Make a New Connection – Inspirations:

Building communities and making new connections is one of the most important things when moving to a new place and creating a home away from home. Often single gestures of care and welcome can give newly arrived people hope and a sense of belonging.

That’s why, this Refugee Week we’d like to encourage you to make a new connection. What would happen if we all extended our warmth and hospitality beyond our own homes and made entire neighbourhoods more welcoming?

Whether you choose to volunteer, join a befriending service, or simply strike up a conversation, every interaction has the potential to spark a meaningful connection and form life-long friendships.

Plus, making new connections is a lot easier than you think. Below are some simple ideas, organisations and events to inspire you.

Easy ideas to take part:

  • Have a chat – say hello to someone new in your neighbourhood, workplace, school or community. Ask how they’re doing, lament or celebrate the weather. It might just make their day!
  • Join a befriending service (more information on this below).
  • Volunteer in your local community.

One step further:

  • Do you work for a retail or hospitality business? How can you welcome newcomers and long-time residents alike? Perhaps you can place conversation starters on your tables or showcase the work of a local group in your window displays. Every small gesture contributes to a more inclusive and connected community where everyone feels valued, welcomed, and at home.

Organisations & events to check out:

  • St. Augustine’s Centre in Halifax – a vibrant community centre in Halifax which aims to challenge injustice and puts the needs and voices of their centre members at the heart of their work. By offering practical support, as well as a befriending service and a range of other activities, they provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for people to feel more connected.
  • Our Second Home – an organisation that offers residential experiences for young refugees and asylum seekers. By cooking together, playing games and learning dances from each other’s cultures, participants are supported in the process of making new connections, building community and learning leadership skills.
  • Refugee Befriending Scheme Newcastle – The Newcastle Refugee Befriending Scheme connects those offering friendship with those needing it. By focussing on shared interests between befrienders and refugees, they hope it will lend to better and long lasting friendships.
  • Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network (LASSN) – the “Welcome and Connect” project helps refugees and asylum seekers with accessing support services, education and leisure opportunities in Leeds. This could be 1:1 support and/or group support in meeting people, attending community events or taking part in workshops that fulfil personal or professional development goals.
  • British Red Cross Befriending Project – Peer-led weekly sessions to provide young refugees with friendly support and life skills as well as the chance to have fun, build confidence and improve their English. They run activities such as cookery, first aid, safety awareness, and healthy lifestyle workshops. Every session ends with a communal cooking and eating session which is an important social aspect of the project.
  • HostNation – Connecting socially isolated asylum seekers and refugees with volunteer befrienders. Through careful matching with friendly residents, they aim to give refugees a positive experience of UK cities, a pathway into new communities and a relaxed space for practising English.
  • The Refugee Buddy Project Hastings – Supporting newly arrived people in Hastings through buddying, advocacy and financial and emotional support since 2017. From their Volunteer Buddy Programme to collaborative community events and experiences, the aim is to provide positive experiences of welcome for people seeking refuge in Hastings and the surrounding areas.
  • CARAS – a community outreach charity based in South West London. They offer a range of group activities that support people of all ages to develop their English skills, access services and opportunities, and build supportive social networks to feel welcomed.
  • South London Refugee Association (SLRA) – works to build community, challenge exclusion, influence policies that impact the lives of those we work with and to improve services. They run a weekly women’s group and peer-support sessions for women to come together to exchange and reflect on their experiences and work together towards social justice and positive change. As part of their Community Connections project, they also run a men’s group, ESOL classes and a youth participation group.
  • No Direction Home – a stand-up comedy programme of workshops and live gigs for aspiring comics from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Bringing together people from different backgrounds on and off-stage, comedy is a great way to make new connections and build community. Find out more about upcoming events here or check out ”Laff-Uccino” a comedy gig produced by HAVEN Coffee, former No Direction Home participant. 

Do you know of events, projects and individuals that fit the Simple Act of make a new connection? Share them with us on social media by tagging us @refugeeweekuk #SimpleActs #OurHome #RefugeeWeek