News & Views
Tuesday, 5 October, 2021A fresh start for an Afghan refugee
Emmaus Hampshire is offering a free home, work experience and job training for an Afghan refugee – Solidarity at Work
Emmaus, Hampshire’s unique solution to homelessness, is to offer a home, work experience and training for an Afghan refugee at its community in Winchester.
The community of around 40 formerly homeless people is providing an open-ended grant, under its Solidarity programme, for someone fleeing the devastation in Afghanistan and who has arrived unaccompanied with no contacts in the UK.
The refugee will be provided with their own room in the recently built Lupton Rooms and gain work experience within the social enterprise which pays for the ongoing running of the community.
They will integrate with their fellow Companions and be provided with extensive lifestyle support along with a development plan so they can live independently in the future.
Nigel Samuels, CEO of Emmaus Hampshire said “Our ethos has always been for Companions to give back to society acts of solidarity, recognising how their own lives have turned around for the better. They appreciate that many people, like those arriving from Afghanistan, face life in a far worse state than their own.”
Prior to the pandemic, Emmaus Hampshire Companions provided over £20,000 a year in free labour and furniture to support those in need locally and through charity events. They have also raised money for international causes such as the Lebanon crisis.
The charity is appealing directly to local organisations who may know of an individual in urgent need to contact them on info@emmaushampshire.org.uk or complete a Companion Application form online via their website www.emmaushampshire.org.uk.
Questions and Answers
Have you approached the local council or refugee charities about this?
We are working with the local refugee agencies, but they have been overwhelmed, which is why we are appealing more widely today. We welcome any approach from reputable charities and local authorities. Our Companions stand by to help.
Does the free accommodation mean that local homelessness problems are easing?
Homelessness is an ongoing struggle everywhere in the UK and Winchester is no exception. We continue to support the local community and have seen six more Companions join us over the summer. Under our Memorandum of Understanding from our opening in 2009 we have always had one extra room free to accommodate a solidarity room. Our Companions also wanted to respond to needs of the Afghan refugees, who have faced unbelievable hardship.
Are the refugees allowed to work?
Every Companion benefits from training and work experience in Emmaus social enterprises. As the Afghans are refugees who have been granted rights to live here, they will be managed through the resettlement programme.
What kind of refugee would be best suited for this offer?
It’s open to all, male and female, young and old. We feel the training and community element would be particularly beneficial to someone who has left all their family behind and may be feeling lonely and isolated since their arrival.
What should organisations do if they feel they know of a refugee who needs help?
Please contact us at info@emmaushampshire.org.uk or to fill in a Companion Application form online click here.
How long is this grant for?
This is an open-ended commitment. Once a Companion settles into our community, they can remain here as long as they need to develop the skills and confidence to live independently.
How is the grant funded?
We are a not-for-profit organisation. Our Solidarity grants are funded by surplus from the work our Companions undertake in the social enterprises.
What about the language difficulties?
If the refugee does not speak English, we will arrange an interpreter and language classes to help them assimilate into the UK community. We would be grateful for any charity helping refugees in other ways who want to make contact with us.