The five films, which look at the experiences of five young people who had fled their home countries and sought asylum in the UK, are aimed at nine- to sixteen-year-olds.

We hear from ten year old Ali from Afghanistan, who fled the country with his grandmother yet leaving behind his parents. Ali describes the pain of separation as well as his experiences adjusting to life in the UK. Ten year old Hamid from Eritrea had to flee his country and describes the struggles of coming to terms with his father’s death, as well as settling into a new country. 12 year old Juliane who spent years in a Zimbabwean orphanage before being reunited with her mother continues to suffer from the effects of being separated from her at a young age, but is supported by her school who are helping her deal with her experiences. Rachel, 17, describes the suffering she underwent in her home country, her experiences in a UK detention centre and what she hopes to achieve as a result of her experiences. Finally Navid, 16, who at five years old fled his home in Iran and came to the UK. He describes why he had to leave, his long journey over here, and how he has adjusted to life in the UK.

Director Andy Glynne says the aims of the films are clear: “At the very least I hope that it increases awareness within children,” he says. “It’s about showing engagement, empathy and understanding of what it’s like for people who are fleeing their own homelands because of persecution.” He also hopes that it will make children aware of global issues: “What citizenship means, what happens about human rights. Immigration is not the Daily Mail view of the world – people have incredibly traumatic stories and we need to hear those stories rather than the tabloid headlines.”

The films were broadcast online and can be found on BBC2’s Learning Zone as an educational tool.

Seeking Refugee Educational Activities

“Seeking Refuge” could be a powerful resource for many areas of the curriculum, in particular: PSHE and Citizenship, English, Geography, History and Art. The series could be used as a good illustration of why some people have to flee their country, and therefore helps raise questions about persecution and war.

You could use “Seeking Refuge” to key explore topics such as: Human Rights; International Development; Social Cohesion; Community; Connections; Family; Identity; Home; Safety; Journeys; Hopes & Fears; Emotional Literacy; Moral, Social and Cultural Awareness.

Possible discussions:

• how might it feel to be separated from a loved one and move to an unknown land? Have you ever taken a journey on your own? If so, can you describe how it felt to say goodbye to family and friends? What would you want to pack to take with you?
• what might it be like for children adapting to life in the UK? What are the issues that they might need to deal with when they arrive? If you take a minute to think of home, what or where do you think of? What do you see? What and who do you hear? Do you think you would find those same things in your new home?
• are we all the same or is the world made up of different people? How can people treat those who they feel are different to them? How can it feel when we go to a new place where we feel different? What might we find different? What can we learn from each other? How can we support each other?

Why not invite your group to write a story or create their own piece of art work based on one of these areas.

Let us know how you get on at emily@counterpoints.org.uk.

And don’t forget to try more activities at: http://www.simpleacts.org.uk/

Read more about Mosaic Films at: http://mosaicfilms.com/