In this post, one of our Resettlement Caseworkers, Betty, shares how volunteering shaped her journey, what she has learned along the way, and why supporting refugees and migrants continues to inspire her every day.
I first started volunteering with Voices in Exile after supporting migrants in a similar role with the British Red Cross. I wanted to continue doing something practical to support people navigating the UK immigration system.
I am deeply concerned about the increasingly hostile environment around migration in the UK. As someone who came to the UK at 19 to study at university and then built my life here, I am very aware of my own privilege as a European migrant when it comes to freedom of movement. That awareness makes me feel strongly about standing in solidarity with people who are penalised by an inhumane immigration system simply because they were born elsewhere.
Volunteering with the Generalist team gave me a real insight into the challenges people face. Clients are often dealing with several issues at once, including housing, benefits, healthcare, food insecurity and immigration problems, so you quickly see how complex these situations can be.
It also taught me a lot about compassion and professionalism. Many people have experienced trauma before arriving in the UK and are then retraumatised by the systems they encounter here. You learn that you cannot fix everything, but you can focus on what support is available and help people understand their options.
Today I work as a caseworker in the Resettlement team. It is incredibly rewarding to support families from the moment they arrive in Brighton and help them settle into a new environment. Over time you see their confidence grow as they learn English, navigate services and begin to build a life here.