Hidden Voices

HIDDEN VOICES

Work With Young Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Published by Charnwood Arts - Registered Charity 505977 February 2008 ISBN 973-1-903947-19-7 Š 2008 Andrew Lake and Kevin Ryan (photographs).

The poem and photographs of Meena on pages 24-25 are reproduced with the copyright permission of RAWA. Other work is the property of the authors and no part of this book may be reproduced without permission of the authors or publisher.

Dedications This publication is dedicated with honour to all the refugees who never completed their journeys and to all the families who gave their lives to enable their children to seek freedom and safety.

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Acknowledgements The author would like to give thanks to Amanda Weeks, his clerical worker who successfully managed to put his scribblings into a typed format.

To Kevin Ryan and Natalie Chabaud at Charnwood Arts who produced the images with the members of Dreamers, edited the material and designed the finished format.

But the biggest thanks goes to the young people of Dreamers who have shared their stories and memories with him. ‘Dreamers members have been some of the best teachers I have had. They have taught me about the value of freedom and equality, inspired me with their determination and strength. They gave me a rich insight into other cultures and challenged me professionally and emotionally. They have enriched me and I have felt proud to support them and watch their progress and growth’.

Andrew Lake, Youth Worker.

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Contents 1

Dedications

2

Acknowledgements

3

Contents

4

About this publication

7

Introducing Dreamers

9

Definitions

10

In the Beginning

11

The Meeting

13

What’s in a Name?

14

Youth Work in Action

17

Discovering Youth Work and The Lessons for All of Us

18

Together We Are Stronger

21

Realities and Lives

24

Meena - I’ll Never Return

26

The Journeys

31

There is Always Fear

34

The Reality

37

The Importance of Culture and History

40

Surviving the Emotional Roller Coaster

45

Does Building Community Cohesion = Integration?

49

Exploring Understanding

52

A Long History of U.K. Refugees

53

A Pocket History of U.K. Refugee Arrivals

55

Some Contributions made by Asylum Seekers

57

The Economic Contribution

59

Educational Workshops, Sessions, Activities, Experiences undertaken by Members of Dreamers

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Quote from Kofi Annan Hidden Voices

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About this

Publication The ‘Hidden Voices’ publication endeavours to record the development of the ‘Dreamers’. Dreamers is a Leicestershire Youth Service project.

It provides support and informal educational opportunities for young asylum seekers and refugees aged 13-25 years. The project operates in the county of Leicestershire.

At the core of this publication are the personal reflections of youth worker Andrew Lake who established Dreamers in May 2002. For 4 years Andrew recorded his conversations with young asylum seekers in his professional diaries. Extracts from these recordings form the basis of much of this publication.

‘Many places in the world have problems of war, famine, political unrest, economic chaos and so on. It is easy for us in the UK to think all these problems are elsewhere, but they are not, because if you really listen to young asylum seekers living amongst us, the world and its ills are right on our doorsteps... ...Often we don’t hear their voices,

they are the hidden voices’.

(Andrew Lake, Youth Worker)

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Introducing

Dreamers Dreamers is a refugee and asylum seekers support group for young people based in Leicestershire. It is run by Leicestershire Youth Service.

Dreamers is remarkable because of the young people who are involved in it.

These young people came together to find strength and a voice.

They came together to fight the racism and prejudice they faced in the country they had fled to for care and protection, Britain.

They came together to care for each other, unified by their displacement from their families and homelands by war, brutality and the lack of freedom.

Dreamers helps them to learn some of the skills, knowledge and understanding of Britain that they needed to rebuild themselves and their lives so far from home in a strange land, and often with no families to support them.

Dreamers supports nearly 100 young people whose homelands include, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Albania, and Kosovo.

The project has won many awards for its work including a B.T. Seen and Heard Award and a Philip Lawrence Award.

To find out more about Dreamers visit: www.thejitty.com/dreamers.html or email: alake@leics.gov.uk Hidden Voices

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Definitions What is a Refugee?

The 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees defines refugees as: “someone owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality and is unable or, owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country” This definition was drafted in the aftermath of the Holocaust and applied only to Europe.

Sixteen years later it was revised and strengthened with the addition of a protocol which was applied and accepted by the Conventions signatories, of which Britain is one. The change added in the term “without geographic limitation”. The Convention no longer covered just European refugees, but gave recognition to refugees world wide.

What is an Asylum Seeker?

Someone who has fled persecution in their country of origin, has arrived in another country, made themselves known to the authorities and exercised their right to apply for asylum.

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In the

Beginning Dreamers began in May 2002 when Andrew Lake, a Leicestershire County Council youth worker, bumped into 17 year old Selim on one of the staircases of Loughborough College. Apologies were exchanged but Andrew noticed Selim’s strong accent. Andrew asked Selim where he was from. With pride Selim told him he was Kosovan.

Over a cup of coffee Selim informed Andrew that he was a refugee, awaiting asylum status. He told Andrew about the struggle and isolation refugees faced. Many of them he knew were unaccompanied, without families. He highlighted how refugees felt on the outside of the wider community, often feeling unwanted and not valued. He felt that the situation of refugees and asylum seekers was misrepresented by some newspapers and some television programmes. He made mention of how he felt they fuelled public misconceptions and misunderstanding and in many ways built up prejudices and hatred towards refugees and asylum seekers.

Selim had never met a youth worker before. Andrew told him about the profession and its history.

