Q. What is an Asylum Seeker?
An asylum seeker is someone whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed (UN High Commission on Refugees). According to Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNHCR), everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy asylum.
Q. Why do people seek asylum?
An asylum seeker is someone who seeks safety in another country because of war or persecution in their country. Persecution is often on grounds of politics, ethnicity, religion of gender. In order to gain Leave to Remain (or refugee status), they need to show they have a well-founded fear of persecution. In the UK, this can take years. Share Tawe links guests with trusted solicitors to help their legal case.
Q. How long would I have to host for?
It depends on the needs of the guest and how long the host is happy to offer. It is your home, not ours!
Some people host for a few days or weeks, some a few years. We encourage new hosts to start with a short commitment which we then review with them. This might be hosting someone else’s guest when the host family has visitors. Some people opt to always offer short periods. Or it could be a newly granted refugee, who has not yet found decent accommodation.
All offers are helpful. For example, some people host just once – but that once will have made a huge difference to their guest.
We commit to stopping a placement immediately if a host asks for this. (To date, we have only had to do this 3 or 4 times in the last 10 years!).
We tell every guest that we can make no promises for length of stay. We encourage them to look for alternatives themselves – e.g. some go to stay with a friend in another city.
Q. Do hosts get paid?
This is a voluntary role, but we pay volunteer expenses to hosts as a contribution for heat and light. We pay what we can at the time and explain this in advance to the host.
Q. I’m not sure that I have time to give my guest the support that they need. I might find it overwhelming.
It does take time to have an extra person in the house. However our staff member is responsible for offering regular support to each guest. We help them access health, therapeutic, educational and legal help, and encourage them to have an active life in the community. Many guests go to college, volunteer and have an active social life. Most importantly, we keep in touch and listen!
We encourage hosts to be clear about their own boundaries – privacy, space, time etc
Q. What about meals?
Prior to the pandemic, we asked hosts to provide breakfast and perhaps 2 evening meals a week, together with some supplies for a “take out” lunch. Community drop-in centres, provided 4 sessions a week including a healthy meal
Until all outside activities resume, guests will need more food at home. We will discuss how you want to organise this before you start hosting. Many hosting households take in turns to cook.
Q. What about Covid?
We are arranging ways in which guests can quarantine before being hosted. (Offers from people who have room and self-contained facilities are welcome!).
We discuss both host and guest vaccination status and will arrange testing.
Hosts are encouraged to make it clear to guests what they expect in terms of Covid safety, and host-guest agreements will include a summary of this.
Q. Is it safe to host?
We have an excellent safety record as have projects all over the country. We take up references on hosts and guests, and consider cultural issues and gender before placement. We interview guests carefully and have often known them for some time. Occasionally we place a guest in a household which includes children or young people. We will not place anyone who we feel would not be safe – in a local household.
Q. What might I enjoy about hosting?
- Spending time with people from all over the world
- Sharing life stories together
- Experiencing new food
“I have hosted many times now. I am often a bit nervous about having a new guest, but nearly always I find a way that works for them and works for us as a household. My partner and I have the time we need to spend just by ourselves, and we really get to like spending time with our guests. It is a challenge, but one that has transformed by perspective on many things.”
– Current Host
Interested in being a host or want to know more about Share Tawe?
Contact us on 07519551192 / sharetawe@eyst.org.uk
SHARE TAWE 