It’s been an interesting first six months as a Refugee Integration Services caseworker. I never really thought I would end-up in a role like this.
All through university I thought I was destined for policy work. All the same, it has been an incredible experience helping people navigate the many new challenges they face after they’ve gone through the asylum process. Everything from finding housing, getting work or even getting involved in their communities.
Admittedly working at Scottish Refugee Council can be intense. Although I haven’t been here long, my case load already numbers over a hundred and I add five new people to my client list every week.
By the end of my first year I’ll have 260 clients at different stages of the asylum process and I’ll keep up that case load (at least) as long as I work here. That being said I feel very privileged to meet so many interesting and inspiring people as part of my job. The variety is incredible, not just the difference between cultures but also how different individuals react to the system.
Helping people through a complex system
Managing expectations is a big part of what Scottish Refugee Council does. The changeover from UKBA support to mainstream support can be a long and jarring experience. It often feels like one step forward and two steps back, so we make a big effort to try to ease people through it. I’ve had so many clients who are so thankful for anything I am able to help them with, while others sometimes don’t seem to understand that we are not just another branch of the UK Border Agency.
Ordinary people in extraordinary situations
The diversity has really touched me on another level though.
Seeing the broad range of people that we deal with has made me realise that the issues that refugees face are often the same ones that everyone faces.
They worry about finding a home or getting a job, finding a place to study or making sure their children are settling into the new neighbourhood. I’ve even had one or two clients who’ve asked me how they can improve their English to meet girls or how they can get a job making beer!
My experience working here has really changed the way I see refugees. They are not some special category or some subset of society. They are ordinary people who have been put in an incredibly difficult position through no fault of their own. As a case worker it’s my job to try to help them through to the other side.