Andrew told him he believed youth workers could help young asylum seekers. The two arranged to meet the following day at Mountfields Lodge Youth Centre in Loughborough. Andrew asked Selim to invite other refugees he knew to come to the meeting. Selim said that ‘it was unlikely that any would come as they don’t trust anyone’.

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the

Meeting

Selim came to the pre-arranged meeting, accompanied by another young man, Fil, also from Kosovo, who did not speak English, so Selim translated the discussion in Albanian. Andrew explored with them the idea of establishing a youth group for young refugees and asylum seekers.

A long discussion. The two young men believed that it would achieve little, questioning who would support such a group.

‘You are joking with us, why would people help us set a group up, no-one wants to help us’. Fil,17 Andrew sought to challenge the two young asylum seekers’ view points further.

‘You must be mad, you say even the M.P would listen to us at Parliament.

The only way we would be allowed into Parliament would be to smash our way into it with a bulldozer like they did with the dome’. Selim,17 It was time for the youth worker to take a risk.

‘To succeed you must first believe in yourselves. If young refugees and asylum seekers come together and work together they can change and challenge things. You have already changed me, you have made me think, explored issues with me and taught me many things in just a few hours.

I believe we can go to Parliament to talk with an M.P.. In June International Refugee Week Occurs. Let’s set our sights on trying to visit Parliament during that week’. Andrew Lake, youth worker Another meeting was organised for the following week. This time six young people attended. A few weeks later eight young people met with Andy Reed M.P. at the Houses of Parliament exploring with him the issues and difficulties they were facing.

‘I never ever thought I would ever be able to speak to an M.P. – this is real freedom and it feels great’.

...Dreamers had begun.

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What’s in

a name?

Early on in the development of the project, Andrew asked the young people to give the project a distinct name. This was felt necessary to help define the project, assist the marketing and to help people identify and place the project.

The young people called the project Dreamers.

When asked, the young people said they chose the name collectively.

Their reasoning gave insight into their developing self understanding.

‘We are all Dreamers.

When we travelled and when things got tough it was our dreams that kept us going. We dreamed of freedom and safety. Dreamers it will be.’

So Dreamers became the name the group adopted.

Dreamers also adopted a sleeping figure logo. This was selected as it was felt it symbolised the safety and security of having somewhere safe to sleep.

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Y outh W ork in A ction Since the Dreamers project started, the youth work staff have sought to develop a programme of informal educational activities and experiences that meet the complex and multi-dimensional needs of the young people. The youth work staff members have worked tirelessly, creatively and with a sense of complete commitment and determination which is admirable. Every week the staff team plan and run group activities. The breadth of the educational content covered is huge. All of the workshops and sessions are usually very well attended. Indeed many of the weekly sessions are over subscribed.

Some of the educational sessions focus on life skills, others on independent living, sexual and other health related areas are included, understanding freedom and politics, supporting each other, understanding other agencies and organisations and how to approach them for help. Dealing with anger, bereavement, and other complex emotions have also been explored. Dreamers has provided its members with a voice, not just in their local community but nationally at Parliament with MP’s and leaders of other national organisations and officials, such as the UN Ambassador for Refugees in the UK. Dreamers has provided activities and opportunities for the young people to learn to speak English. The staff team has run umpteen opportunities for Dreamers members to practice using their developing English language skills and understanding of English customs, such as Bonfire Night and Valentines Day. We have taught some members how to tie shoelaces, go camping, try rock climbing, ice skating (for some it was the first time they had seen ice!). Having fun was not ignored.

Many of the Dreamers members tell the youth workers of their boredom, lack of integration and inclusion, poverty and isolation and of their lost childhoods.

The active and creative interpretation of Leicestershire County Council’s Youth Work Curriculum has, for the Dreamers young people, directly confronted and challenged these issues.

The young people have grown in confidence, in emotional strength and stability. Many of them have learnt English very fast and are achieving good results in school and college.

Much of the credit for their success is down to their determination and hard work to make something of themselves.

They are a credit to themselves and to their families.

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Discovering Youth Work and the Lessons for All of Us Nearly all the young people who have joined Dreamers have never heard of, or met a youth worker or have even heard of a Youth Service.

It is a very strange and unfamiliar concept to them.

They have never visited a youth centre.

It is critical for youth workers working with refugees to provide a clear explanation of what youth work is to young people. What is a Youth Service? What is the history of the Youth Service? How youth workers are different to Social Workers. What informal education is and so on.

The young people in Dreamers were often very suspicious of the youth workers.

‘Are you part of the Home Office and Immigration?’

‘Do you keep records about us and, if you do, why?’

‘Do youth workers tell the Home Office about us?’

Establishing trust was critical with the young people and part of that process was the explanation of youth work. Dreamers staff explain to every new member how they work, what the Youth Service principles and values are and how they compliment and are different to other professionals such as Social Workers. The young people ask questions about how Youth Workers manage, keep and share information about them.

Youth workers should be crystal clear and honest about these issues.

They need to build trust and understanding.

I believe many professionals in organisations and agencies should consider how they also respond when meeting asylum seekers. How many of us take the time to explain who we are, what we do and how we do it? This lays a firmer foundation for building social inclusion.

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Together We Are

Stronger

Dreamers has sought to build and nurture a better community and understanding about refugees and asylum seekers. It has used many methods to achieve this.

The project has had information stalls at community events and festivals providing information and informing the general public about the real facts about refugees and asylum seekers.

Dreamers youth workers have visited schools and youth projects to talk with teenagers about the asylum issue.

