The VOICES Network is a collective of refugees and people seeking asylum. Together, they speak out about issues that affect them. As people with lived experience, VOICES Ambassadors share unique insights into what it’s like to seek asylum in the UK and contribute to their communities.
VOICES Ambassadors work to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience of migration and displacement are amplified, valued and part of decision-making processes to influence asylum and migration policy and programmes and effect positive change. VOICES Ambassadors share their insights from their lived expertise into some of the challenges of key parts of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), below are some examples of ways that the VOICES Network has addressed central elements of the GCM, followed by some key recommendations around the implementation of the GCM, at both a local and national level.
The VOICES Network reflects the guiding principle of a whole of society approach, as people with lived experience engage with Government officials, Parliamentarians, local government and wider civil society. Specific programs that include positive action towards training, recruiting, and promoting migrants can be the counterpart of the deprivation of our community. We all have protected characteristics that make us unique. Most importantly, they represent our potential to thrive and contribute with our experience and skills. It is on the employer’s side to have the will to adopt a genuine commitment towards opening job opportunities that embody equality and diversity.
VOICES Ambassadors have advocated for and worked on advancing key aspects of the GCM, most notably for example Objective 7, “Address and Reduce Vulnerabilities in Migration”, through advocating for more inclusive access for people seeking asylum to basic services (simultaneously addressing Objective 15 of the GCM – “Provide basic access to services for migrants”), as well as a recognition of the skills and expertise that they bring. For example, one of our most remarkable achievements in this journey is the #FreeBusTravel campaign in Scotland, that through providing testimonials from our lived experience, visiting the Scottish Parliament, and strong advocacy through the VOICES Network, we have secured a pilot approach, and will work towards transforming a pilot into a national act. We know it is not going to be easy and that we need to keep up with the pressure because the pilot in the current stage of implementation is a small part and might risk access to every one of us in need of the service.
In Wales, VOICES ambassadors met the Welsh Government to raise awareness around issues of Education, Employment, Accommodation, Transport and Mental Health. Last year, this included giving speeches to the Deputy Minister at the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) and speaking with the Welsh First Minister at the Eisteddfod – a renowned Welsh Cultural Festival. Through raising awareness of some of the key barriers faced by people seeking asylum and advocating for positive change, some key successes across Wales that the VOICES Network have secured have included Government support for free Wifi in asylum accommodation as well as trialling free transport for both refugees and people seeking asylum. However, ambassadors in Wales are now trying to reinstate transport for people seeking asylum following the end of the initial trial. Refugees currently have access. Given that asylum accommodation continues to be a key issue – with poor living conditions causing sickness, racial discrimination amongst groups living together and lack of support or responses from housing managers all of which have a significant impact on mental health – VOICES Ambassadors across the Network continue to raise awareness around this important issue, and in 2021, produced a briefing on some of the key issues surrounding Asylum Accommodation, read more here.
Recommendations from Ambassadors around the implementation of the GCM
In order to address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration, clear laws and policies should be implemented to protect the rights of migrants and prevent exploitation by employers, traffickers, and smugglers. It is essential that the criminal aspect of the experiences of survivors of trafficking is recognised as being completely separate from their support needs. Effective border management measures, such as screening procedures and surveillance systems, can help to prevent human trafficking and smuggling. Further to this, encouraging and opening safe and legal migration channels and providing access to legal assistance and support services can help to address cases of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. International cooperation between countries is essential to address migration-related challenges, such as human trafficking and smuggling. Labour laws should be enforced to protect the rights of migrant workers and provide them with fair working conditions, wages, and social protections. Specific vulnerabilities could be effectively addressed through the work towards objective 6 “Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work.” We came with an immense range of skills and knowledge that can contribute to a real integration. We need to access education in order to gain new skills while strengthening our own with the hope to find an opportunity to build upon this, either in voluntary or paid roles. The reality is that the ambiguity of the law in the current hostile environment forces us to enrol in unqualified labour that implies long hours and low pay. Such types of work are exploitative or demeaning at times because employers – who most likely will be from the same countries or speak our same language – portray positions as ‘opportunities to help us bring food to the table.’ We are consequently more vulnerable physically for extended periods of work and strained mentally finding ourselves debating if the ‘help’ is causing more harm than good. Those in the process of applying spend not only months but years securing a job after an endless list of rejection mails. Decent work should not only include the formalities of contracts but a comprehensive plan to make inclusion possible.
As VOICES Ambassadors, we believe that promoting social inclusion and creating opportunities for migrants to participate in their new communities can reduce their vulnerability to social isolation and marginalisation, which is evidenced through the work of the VOICES Network to date. This participation could and should include voluntary opportunities, training and education opportunities, as well as accessing the right to vote, which are all key issues that the VOICES Network has worked on through raising our voices and sharing our lived expertise in these key areas of inclusion and integration. International media can also play an important role in raising awareness of these issues and promoting meaningful action to address them, which is why the VOICES Network engages with the media to ensure the realities of the experiences of people with lived experience of migration and displacement are reflected, and their voices heard and understood. As a migrant and person seeking asylum, we feel it is crucial to address the unique vulnerabilities and challenges faced by migrants. By implementing these key points, we can create a safer, more secure, and more just world for all migrants.
It should be recognised that migrants and asylum seekers have unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that can enrich and diversify societies, but they often face significant barriers to full inclusion due to discrimination, language barriers, and other factors. Volunteering plays a key role in integration and supports mental health in using time productively. Organisations, governments and private sectors need to work together to create a range of voluntary opportunities for refugees and people seeking asylum that aren’t just within the charity sector but allow them to gain experience in other areas. Empowering migrants and societies to achieve full inclusion and social cohesion requires a collaborative effort between governments, civil society organisations, and local communities. Governments should adopt policies that promote the inclusion of migrants and asylum seekers in all aspects of society, such as access to education, employment, and social services. Finally, it is important to recognise that inclusion and social cohesion are not one-way streets, and that everyone has a role to play in promoting these values in their communities. By working together and embracing diversity, we can build stronger, more resilient societies that benefit everyone.
