Stories of Sanctuary: An important hosting experience
We spoke to Imogen, who shared her experience of becoming a volunteer host alongside her sister, with charity Refugees at Home.
Imogen first heard about Refugees at Home many years ago when working for Breaking Barriers, an integration and employment non-profit that supports refugees into jobs.
Passion in supporting those seeking safety
One of the key barriers to getting a job and being economically independent is housing. It's a Catch-22, without a home it's very difficult to get and then keep a job, without a job, it's difficult to secure housing. At Breaking Barriers, we used to refer clients to Refugees at Home and they were great. While I no longer work in the sector, both myself and my sister deeply believe in supporting those seeking safety in the UK and know that the barriers have just become even more difficult. We reached out to Refugees at Home. We didn't have a spare room but offered the sofa in our living/kitchen space for emergency hosting.
Connecting over dreams and aspirations
It's been amazing. As an emergency host we only offer a couple of nights at the time, often for those who have had to leave home office accommodation but haven't managed to find somewhere to live. In that period there’s so much to navigate in such a short time, so we were delighted to try to help bridge the gap.
We had a young man from Sudan arrive. He stayed for two nights and was incredibly sweet and respectful of the shared space. We had dinner together one night and talked about his aspirations (to become a professional football player, he had previously played semi-professionally in Sudan), what life was like before the internet and TikTok (he was young, he couldn't imagine how boring it must have been). He’d been through a lot, and was so keen to make his life here, improve his English, and was so appreciative of everyone who had shown him kindness.
The reality of hosting
Sometimes the idea of hosting feels like a lot. Practically speaking, it's giving up space in a small flat in a crowded city and needing to navigate living with a stranger, if only for a few nights. In a society where it is increasingly easy to have a comfortable and independent existence, pushing ourselves to think beyond immediate creature comforts and pursue this experience was so worth it. Our guest was only here for a few nights but remains very present in our mind and helped recommit us to being part of a welcoming society. Volunteering with Refugees at Home showed we can do something small and practical to make a huge difference.
Refugees at Home
Refugees at Home connect people to refugees and people seeking asylum who are in need of somewhere to stay.
Together we are Waltham Forest
Imogen’s story is part of a wider story of community and celebrating acts of kindness around our borough. Through our campaign Together we are Waltham Forest, we celebrate the positive change happening every day, from residents and businesses to community groups, partners, and the council.