In partnership with Charnwood Arts, Dreamers have developed Global All Stars. All Stars is a multi-national football team. Players come from many backgrounds including Iraq, Iran, Britain, Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The team has successfully mixed young refugees and asylum seekers with local British young people. The Global All Stars have played many other football teams, including the Police, Loughborough University and Glen Parva young offenders centre. All Stars breaks down barriers, fosters understanding and provides Dreamers members with a valuable way of connecting with their host community.

Escape to Safety is a multi media educational experience inside a converted lorry. Dreamers brought this experience to Charnwood. By listening to headphones, visitors to the lorry travel through it, visiting different zones that explain the refugee experience. In an intensive week Escape to Safety received over 600 visitors.

Associated educational workshops were also run for visiting schools and youth groups.

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Dreamers produced a publication entitled ‘Land of Dreams’, working with Paul Gent and Kevin Ryan from Charnwood Arts. The book provided Dreamers with an opportunity to express their views, opinions and thoughts about life in the UK, their encounters with racism and their reflections on the political environment under which asylum seekers live. Land of Dreams became an award winning publication that won the Dreamers a Philip Lawrence Award in December 2005.

All this work aims to challenge racism, prejudice and misunderstanding.

Many of the participants in the Dreamers community educational activities have cited how little they really knew about refugees and asylum seekers and how little they heard that was sensible debate, based on a proper, factual foundation.

But what is perhaps more important is that this work gives Dreamers young people some power, a chance to have a voice and opportunities to use it. Such expression is a celebration of freedom.

Something Dreamers members value greatly.

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Realities and Lives Dreamers young people face many complex difficulties resulting from their varied experiences. Very often they continue to cope with these alone. Most of the Dreamers members arrive alone – separated from the support of their own families, friends and communities. It is critical for people working with refugees to appreciate the range of young people’s possible experiences.

Dreamers young people have experienced or witnessed: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

War, bombing or shelling The destruction of their homes The violent death of family or friends The injury of family or friends Getting separated from family Being injured themselves The arrest of family or friends Being arrested of detained themselves Being tortured Being forced to join armies or militias Rape, sexual assault and abuse Grave shortage of food, water and necessities The fear of discovery or arrest Hostility and racism in the host countries Material deprivation in their host countries Being with people who do not understand or know about the violent events they have experienced Isolation in their host countries.

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“I looked back from the hill top. I could see my house was on fire.”

Young person aged 16 “I lost my mother, father and sister. They are alive, I have to have that hope. We were on the same journey but somehow got separated.”

Young person aged 17 “Saddam’s people killed my brother and sister. Now the British and Americans have killed my mother and father with their bombs.

I just want to die and be with them.” Iraqi aged 16

Resultingly many of the Dreamers members have significant mental and emotional difficulties.

“I feel I only want to die. Everyday I feel like killing myself.”

Iranian 17 “I cut myself. I burn myself with cigarettes.” Kurd 19 “I hear the voices of those men in my head all the time. I can’t get them out of it”. Iranian 17 “I hear prison. I hear my torturers. I can’t leave them behind in my past.”

Kurd 16 “I feel violent when I remember what those men did to me.” Kurd 15

The result of such dreadful experiences has generated within our community a group of young people who struggle, sometimes against unbelievable odds to try and rebuild themselves with new lives.

Their isolation can be increased by racism and prejudice towards them. There is a great deal of misunderstanding about asylum seekers.

The Dreamers members I know feel that generally the wider community they live in do not care about them and indeed can resent their presence in the community.

Asylum seekers’ stories are often not believed by immigration officials.

Every detail must be remembered and retold. I have seen first hand the human suffering this whole process can create, the opening of old wounds and experiences hurts.

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Meena Meena founded RAWA (Revolutionary Afghan Women’s Association).

She was a student of law at Kabul University when she established the association in 1977 at the age of twenty. The aim of RAWA was equality for women.

When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan RAWA went underground and continued to campaign for a free and democratic Afghanistan.

Meena did this through non-violent means: poetry.

“I’ll Never Return” is one of her inspiring poems published in “Payam-e-Zan” No.1,1981.

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I’ll never return I’m the woman who has awoken I’ve arisen and become a tempest through the ashes of my burnt children I’ve arisen from the rivulets of my brother’s blood My nation’s wrath has empowered me My ruined and burnt villages fill me with hatred against the enemy, I’m the woman who has awoken, I’ve found my path and will never return.

I’ve opened closed doors of ignorance I’ve said farewell to all golden bracelets Oh compatriot, I’m not what I was I’m the woman who has awoken I’ve found my path and will never return.

I’ve seen barefoot, wandering and homeless children I’ve seen henna-handed brides with mourning clothes I’ve seen giant walls of the prisons swallow freedom in their ravenous stomach I’ve been reborn amidst epics of resistance and courage I’ve learned the song of freedom in the last breaths, in the waves of blood and in victory Oh compatriot, Oh brother, no longer regard me as weak and incapable With all my strength I’m with you on the path of my land’s liberation.

My voice has mingled with thousands of arisen women My fists are clenched with the fists of thousands of compatriots Along with you I’ve stepped up to the path of my nation, To break all these sufferings all these fetters of slavery, Oh compatriot, Oh brother, I’m not what I was I’m the woman who has awoken I’ve found my path and will never return.

Meena became a refugee. She fled to Pakistan and set up a hospital. She told the Pakistan Police that she was receiving death threats but received no protection. She was found one day strangled with a thin cord. She was just 30 years old.

