I still remember the refugee welcome movement in 2015 and 2016. It was very heart-warming to see lots of people across the UK who were keen and ready to do their bits to address the refugee crisis.
During those early days, there
were many pragmatic people exploring the possibility of having refugee sponsorship
scheme in the UK similar to that of Canada, where people could step in and do
what they are good at – welcoming newcomers and taking them in an exciting
journey of welcome and integration.
With the introduction of the
Community Sponsorship Scheme in the UK; and the willingness of people around
the country to embrace the scheme and see it succeed, we saw a steady success
of the scheme. As people were welcoming refugees through the Community Sponsorship
scheme, we could see ordinary people doing extraordinary things from Manchester
to Merton, from Pembrokeshire in Wales
to Edinburgh in Scotland and beyond.
As the scheme developed, there
was one vital question people often asked. Can we identify a refugee ourselves?
Can we name and sponsor them? Hence the
call for named sponsorship, whose time has now come.
I remember the time I was
fortunate to spend in Canada studying about the refugee sponsorship scheme and
hearing its impact from the likes of Jim Estill of Danby Appliances and from
colleagues and friends at University of Ottawa’s Refugee Hub, University of Windsor
and many other great places across Canada.
Thanks to The ChurchillFellowship for the opportunity to visit Canada those days. I was able to see
the best of refugee sponsorship scheme and learnt how it empowers civil society
to do what is right at the right time. I saw refugee sponsorship as a Community
Organising and Leadership Development tool. I saw it as an enabler for building
power; as an enabler for helping leaders to participant in public life; as an
enabler for building institutions; and as an engine for taking meaningful actions.
For the reportage on my learning in
Canada and the recommendations written following my fellowship in 2018, please
click HERE
I trust the new named sponsorship
scheme could help us organise in depth; and bring a sense of urgency and togetherness
during this challenging time. The named sponsorship scheme avails opportunities
to community leaders, community groups, universities, businesses and others to
step in. Time to explore this exciting scheme and try it for yourself.
For more on the scheme, please click
HERE
