Finding a welcoming community is a battle refugees face daily.
Here are 3 ways in which your local community can help.

Welcome refugees to your community

What it means: Making new arrivals feel welcome by being a friend, gifting them basic guidance, and aiding them with their English language skills.

Why you should do it: Loneliness, isolation, homesickness and depression are common issues being struggled with by refugees. A steady, friendly face can work wonders.

What you can do:
Sign up with Host Nation: a fantastic befriending scheme that links people wishing to aid refugees, with refugees already living in their local communities.

Contact your MP & Local Authority

What it means: Find out what, if anything, is being done by your MP and Local Authority to assist housing, hosting and welcoming refugee families.

Why you should do it: If every local authority across the UK took in just five refugees, the refugee crisis in both Calais and Dunkirk could be solved in a day.

What you can do:
Find your local MP and write, email, tweet and message about what role they are playing – or what role they can offer you, to aid refugees.

Sponsor a Refugee Family

What it means: Work together as a local volunteer group to resettle a refugee family in your neighbourhood, or offer up spare rooms.

Why you should do it: Due to the housing process, many refugees can end up homeless. It is estimated that nearly a quarter of those seeking help from homelessness charities are registered refugees.

What you can do:
Contact Sponsor Refugees which can help your local volunteer group obtain the powers needed and undergo the processes required to legally resettle a refugee family in your neighbourhood.