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The Journeys There are many media stories about the journeys refugees and asylum seekers are making to reach our shores. They usually centre on people traffickers, the Channel Tunnel, people hidden in lorries and so on. They usually give the impression that all asylum seekers are making this journey to reach England and the country is usually portrayed as a land of milk and honey, which offers immediate access to housing and benefits. This is far from the reality.

Sometimes the media report the tragedies that occur as people freeze, suffocate or starve to death inside lorries and containers.

These stories give a different insight into the journeys.

Dreamers members often talk with their youth workers about their journeys. Many of these feature aspects of suffering, struggle, strength and bravery. They reflect the remarkable inner strength the young people have – they are often survivors. Sadly much of the media fail to give recognition to these human stories. Instead the focus is sadly on the mode of transport. This approach serves to further distance people from understanding the fear, trauma and desperation that many journeys feature.

‘I paid this man all my money to get me out of Albania. For days the lorry travelled. I did not know how many days as I was in the dark all the time. I had no food or water. He never stopped to feed me or give me water. The lack of food I got used to, but not water. I knew the lorry had stopped moving and I knew I was in there a long time. I gave up hope and prepared to die. I was so afraid. The Police eventually opened up the lorry. It was parked. The Police were talking a strange language; I now know it was English. They took me to hospital and cared for me. The first people who treated me with respect. They saved my life.’ Young Albanian person aged 17 ‘I walked and walked. When I arrived in England I was 15 year old. I couldn’t walk any more as my feet had very bad frostbite. The Police took me to hospital and I stayed there for my feet to get better.’

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‘I ended up in a big refugee camp in France. It was dangerous. Some men would fight. It was run by mafia more than the authorities. Some people carried weapons, they were scared. I was scared to sleep and always watched my back. I was very lonely. No one seemed to care about us.’ Kosovan now aged 18 ‘My mum told us to hide inside a tree with a big hole in it (a hollow tree). She told me and my brother to be quiet as there were bad people outside who would hurt us. She told us a story of a spider who lived in the tree who would spin his web around us to hide from the bad people.’ Kosovan aged 11 ‘My sister was only little, I think she was 4 or 5. She didn’t make the journey. She died. We had to bury her. My mum was so sad. She is still very sad.’ Kosovan aged 11 ‘I lost my sister, mother and father on the journey. We got separated.

I don’t know if they are dead or alive, but I hope every day they lived. That is all I can do, hope.’ Young person now aged 18 Listening to the young people’s stories was, for the Youth Workers, the first time they had heard such accounts. The accounts of these journeys are often moving. They highlight bravery and courage.

No-one would make such journeys that often feature loss and despair to scam the benefits system. Most of the Dreamers members highlight the main aim of their journey was to find safety and a sense that someone cared for them.

Sometimes the young people have left their homelands for other reasons. Some of these stories reflect honourable and often brave aspects to their reasoning.

‘Saddam’s people wanted me to go to a camp. He takes lots of children to these camps. At them they train you to be a person who ties bombs to their bodies to blow up people. I do not want to do this to other people so I made the decision to run away and try to fight him.’ Young Iraqi Kurd aged 14 at the time ‘I came to England to fight Saddam. I thought the Army would take me.’ Young Kurd aged 16 Hidden Voices

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There is Always

Fear

Some of the members of Dreamers have endured torture. Some carry forever the scars of the brutality with which they were treated.

“They brought the gun down on my eye. I am blind in one eye. I see nothing in it and I hate the scars.” Young person aged 16 “The Police used surgical instruments on me. I was very young, perhaps 14 years old. They used a scalpel to scar me. I was very afraid, I thought I was going to die. After they released me I went to the hospital to find a Doctor, they wouldn’t help me unless I went back to the Police and got a letter from them saying they gave permission for the hospital to help me. My family bound my wounds.”

Young person aged 23 “They hit me with a pistol on my windpipe which is why I now need an operation.” Young person aged 17 “The Police tied me upside down and fastened me to a metal bar that spanned the room. They put electricity through my body. I thought I was going to die.” Young person aged 17 Often the professional response is to offer counselling. It is in my experience that counselling is something of an ‘alien’ concept to the Dreamers members. It’s European, when many refugees aren’t.

Dreamers members see little reason or value in re-living it. Indeed, I have arrived at the point where I believe the Dreamers members should have the right to decide how and when they want to express their experiences and feelings.

Some of the young people want and indeed need to block out their accounts of horror. It is crucial for professionals not to push for their stories, to allow the young person to control their own boundaries.

Often I feel that not wanting to recall their refugee experiences was the only thing holding that young person emotionally together.

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‘I cannot return in my mind to my past, it’s too horrible to do that. I want to forget and not see it again.’ Young person aged 17 ‘In time I want to tell you many things, but right now forgetting is best.’ Young person aged 16

‘How old are you?’ Andrew Lake ‘I’m two.’ Young person ‘I don’t understand, you don’t look two’ Andrew Lake ‘I’m two because my life did not begin until I came to this country. Everything before that time did not exist.

Everything before then is pain.’ Young person

Language barriers made it difficult sometimes to talk.

For example: ‘I want to talk with you so much, but I don’t know the English words to say how I feel.’ Young person - said in broken English ‘Your tears tell me a lot, words will come later.’ Youth worker ‘If I told you the worst I would have to sit in a room with you for days with boxes of tissues to wipe my tears. I can’t do this.’ Young person

It is important for professionals to learn to wait.

The pace should be set by the young person.

