Kirsty White is Trust and Supporter Officer at Scottish Refugee Council
“People have learned from the news but now hearing the real-life version people can be surprised”.
These are the words of one of our volunteer refugee speakers following his talk to a local school. Our Refugee Speaker Programme aims to open a dialogue between Scots and refugees by linking refugee speakers with local organisations such as primary and secondary schools, churches, youth groups and universities. As was the case for this group, hearing a talk from a first- hand perspective can often create more understanding towards refugees.
Speakers share a story of survival in fleeing their home country and the challenges to be overcome in rebuilding life in Scotland. This has helped students and other listeners to understand how the kind of issues faced by refugees affect them and consider how they themselves would deal with these challenges.
Building understanding
We’re fortunate to have speakers from Iran, Pakistan, DRC, Afghanistan and Ivory Coast taking part. Our speakers’ experience and knowledge is shared through a presentation, followed by a question and answer session.
“After every talk I get more confidence” and it helps me “meet new people”, one of our speakers tells me. This is great news and part of what we hope the programme achieves, in providing increased opportunities for volunteer speakers to develop their own networks and confidence.
Likewise, feedback from Scots audiences has been incredibly positive. As one student, Sophie, from the University of Edinburgh, told our speaker “it was an amazing opportunity to listen to your story and the challenges you have faced… You spoke with such strength and determination and drew attention to so many important issues and weaknesses of the current asylum system.”
Speaker success
This year Scottish Refugee Council has been delighted to work with many organisations who have invited a speaker. One such organisation is the University of Glasgow Education Department, which is working with schools looking at literary texts that relate to refugees.
In addition to those studying literature we have worked with modern studies and geography classes and teachers teaching citizenship studies. Lindsay Clancy, a teacher at Larbert High School, says: “My class very much enjoyed their visit. It fit well with the wider curriculum and learning about global issues.”
Engaging with a speaker, pupils learn about issues ranging from the asylum system, to the personal touches speakers bring such as knowledge of cocoa bean farming at the Ivory Coast or bright and brilliant textile fashions from DRC.
Reality for refugees
Students find out about other countries and can see the asylum process and the way it affects people as a real issue, relevant to their lives and the lives of those around them. Students and teachers have continued to work together following a talk to see what actions they can take to improve their schools and communities for others.
We hope that listeners will then consider what they could do to support refugees and take action to make life that bit easier for those making a new life in Scotland.
If you would like to hear from one of our speakers at your school, college, university, church or community group, we are taking bookings now for autumn/winter. We are also interested to hear from you if you are a refugee or asylum seeker interested in becoming a speaker.
Get in touch to book a speaker or become a speaker or call Kirsty White on 0141 223 7921 to find out more
