Volunteering with asylum seekers and refugees

[Lemniscate8]

There is so much said on MN about asylum seekers and refugees, and often it is speaking about them as a block, rather than by people who know any as individuals.

AIBU to suggest that some of you who currently feel fear and hostility have a go at some volunteering to get to know one or more individuals and see if your feelings change?

There are lots of ways to get involved in helping welcome a refugee to the country, and maybe more people extending more welcome will help with intergration, which seems to be one of the main concerns of some posters.

Many places have volunteers facilitating english conversation sessions, or literacy support. Many councils look for volunteers to support refugee and asylum seeker children in schools, you can ask your local council, or one of the main refugee organisations what volunteering opportunities are available in your area.

Also volunteering with any homeless charity is ineviatably going to bring you into contact with refugees, as so many are sleeping rough

You can find out about people first hand, rather than through the right wing press. Personal relationships can only help people understand each other better

Asylum seekers all arrive legally.
it’s the only way to claim asylum - by arriving by any means to the uk- then claim asylum.

Probably. There are a lot of racist and xenophobic comments on the site nowadays.

I voted you are being unreasonable.

My feelings towards thousands of fighting age men crossing the channel in dinghies fleeing war torn France in fear of their lives while leaving all their women and children behind to suffer is unlikely to change.

There aren't any people "who are not volunteering as I think they should" . I suggested that SOME people CONSIDER it, if you read my OP, and from the response on here, some people are, which is great. Obviously not everyone is in a position to, and obviously there are some people with incompatible politics, but the more people who consider it, and the more people get involved, the more bridges are built, and the better intergration happens, and the better for everyone

Awww OP, would you like your badge from the audience on here or do you make your own?

You know, after you have done your good deed of the day, lecturing, patronizing and virtue signalling on the internet.

That seems quite obvious to me.

In Liverpool the organisation that supports asylum seekers holds events such as sharing food or beach clean ups. It’s a good way for asylum seekers and locals to meet.

Honestly don’t care to know the ‘difference’

None of them here, please

My point proved I think.

Funnily enough I don't see these racist and xenophobic comments as MN moderators would be removing them pretty fast.

What you actually mean is that there are more and more people whom disagree with your views and so you want them silenced with labels.

Someone needs to do the Heimlich maneuver on OP. She’s choking on the therapy self help book she’s swallowed.

I think it’s a way to get people going about xenophobia and racism and the asylum issue. Some feel better calling others those names and nothing much else happens.

Just use google translate on your phone. Or maybe that’s too complex for you.

I know what I meant, thank you. I stand by what I said.

It’s tedious.

I haven’t voted but I think that some issues concerning refugees and /or illegal immigrants are about the rights of a nation state to control who enters and lives in that country.

Those who want to migrate legally, or even just work here for a limited number of years, face quite stringent application procedures.

There are questions about resourcing an increase in new citizens. There are questions about ensuring that new citizens are not criminals.

Yes, getting to know the individual stories of refugees is very enlightening but there are legitimate policy issues beyond individuals.

Note - I am very much not anti- immigrant. But I do think it needs to be a controlled process which is publicly discussed.

We all know what you mean, its in the Starmer playbook.

It's not about fear hostility or racism
It's huge changes to the areas of where people live , with massive influxes of men
It's not enough houses for people already living here
It's not enough money in UK to support the families they want to bring over
As much as we might want to
We can't help everyone
We should be choosing who we help like the children from Gaza
Not rewarding men who arrive illegally

You are free to interpret it as you please, of course.

Thanks I don't need your virtuous signal bless though.

I worked on a documentary recently with female asylum seekers a few years ago and it was humbling to hear their stories. I do think however it is not possible that everyone can volunteer and sometimes I think that being so magnanimous about refugees and immigration can be a somewhat privileged position and doesn't consider the experience of those who feel themselves in direct competition with that group. I agree that in most cases the competition and threat isn't real but I can empathise with the feeling that it is.

For example in my town there has been an huge amount of immigration in the past few years and from my perspective as someone in a nice area of town, well educated, well travelled, financially secure. Its a boon to the local area there are new interesting shops and eateries opening up and the town centre has a bit more life to it. For people like me there is only benefit really. However as someone from a very poor background I know it can feel different when you're already struggling to pay your rent, for food, to find enough work and so on. Then you see new people coming in and apparently getting all this help, houses, benefits etc. It doesn't matter if it isn't true because so many people are stuck in survival mode, they don't necessarily have the luxury of being as open minded as more insulated people.

The crux of the matter is the steep inequality we have in this country which is the worst in Europe, especially now. This stores up trouble down the line with immigration whether economic or via asylum seeking. Its all very well for people to come to the UK to better their circumstances but what happens to their children and grandchildren when they find themselves in the same poverty traps that UK nationals of lower class find themselves in? It just created growing dissatisfaction and resentment and amplifies any other tensions that may exist.

I sometimes find the "oh people who think refugees are all here to take from them are just ignorant" are somewhat missing the point that certain circumstances set people up for these views that are likely out of their control. In addition just telling people they are ignorant and to educate themselves while well intentioned can drive them into the arms of people like Farage or worst Tommy Robinson. people who ruthlessly exploit peoples sense of powerlessness and desperation to gain power. However unpalatable it might be to some we need to extend the same empathy we have for refugees to those in the UK whose views we find disagreeable (to say the least) in an effort to understand why they feel like that and what can be done. Again reams of research shows that it is inequality that drives much of the fear and resentment as opposed to genuine hatred.

I dont think there is anything lecturing, virtuous or badgeworthy about volunteering, do you? I think it is completely normal human behaviour that the majority of members of any society are involved in at some point in their lives. This is just a discussion about one possible aspect of it that maybe some more people could consider, and that might maybe help address some of the fear and divisions that is apparant on this thread, and elsewhere on MN

Well that's OK then. I stand by what I said, and your input really is of no consequence to me, particularly if you are going to move towards personal attack. Have a pleasant evening.

I volunteer as a trustee of a charity which works with many refugees, asylum seekers etc. I am very anti immigration and do not believe most of them belong here. But I volunteer because I care about my local community and want to improve it.

Really? How is that possible?