‘Andrew, I’ve known you for three years now and it is now that I will tell you of my Father’s murder and what I saw.’ Albanian aged 18

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The Reality If a young person wants to claim asylum in the UK the luxury of waiting for a young person to share their story does not exist. To build a case, young people who may be distressed, afraid or traumatised will have to recount their stories to solicitors, immigration officials, home office workers, social workers and so on. Usually most of these people are strangers. This is processing people. It is a tough and harsh method of asylum assessment. The recounting of stories doesn’t happen once, but must be done several times at various stages of the asylum process.

Personally for me, this asylum assessment method makes me feel uncomfortable. Is this a decent and right way to treat our fellow human beings?

‘I helped my uncle hand out leaflets that spoke out against the government. They took me to prison. For six months, every day I was beaten and tortured. It never stopped. I hear the voices of those men in my head now. I can’t get them out of my head. All that shouting and noise is still inside me.’ Young Iranian,18 ‘Every day my dad would come to the prison and ask for news of me, every day and they told him nothing.’ Iranian,17 ‘You can just disappear in Iraq. Saddam’s Police favourite is to bury you alive in the sands of the desert.’ Kurd, 20 The effects upon the young people are complex, ranging from complete denial, to hatred and anger and many of them complain of sleepless nights and emotional problems.

‘You look like you aren’t sleeping well.’ Youth worker ‘I am not sleeping. I woke in the night feeling afraid. I know there is nothing to be afraid of, that I am safe, but there is always fear.’ Young person aged 17 Many of the group are deeply afraid of the Police. They mistrust them.

Often when they are the victims of crime in the UK, the young people will not report the offences to the Police. This non reporting is very common.

Assaults and racist attacks are endured in silence.

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The Importance of

Culture and History Throughout the development of Dreamers, the youth workers discovered it was crucial that they learn about the history and culture of where the young people came from.

This is necessary because: •

It helps build the relationship between the young persons and the professional worker. It helps establish trust and understanding.

‘I cannot believe that you knew about my country’s flag and independence after 400 years of Turkish rule’. Albanian, 17 •

It enables a non-judgemental style of work to continue, when sometimes this can be very challenging to maintain. For example, to try to understand the reality of war and child soldiers was crucial in exploring some horrendous experiences.

‘I was a sniper. You ask me what it felt like to look down a rifle at a person I was going to shoot. I felt nothing. I was cold. I had no feelings, not even hatred. It wasn’t a person I saw, it was just a thing’.

16 year old former child soldier ‘In Eriteria I know it’s important for young men to be quiet and undemanding, but to live in Britain you have to be assertive and stand up for yourselves’. Youth worker •

Getting nearer the culture allows yourself to appreciate, acknowledge and value the young people. It is about strengthening and deepening anti-oppressive practice and refining the commitment to equal opportunities. To recognise and celebrate difference is critical in helping the young people keep some semblance of cultural identity.

‘We love it when you sing the songs of the deserts and mountains. It enriches our lives, it’s beautiful’. Youth worker on a mini bus journey with members.

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•

Knowing the history and culture of the young people allows youth workers to be more effective in providing guidance and support.

‘We want to talk about alcohol and girls. Some of us have started drinking and having sex, but don’t feel good about it. We feel we are drinking a lot.’ Comment at the beginning of a youth work session based around adjusting to life in Britain.

‘Okay, let’s talk about life in Iraq. In Iraq you didn’t have much freedom. Drinking alcohol wasn’t as widespread as here and girls were probably not very free and liberated (a good debate ensued here). In England, you are very free to do what you want, but you must follow the laws and freedom nearly always comes with responsibility. Let’s talk about freedom and how you can be more responsible with alcohol and relationships.’ Youth worker beginning to explore the issues with Dreamers members from Iraq.

•

Understanding the historical context helps youth workers to rise to the challenges of the work and to remove some of the difficulties that arise.

‘It’s ok to be in a group. In this country it is allowed and encouraged.

Don’t worry about meeting together, it is good to be together.’ Youth worker ‘We are afraid to be together talking about politics. In our country some of us would disappear for talking like this. We find this freedom very difficult and unbelievable.’ A Dreamers member •

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To learn about other countries, cultures, customs, beliefs and history can be interesting, stimulating and enriching for the worker.

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Surviving the Emotional Roller Coaster “This work is like going on an emotional roller coaster, huge highs and lows and you don’t know where it’s taking you next.” Youth Worker Sometimes the things young people said were sad, but also very sweet and touching: “Andrew I rang you to tell you how happy I was. The court agreed I can now work in Britain. At last I can work.” Young person aged 17 “That’s great news. I am so pleased for you. Out of interest why did you choose to ring me?” Andrew Lake “Who else have I got to ring. I have no-one to tell how I feel, when I’m happy or sad. That is why I rang you, because I know you care.”

Young person Other times the things said by the young people felt inspirational: “The Serbians stopped us having a voice. That is why they took our education first. Now I can go to college, I can learn. Education is now going to be my weapon. I am going to try to be a human rights lawyer so I can really fight injustice.” Young person aged 18 When trust grew between the youth worker and the young people, horrendous stories would often emerge: “This Serb lined five girls up in the village square and then he cut their throats with a large knife. They bled to death.” Young person aged 16 “I watched in a packed town square as this woman was led into it.

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“I was walking with a lot of refugees, mainly women and children, down a road. I remember the woman next to me was carrying a baby in her arms. I was 15 years old. I don’t know from where, but a rocket propelled hand grenade was fired into us. I was thrown to the ground, I was in such great pain in one of my legs. As I lay there I looked at the woman, she was cut in two, her baby gone and I saw a man’s head rolling down the road, his eyes were still and open.

