming majority of young men unaccompanied by families, all with mobile phones blah blah, and to be honest I really haven't known what to say in response

The people who could afford to flee Syria for Europe would have mostly been middle class and fairly well off. The boat trip costs a lot of money. I visited Syria fifteen years ago and lots of people had mobile phones and nice clothes. It doesn't mean they were any better equipped to live in a war zone. In their shoes I would definitely leave for Europe and take my phone to keep in touch with loved ones, get information about my journey. Why wouldn't you take your phone??

The journey is extremely dangerous so a family may choose to send a healthy young man ahead, planning that once he has got asylum he can arrange for the rest of the family to come (perhaps not realising how long this will take). It may seem more sensible than subjecting the women and children to the dangerous journey. Also boat tickets are expensive they may only be able to afford to send one person across.

If I was born in a country with zero opportunities to better myself open to me, I would want to become an 'economic migrant' to strive for a better life. I wouldn't want to live my life in poverty due to accident of birth. I can't begrudge others trying to do this.

Hello OP

What was your view of UK press reporting of the situation?
Do you believe some of the boys given passage were not minors or that they looked older due to what they had been through?
How much sexual assault/harassment in camp were you aware of?
What do you think re stats which show increased number of assaults on women following increase of immigrants in Norway/Germany for example?
How do you think Brexit will affect the situation re border crossing?

Thx in advance, hope the questions are not too inflammatory and well done for stepping up

What was your view of UK press reporting of the situation?

I think that allowing the media to refer to migrants as cockroaches is a mandate for murder and they should hang their heads in shame! A lot of uk press is very right wing with racist undertones so I'm not really surprised.

Do you believe some of the boys given passage were not minors or that they looked older due to what they had been through?

I think there was a very small minority that lied about their age. There were many genuine underaged unaccompanied minors, some of which were 10 years old, that I personally met.

How much sexual assault/harassment in camp were you aware of?

The only sexual harassment I'm aware of is unscrupulous aid volunteers sleeping with refugees! Seriously, it was fine there. I used to walk from 1 part of the camp to another on my own during daylight hours. However I will add the caveat that I dressed very modestly whilst in the camp. I think men from certain cultures can be even more mistaken than our European counter parts that exposed flesh - have sex with her,

What do you think re stats which show increased number of assaults on women following increase of immigrants in Norway/Germany for example?

I find it upsetting and think we need to make the expectations of behaviour in Europe very clear - rape is common and accepted in some countries that migrants come from. Most migrants are willing to do everything they can to integrate so I think free education on relationships and sexual health would be taken up very quickly.

How do you think Brexit will affect the situation re border crossing?

Well border control could be moved back to the uk in the future so it would certainly make it easier!

I'm pleasantly surprised by the questions on here - I thought there would be racism etc so I'm glad people have been able to come forward and ask some difficult questions in a respectful way 🙂

What was the longest that refugees and migrants had to stay in the camp?

I'd love to do something like this. How would I get into it? Is the cost large? (Hostels etc)

The costs for volunteering aren't huge. There's a hostel that people stay at. It does get booked up though. People also share airbnb's. A basic lunch is often provided.

There is still a need for unskilled volunteers. Both Help Refugees and Care4Calais provide aid from their warehouses in Calais and they both really need volunteers. Longer term volunteers can get help with accomodation from them. Volunteer numbers dwindled when the Jungle closed so people will be welcomed with open arms.

If you contact either of them through their websites they can provide information on how to volunteer. Getting there is pretty straightforward even as a lone individual. While drivers are very helpful there, it's possible to do it by ferry or by coach too.

it’s not uncommon for 13 year old Arab boys for example to shave, for example.
I have been invigilating GCSEs recently and a few of the boys have full beards - white, English boys aged 15/16. Some of them looked like men dressed up in school uniform others still looked like little boys, it can be hard to tell.

Just remembered about this videos by children in need... this is why volunteers do what they do. Everyone is someone's children, mother, brother, loved one. They are deeply missed and loved by someone.

What was the longest that refugees and migrants had to stay in the camp?

There were a few that had been there for over a year but they were rare. People either made it over the border or died trying. Some gave up and claimed asylum elsewhere. One of the translators I worked with is now in Malta and he is very happy there.

When Lily Allen apologised to "on behalf of my country" after her visit to Calais did that help or hinder your efforts?

What was the refugees background - eg middle class professionals, manual labourers, students etc? We’re they originally well off enough - ie because they could afford oat crossings?

Was there any issues with your employer and going to volunteer in the Jungle? or with your professional body?

Were unaccompanied minors looked after by other families / adults in
The Jungle?

Did any wish they had not left Syria, despite atrocious conditions in Syria?

Is organ harvesting exactly what it sounds like? That's horrific.

When Lily Allen apologised to "on behalf of my country" after her visit to Calais did that help or hinder your efforts?

I personally think whilst it was good for publicity her apology further divided people and she could have got the same message across differently.

What was the refugees background - eg middle class professionals, manual labourers, students etc? We’re they originally well off enough - ie because they could afford oat crossings?

There was a real variation - I met barbers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, soldiers, journalists, shop keepers, bakers. I also met people that were extremely poor, whose trip had been funded by whole villages!

Was there any issues with your employer and going to volunteer in the Jungle? or with your professional body?

None whatsoever, the RCN covered me insurance wise, my employer granted me unpaid time off each time I requested it. The NMC didn't really come into it as I was providing first aid rather than nursing care,

Were unaccompanied minors looked after by other families / adults in
The Jungle?

If they were lucky 🙁

Did any wish they had not left Syria, despite atrocious conditions in Syria?

I didn't hear anyone express regret, and I didn't question people about their experiences back home either as I did not want to retraumatise them.

Is organ harvesting exactly what it sounds like? That's horrific.

Yes it's exactly what you suspect it is....