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“Our children tease me when we mispronounce certain words with the authentic regional accent,” explains Samir*, an Afghan refugee whose family has made a home in their new life in the English countryside.

Initially, he explains, it was hard for the family to adapt to rural life in their new area, but eventually they had assimilated into the neighbourhood so completely that his children, who have adopted the regional accent, tease him about his different one.

“Now our community is becoming a diverse community,” adds Samir, who together with his family was resettled to the UK following the situation in his nation of origin.

The Role of Local Support Schemes

Part of the ease with which they have settled is due to support from a community sponsorship scheme. It offers refugees with all-encompassing support from a team of locals who agree to raise money, source reasonably-priced accommodation, and help with the basic hurdles of life in a foreign land.

This includes studying English, accessing employment, study or support services, and signing up with a GP and dental practice.

Samir states that thanks to their sponsorship group, the family have settled in successfully – including the regional accents.

Official Expansion Hopes

The government manages the scheme, which is part of several refugee resettlement programmes. The Home Secretary has said she hoped to further develop this model.

“With control established, we will create new, capped routes for refugees for whom this country will be the first, safe haven they encounter. We will make community sponsorship the norm, so we know that the rate and size of change does not exceed what a local area is willing to accept,” she remarked.

A Grandmotherly Role

Sue Wall, part of a supporting group in the area, says that as a grandmother, she naturally adopts the same figure with the arriving families.

“That’s an identity that the families understand. If you help people become integrated they are more able to return to their previous profession or something similar to it, which helps with their sense of identity and self-esteem. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a whole town to raise a family,” she says.

Community Control and Strong Outcomes

Susannah Baker, the chair of a sponsorship alliance, supports plans to develop targeted matching, allowing communities to be paired with refugee families they think will be a suitable match.

“This puts the power firmly in the hands of communities, allowing them to select and support refugees they are ready to support,” she says. “It is both caring and controlled, delivering strong settlement results because communities are active partners from the beginning. When residents are involved early, arrivals learn English more rapidly, find work sooner, and become part of community life.”

Stories of Settlement

Maryam’s Story: From Anxiety to Belonging

Maryam*, a 17-year-old from Syria refugee, came to Bristol with her family in 2018. The family was aided by a group of sponsors known as Westbury Welcome.

“When I was three I walked with my family from Syria to Jordan because of the big war in my country,” says Maryam. At first, the change between the bustling area of Jordan and the quiet street where they were given a home was a shock, she says.

“In Jordan there are many people. When we arrived here we were given a house but when we looked out of the window and saw there was no one in the street, it was really daunting for me. I said to my mum, ‘should we just go back to Jordan?’ I think without the support group we would have been stuck in a cycle of not comprehending things.”

She says one of her first memories was the meal the group cooked for the family after collecting them up from the airport. “They cooked us Middle Eastern rice and chicken. I think it was the biggest meal I had eaten in my life.”

Now the family are part of their community. Maryam is working towards her A-levels and is hoping to then take a year out before attending university.

“Not everyone comprehends why we came to the UK. We didn’t come for fun. Having supporters help us with everything from finding a GP to understanding how the buses work made things so much better for us.”

Eveline’s Perspective: Mutual Benefit

Eveline Johnstone, part of the group supporting Maryam’s family, said they set themselves up under the guidance of a national charity that supports those who want to become community sponsors.

The group has subsequently supported other families. “It’s great for the families to have a network of people to support them and it’s rewarding for us to do something positive and to welcome people. I have learned so much from the people who have come here,” Johnstone says.

Ori’s New Life: Roses and Strength

For Ori*, a Syrian mother, one of the joys of living in the southwest – along with the immense support she has received – is having a garden.

“Back home we lived in an apartment block and the garden was on the roof. Here we live in a house with an upstairs and a downstairs, and I can grow roses, camellias, vines and herbs,” she says.

Jane Kivlin is a member of the group that has supported Ori and her family after being moved by a movie about how a Syrian refugee family are at first greeted with hostility but ultimately welcomed. She says of Ori’s family: “They are incredibly strong. They find a lot of things quite difficult but I don’t think I have seen any despair.”

Support in Scotland: A Springboard

Abby Boutlee, part of a group supporting an Afghan family in a Scottish village, says: “It has gone really well. The family have a difficult history and some health problems but they are eager to be ‘part of Scotland’ and are keen to add to the life of the village. There are 14 of us supporting them and we hope to be a springboard for them into a new life where they can find their feet.”

A Final Reflection

“When we first arrived it was difficult for us,” says Samir. “We found it a very still place compared to the city we had come from. We felt very alone and didn’t know anyone. Now I’ve succeeded in my driving test and have been offered a postgraduate course. We have made lots of friends here.

“Although we come from a completely different country and culture, we have so much in shared experience with the people of this country. Community sponsorship is a brilliant way to support people in crisis, and to foster trust between people from diverse backgrounds.”

*Names have been changed