I got up and kept on walking. Some men helped me to a barn and took the metal from my leg. Here, I will show you the scar. They say I screamed in my sleep for days, but I don’t remember, I just knew I had to keep going.” Young person aged 18 “I saw dead bodies rotting at the side of the road. I just kept walking.” Young person 16 “The worst thing I ever saw was when I became a refugee for the first time fleeing Saddam’s regime. You see I’ve had to flee twice in my life. The first time I was only 9 years old and we had to flee across the mountains in winter. It was so cold, snow was falling, we had no food. I was so hungry. There were hundreds of us walking. I saw a man holding his baby under the water of a stream. It was ice cold water. He was drowning his baby. He couldn’t face seeing his baby suffer anymore.” Kurdish young man

Other stories illustrated great bravery and how sad war can be: “The village was going to be attacked. All the men had gone to fight.

The only people really left to defend it were the Grandmothers and Children. We gathered a few mortars and shells and started launching them. Grandmothers fired them and we boys passed them the shells.

One of my friends, he was 13 years old, passed his Grandmother a shell, it was too big so he hit the end of it with a pistol, it exploded, blinding his Grandmother and blowing off my friend’s hand.” Young person aged 18 “That’s terrible.” Youth worker “Why terrible? My friend pulled himself to his feet and shouted to us he could still fight with his good hand. He was the greatest.” Young person Hidden Voices

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Sometimes the things young people said reflected the deep hatred they held for others who had caused their suffering.

“If they bury Saddam’s son’s, the sands of Iraq will spit them up. The ground will reject them and then we can tear their bodies into little pieces.” Young person aged 23 “If Saddam dies I want to drink his blood.” Young person aged 23 I find working with refugees some of the most emotionally demanding work I have ever done. It wasn’t long before I was staying awake at night.

Eventually, I survived the emotional roller coaster by talking to other professionals in related projects, such as Child Soldier support workers. This helped me to gain an understanding of my role and reset the context of what I was hearing. It allowed me to offload.

Over time I became more skilled in the management of my own emotions.

Sometimes the emotions were very, very, intense, but it is from such intensity that we can reflect on how lucky we are to live in Britain and how valuable freedom really is to us.

Freedom is just something we have, it’s there, but we never really think about it or what our lives would be without it. That is until you meet with openness, a few refugees from far away places carrying so much pain, horror and inspiration inside them.

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Does Building Community Cohesion = Integration?

There is a distinct idea floating around that to achieve greater community cohesion groups have to integrate.

The Dreamers youth workers have established and run a distinct youth group for young refugees and asylum seekers; because of this they have better met the needs of the young people.

The young people have specific support needs that could not be properly met in generic youth provision.

Dreamers has given young people the opportunity to make friends with others who have had similar experiences. They can support each other. Some of the group members describe the group as being like a family to them. It gives them a sense of belonging that helps them to cope with separation from family and other friends. Homesickness, isolation and loneliness are common with asylum seekers.

The fact that some young people travel right across the county to reach the group stands as testament to this. ‘I travel by train and bus to come to Dreamers, many, many miles, just so I can speak Albanian and meet others from my country who will care about me. We have fun together. Dreamers is the only time in a week that I can speak my own language.’ Young Kosovan ages 15 Being part of the group also helps them deal with the discrimination and to feel more positive about their identity as young refugees. The loss of cultural links and immersion in a new culture can also bring up issues of identity. Dreamers youth workers actively encourage the use of first languages and the celebration of cultural and traditional art forms such as dance and song. This builds confidence and unity. It enriches the life of the group and wider community.

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The existence of Dreamers allows peer support based on true co-understanding to occur.

‘How can you ever understand me? You have never had all your family executed and killed in war.’ Young Kurd 17 to Youth Worker ‘No, he can’t understand you, but I can, my family are all dead. I can understand what you feel.’ Albanian 17

Sometimes the best form of support young asylum seekers have is each other.

It is important for the young people to keep in touch with their roots and homeland culture.

‘You should always remember your roots. Imagine a big tree with only little roots – how long would it stand up in a big wind? If you keep your roots you can survive and be strong.’ Youth Worker in discussion with the group ‘Look at this. British Asians. England is made up of many groups of people. I think it is fantastic that people aren’t all trying to be the same and people celebrate their roots. Always be proud of who you are and where you come from.’ Youth worker watching an Asian dance group with Dreamers members ‘The worst I felt is when we visited my Granddad and Gran. Me and my brother couldn’t talk to them as we had forgotten to talk our language. I felt ashamed. Dreamers is helping me to learn and use Albanian again.’ Young Kosovan aged 12 ‘I am so pleased that my sons are going to a group where they can talk Albanian and mix with other Albanian children. I know you let them play Albanian music and let them sing. Thank you so much for showing such respect.’ Albanian father

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The Dreamers sessions at Mountfields Lodge Youth Centre provides the young people with a secure place where they can have contact with professional workers to find out information about their rights and entitlements and what educational and social opportunities are occuring. It also provides them with a comfortable environment to practice and use their developing English. The group also helps them learn new skills to assist them in settling into the community.

Dreamers has given young people the opportunity to have unity and a voice.

‘Dreamers brings us all together. It unifies all refugees and asylum seekers regardless of where they come from. It makes us strong. We have strength together.’ Young Kurd aged 18

Lots of agencies have interacted with the group. Dreamers has provided many agencies with a clear way of reaching what would be a ‘Hard to Reach’ scattered group of young people.

It is the Youth Worker’s opinion that good Community Cohesion is not simply about everyone integrating.

