A welcoming smile and a listening ear
Stuart Bell reflects on work alongside faith groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers.
Stuart with volunteers and participants at St Aloysius ESOL group
“Having been part of the team at Faith in Community Scotland for over a year now, I have visited many different community projects, in various parts of the Glasgow, all of which have been inspiring in their own ways. These projects are the result of the hard work and dedication of local volunteers in making a real impact in improving the lives of the people in their communities. Food justice, social isolation, and mental health and wellbeing are amongst the varied areas of need which the projects are addressing. However, the area which I have been especially drawn towards is work with refugees and asylum seekers.
On reflection, I am still not sure exactly why I feel this draw. Perhaps, from working from an asset-based-community-development perspective, I see that the many and varied strengths and gifts within refugees and asylum seekers can be too easily overlooked, and the barriers they face can be many, and seem insurmountable. In connecting with projects such as St Aloysius English for Speakers of Other Languages Group (ESOL) in Garnethill and St Rollox Community Outreach in Sighthill, I have seen and heard about these barriers, and also met many volunteers who, in their own ways, are doing what they can to break them down. These projects are often seeking to teach practical and tangible skills such as in English language, but the human warmth and welcome they offer also play a big part. The handshakes, smiles, listening ears and welcomes are all part of what makes these projects tick, and, crucially, create a sense of community where people can feel included and valued - and even have some fun in the process.
I am looking forward to seeing how things will develop in 2020. It is a time of great challenge: the recent forced evictions being an example, but I also see many faith-based and third sector organisations in the city who are working hard to respond to the many needs. I am looking forward to the event on refugees and asylum seekers organised by the Church of Scotland’s Glasgow Presbytery, on the 29th February at St Rollox. This will give the chance of many different groups to come together, make links, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for refugees and asylum seekers in the city as we enter into the new decade.”