Finding life again by Tania Lewys-Lloyd
For many refugees and people seeking asylum, coming to the UK is not only about forging a new life, but re-establishing once-held careers. Mic is a RAK client who challenged himself to go beyond survival, rediscovering his professional identity while shedding the label of ‘poor migrant’. When he first arrived, the initial isolation and sense of disparity was tough “I was isolated as an asylum seeker – you don't have friends here, you don't have a lot of opportunity to be equal in society.” Finding RAK helped change that – he says: “I felt that I'm welcome.”
He then became a Community Voice Champion for the Abundance Project* – a place to share the difficulties refugees and asylum seekers experience accessing community spaces. Initially it was a way for him to practice English, but it soon opened up possibilities he hadn't considered. What struck him the most was being genuinely listened to and treated like an equal by the researchers. "Your words, your ideas – they took seriously, because for them it is serious."
It soon became clear that the project allowed him to be a voice for others – the many who remain invisible – and planted a sense of purpose and responsibility that was bigger than him alone. “I can be like their voices. I felt like I just have some duty or responsibility to not thinking about only me but thinking from asylum seekers’ or refugees’ perspective.” Most significantly, the project refocused his life from survival to living. He explains, it “was about some activity which is not connected with surviving – it's just like life.”
His involvement with the project also renewed his confidence and helped him realise the value of his professional aspirations. It gave him the certainty to speak on a level playing field with professionals, which opened new doors for him. He’s now embarking on a project in theatre, something which previously felt out of reach. “[It] is very exciting, because I'm not afraid about it. Because I have people who can support me in professional way or emotionally, I'm more confident at the moment.” Ultimately though, his dream is a universal one: "I want to be equal – as a usual person, living their life, without any labels."
*The Abundance Project, run by UAL, is a collaborative research initiative focused on improving inclusivity and reducing inequalities in mental health, especially by making better use of community, cultural, and green resources. Its goal is to help refugees, people seeking asylum, and other communities benefit more fairly from those spaces and services.
Written by Tanis Lewys=Lloyd