Instead, it is about celebrating diversity and difference. It is about weaving a rich tapestry of different groups together to promote, foster and encourage greater community understanding and tolerance.

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Exploring Understanding I felt a need to explore exactly what local young people thought and knew about asylum seekers and refugees. I visited three groups, one in a secondary school involving 35 young people, another at Loughborough University with 22 Social Policy students and a third at Roundhills Community College Youth Centre in Thurmaston with 16 youth club attendees.

Discussions with the young people proved very disturbing. Their views and opinions were laden with prejudices and reflected the popular myths and untruths promoted by the media and some politicians.

Their views were at times clearly racist and arose from ignorance.

There were virtually no views offered by the young people that were based around compassion, care and moral responsibility.

The groups of young people believed that Britain was swamped with refugees and asylum seekers. They believed that Britain was supporting between 4-10 million refugees. A hugely inflated figure, that bears no resemblance to the real situation. They were shocked to hear that the countries with the most refugees were Iran and Pakistan and that the UK was only the 14th biggest accommodator of refugees in the whole of Europe. The facts are clear: “at the end of 2005 there were 773,500 asylum seekers worldwide.

Of those, 249,300 were in the European Union and in the same year the UK received 25,710 new asylum applications.� Source: Home Office The groups could not define what was a refugee and an asylum seeker. They muddled them up and introduced the concept of illegal immigrants. The groups were surprised to hear about the United Nations Convention on refugees and the legal right afforded to all to seek asylum in Britain.

The groups believed that economic migrant groups such as Poles were asylum seekers. Confusion reigns.

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The young people believed that refugees received lots of welfare benefits and assistance with housing. They were challenged with the fact that asylum seekers cannot have access to mainstream welfare benefits and in fact only receive 70% of income support, and therefore live 30% below the established UK poverty line. They were shocked to discover that refugees receive more in state benefits in the Netherlands, Belgium and Eire.

The Young People in the three focus groups had little idea about the impact of war and poverty on people and when told the true life stories of some of the Dreamers members and their incredible struggle, some of them became emotionally moved to tears.

The young people had little, if any, understanding of the contribution refugees have made to our lives. They were unaware that some of the greatest British institutions, businesses and inventions were created and developed by refugees. They were unaware that refugees contribute far more to the public purse that they take out.

In fact, it is true and sad to say that the groups believed that refugees contributed nothing at all, but came to the UK to scrounge and scam the benefits systems.

After each of the investigative workshops, the attending teachers and youth workers highlighted how they had little knowledge of the refugee issue themselves and how much they had learnt.

There is a real need to educate and encourage the open and honest debate about refugees and asylum seekers in our schools and wider communities.

We need to encourage the exploration of facts and truth.

We need, as a society, to challenge the untruths, myths and lies told about refugees and asylum seekers. For all of us, it is our moral responsibility to help build a society based upon the values of fairness and compassion to those who need our protection and care.

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A Long History of UK Refugees Refugees arriving in the UK is not a recent phenomenon.

As a nation we have a very long and often commendable history of accepting refugees. Our history and culture is enriched with flows of other people into our lands.

Sadly, discussion carried out with focus groups of both adults and young people by Dreamers Youth Workers reveal little appreciation of this. In fact, all members of the groups knew virtually nothing about the UK’s long and rich history of receiving refugees.

The contribution that refugees have made to our economy, culture and community was not appreciated by any members of the focus groups.

The lack of a historical perspective gives failure to the development of a logical and sensible discussion of the refugee issue.

We as a nation must value our past. It is from the past that we learn as a nation. It is often where our community values and principles have emerged.

In consideration of the asylum and refugee issue, should our thoughts be simply about the number of refugees? Sadly much of the debate is around numbers and the impact new refugees and asylum seekers have on the UK’s economy and social capital.

What perhaps should be more central to the thinking is how we can build a nation with care, compassion and kindness at its very heart.

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A Pocket History of UK Refugee Arrivals Date

Numbers

1100 1560-1700 1880-1914 1914-1918 1933-1939 1937 1939-1950 1940-1945 1945-1950

150,000 200,000 250,000 56,000 4,000 250,000 100,000 50,000

1956 1968 1972 1973-1979 1973 1974 1975-1992 1978 1979 1980 1982-1996 1983 1984 1988 1989 1989 1989 1990 1992-1996 1993 1994 1994 1994 1995 1996 1992

17,000 5,000 42,000 3,000 23,000 24,000 24,000 28,000 18,000 23,000 17,000 46,000 6,000 120,000 38,000 23,000 6,500 16,000 9,000 10,000 9,000 7,000 28,000 29,000 8,000 11,000

Arriving Group Details Armenians fleeing Ottoman persecution Protestant arrive from Spain, France and Holland Jews arrive from Poland, Russia, Austria and Romania Belgians arrive Germans, Austrians and Czechs arrive Basque Children arrive Poles arrive Europeans arrive fleeing Nazis Czechs, Hungarians and Romanians fleeing Russian occupation Hungarians arrive Czechs arrive Ugandans arrive Chileans arrive Ethiopians and Eritreans arrive Cypriots arrive Vietnamese arrive Iranians arrive Afghans arrive Iraqis arrive Ghanaians arrive Tamils arrive Pakistanis arrive Somalians arrive Kurds arrive from Turkey Arrivals from Zaire Sudanese arrive Arrivals from Angola Bosnians arrive Arrivals from Sierra Leone Arrivals from Kenya Algerians arrive Nigerians arrive Kosovans arrive Colombians arrive Eastern Romas arrive

Source: Krusher and Knox 1999 and Home Office Asylum Statistics 1988-1999 Hidden Voices

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Some Contributions Made By Asylum Seekers To The World Generally the public does not know what refugees and asylum seekers have and continue to contribute to the economy and the quality of our lives and thinking.

A few famous asylum seekers include: Albert Einstein, one of the world’s most famous scientists was a refugee from Germany.

Sir Montague Burton, founder of Burtons shops, employer of thousands of British people was a Russian Jewish refugee.

Karl Marx, political writer and thinker was a refugee.

Joseph Malin was a Jewish refugee who established the world’s first fish and chip shop on Cleveland Street, London in 1860.

Alec Issigonis was a refugee, exiled from Turkey in 1906. He went on to design the Mini motor car, widely regarded as a true great British icon.

Michael Marks was one half of the great British retail institution Marks and Spencer. He was a Polish refugee.

Mark Chagall, the famous artist was exiled by Nazis and he became an asylum seeker.

Sir Georg Solti was a refugee from Budapest who became one of the world’s greatest music conductors.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, recently voted as one of the greatest Britons of all time was in fact the son of a French refugee. He became one of the world’s most outstanding engineers.

The Dalai Lama became a refugee from Tibet in 1959. Today he is one of the world’s greatest spiritual leaders.

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Frank B. Colton was a Polish refugee who, along with Austrian Carl Djerassi invented the contraceptive pill.

Phil Emeagwoli was a Nigerian refugee who invented the super computer.

Mother Theresa was an Albanian refugee.

John Belushi the American actor was also an Albanian refugee.

Andrew Grove (Andras Grof) is a Hungarian refugee, now head of INTEL, a company dominating microchips and high tech innovation.

The Economic Contribution British Government figures confirm that in 2002/03 the UK’s foreign born population (which includes refugees and asylum seekers) contributed 10% more to Government revenue than they took out, equivalent to £2.6 billion a year net.

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A selection of the educational workshops, sessions, activities and experiences undertaken by Dreamers members.

Dreamers Youth Workers have run a large educational programme.

A selection of which is: •

Visited Warwick Castle and the city of Warwick to appreciate and learn about English history.

•

Teaching English.

•

Visited the City of York to learn about the impact of invasions, traders and new settlers on the definition of Englishness.

•

Undertaken two Mission Impossible residentials to Wales to take part with British young people in outdoor pursuits – a new experience for both the refugees and British young people.

•

Run workshops on sexual health and contraception, personal responsibility, with a focus upon the rights of women in this country and on them having control of their fertility.

•

Run workshops on alcohol and personal responsibility.

•

Run workshops on drugs and drug use.

•

Attended community festivals and events, mounting a display for the public to learn about refugees and asylum seekers.

•

Visited Skegness and Scarborough to build group unity and strength, to have fun and see the sea!!

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•

Run workshops on understanding electricity.

•

Run workshops in driving in the UK, focusing on buying a safe car, driving licenses, laws on the road, the theory test, insurance, MOTs etc.

•

Visited London to speak with Loughborough’s MP, Andy Reed, about refugee issues.

•

Visited London to meet with United Nations Commissioner for Refugees and European Ambassadors for Refugees. Spoken with them about issues and concerns about government policy towards asylum seekers.

•

Run several workshops on how to cook cheaply and simply at home. These workshops involved Asian, British and Arabic cooking.

•

Ran an end of year event, featuring a traditional English Christmas meal, party games, Albanian and Kurdish dancing, music and song. Wonderful photographs of the streets of Baghdad, Basra etc formed part of the table decorations.

•

Explained English customs and events such as Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes, Valentine’s Day etc.

•

Built group cohesion through workshops. At times this is very challenging with several different languages, cultural dynamics etc in the group.

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•

Participated in sports never tried before, for example badminton, ice skating etc. Going on to play against other groups in Loughborough – building cohesion and intercommunity understanding.

•

Ran World Cup football tournaments featuring teams from Iraq, Kosovo, Bangladesh, Albania and Britain etc. The event was attended by over 100 people from across the town of Loughborough.

•

Run workshops and information sessions on how to get help from the police, how to use 999, what legal rights you have in the UK – even if you are not a British citizen.

•

Talked with Government Office East Midlands about refugee and asylum seekers issues.

•

Run workshops about using the web, digital cameras and computers.

This list could go on………

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“Young People should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. They can be key agents for development and peace. If they are left on societies’ margins, all of us will be impoverished.”

Kofi Annan UN Secretary General

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Hidden Voices Dreamers is a Charnwood support project for young refugees and asylum seekers. It helps young people aged between 11-25 years old. It is run by Leicestershire County Council Youth Workers. www.thejitty.com/dreamers

Charnwood Arts is an independent community arts and media organisation based in the Borough of Charnwood in the East Midlands of Britain.

It is a registered arts and educational charity (No. 505977). www.charnwoodarts.com Charnwood Arts is core funded by Charnwood Borough Council and Arts Council England - East Midlands

Refugee Action is an independent national charity that works with refugees to build new lives in the UK. With 25 years of experience in reception, resettlement, development and integration, they provide advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees in 10 regions across England. www.refugee-action.org.uk The United Nations (UN) is an international organisation whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. www.un.org The Refugee Council is the largest organisation in the UK working with asylum seekers and refugees giving help and support to address their needs. www.refugeecouncil.org.uk The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. http://www.unhcr.org RAWA is an independent organisation led by Afghan women working for human rights and for social justice in Afghanistan. http://www.rawa.org

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