Volunteering at Women for Refugee Women by Gulshun
It was 10 years ago when I first came across Women for Refugee Women (WRW). I was attending the Women of the World event to celebrate International Women's Day at the Southbank Centre. I still remember hearing Juliet Stevenson, a long-time supporter of WRW, speaking passionately about the work of WRW. She drew me in. Ever since then, I have closely followed WRW’s work and achievements.
Nine months ago, I decided to start volunteering for WRW. I volunteer alongside a co-volunteer who is a WRW alumna – a woman who was previously supported by WRW. Together, we listen to refugee women’s needs and signpost them to external resources, services, and support. Sometimes the sessions are quiet, others we are inundated with a wide range of queries. Sometimes, it is about how to replace a lost Freedom Pass or apply for a provisional driving licence. Other times, it is to refer women to digital classes or to drama and choir classes designed specifically for survivors of torture.
I thoroughly enjoy volunteering at WRW. I have spent most of my professional career working with women and young girls to advance gender equality and empowerment. So, I love being able to continue doing this now that I am no longer in full-time paid employment – I hesitate to use the word “retired” as I don’t feel very retired! I am at a stage in my life where I get to lead a busy and vibrant life while being very selective about how I spend my time.
Also, importantly, as a second-generation immigrant woman, I have faced many hardships growing up in the UK. I feel honoured that I am now in a position to ‘give back' by supporting women who may be going through difficult times.
Despite a thorough induction, it took me a while to become completely familiar with all the internal systems and processes of WRW relevant to my role. I was - and still am- very impressed with the robust systems and protocols established to support volunteers, which helped me get up to speed quickly.
I must also mention the welcoming, collegial and supportive environment within WRW. Having worked in the charity sector all my life, including managing and working with volunteers, it is great to be part of an organisation where the staff team embodies all these qualities whilst maintaining high standards of professionalism.
So, if you’re thinking about volunteering for WRW, I’d say ‘go for it!’
Volunteering at Women for Refugee Women by Susanna
Volunteering at Women for Refugee Women
I ask A. what she likes most about coming to class.
She smiles and says,
“My family.”
Sometimes, you do not need many words to describe something immense.
A. has been coming every Monday. Always on time. Always committed.
But learning is not easy for her.
She is nearly 80 years old.
Her life almost certainly carries a long history of upheaval, probably more than one uprooting, more than one goodbye, more than one forced beginning again.
But I know almost nothing about that.
Our time together, with the other women in the group each Monday lunchtime, is not about the past.
It is about the present and about the future.
We begin by singing.
We share stories from our weekends.
We laugh.
Sometimes we cry.
We talk about temporary accommodation and uncertain futures. About children and loved ones far away. About the heartbreak of losing loved ones without the chance to say goodbye.
And together, we try to grasp the basics of a new language, one that can so often feel less like a bridge and more like another barrier standing in the way of feeling at home.
As a volunteer English teacher for entry-level learners, I have learned that teaching is only a small part of the work.
As A. so beautifully describes it, you are there to help create a family.
And like any family, that requires commitment, compassion, patience and consistency.
It means celebrating tiny victories that others may overlook: a new sentence spoken aloud with confidence, a first attempt at writing a word, the courage to walk through the door again after a difficult week.
It means showing people they are seen before they are understood.
Some students progress quickly and move on to the next level. Others take longer. For some women, this is the first time they have ever learned to read and write. Others have not sat in a classroom for decades.
But progress here is not measured only in worksheets or vocabulary.
Sometimes progress looks like friendship.
Like trust.
Like hearing someone say, “This feels like family.”
So, we sing.
We talk.
We laugh and we cry.
That is what our Monday lunchtime sessions are really about: showing up for one another, creating connection, and taking small but meaningful steps towards helping A. and the other women feel at home... feel that there is a family we all belong to, one that sees no barriers or differences. Just human.
Volunteering at WRW, by Jane
To mark Volunteers Week 2025, we’re celebrating our incredible volunteers who make everything that we do at Women for Refugee Women not just possible, but powerful!
Each week, our volunteers facilitate joyful, supportive and fun community spaces where women can build their skills and confidence and connect with friends.
To mark the week, Jane has shared her experience of volunteering at WRW. Jane has been with us almost seven years - an incredible amount of time! We couldn't imagine English classes without her!
"I wanted to volunteer with Women for Refugee Women because of what it stands for - solidarity with women seeking sanctuary in the UK. I had just moved to London and was seeking a community of my own, and I was excited to see who I'd meet and what I'd learn at WRW. Through the years, the women I've worked with have nurtured me and encouraged me so much, and I'm so grateful for the space it holds.
I've been an English teacher for almost seven years with both Intermediate and Beginners English learners. Through the pandemic I started calling my class every week to check in with how they were faring, it was then that I really started to get to know everyone better, and learn the resilience of these women living through such a hostile system. It was a huge comfort to keep in touch through that time and retain some connection with wider community while we were all indoors. Now I'm back in Beginners English once a week, I love how playful English language can be and seeing how people form their identity through language too. It's powerful!
My favourite part of volunteering has to be the community we build together. I was 22 when I started volunteering and I feel like Women for Refugee Women have helped raise me! Both my English class members and fellow volunteers have poured so much in to the network to create community and support for one another.
Throughout turbulence and challenge, women in English class show up with determination and care for one another. They put hard work and thought into our time together, and role model learning for one another. Learning isn't just about linear progress - it's about confidence, joy, vulnerability and resilience. I'm proud of the space Women for Refugee Women hosts to nurture that."
A huge thank you to all our volunteers who make our activities possible. We couldn't do it without you and are so thankful for all that you do.
Five years with Women for Refugee Women, now I'm a volunteer by Adetutu
To mark Volunteers Week 2025, we're celebrating our incredible volunteers who make everything that we do at Women for Refugee Women not just possible, but powerful!
Each week, our volunteers facilitate joyful, supportive and fun community spaces where women can build their skills and confidence and connect with friends.
To mark the week, Adetutu has shared her journey of being part of Women for Refugee Women's network to becoming a long-standing volunteer:
"Women for Refugee Women was the first charity organisation that was introduced to me in 2020. At the time that I was at my lowest point of existence.
I didn't know where or who to turn to for help or support.
I was seeking safety in the UK at the time, and it was Covid. They called me every week to ensure I am doing well both mentally and physically. They even supported me financially.
After Covid, I thought... giving back to the organisation would be great. I thought it would not be fair to just be taking from this wonderful organisation... and I could only give back by giving some of my time to assist them by volunteering in any area I am needed to put a smile on women’s faces - which is what they have done for me – while we are rebuilding our lives.
I have been volunteering for over two years now. I assisted during a short course - Asylum Advocates – designed to equip women with the skills, understanding and confidence to navigate the complex asylum process in the UK. During this, I ran a specific session on the Home Office: Country Information Policies. I also volunteered to support at WRW’s events such as the Summer and Winter parties.
I am currently a Signposting Volunteer, where I support women to access other forms of support and opportunities, and I also volunteer with the with the Alumni group – for women who have received their refugee status.
I do not really have a favourite part about volunteering as I feel happy doing it all. However, I love the part of signposting because I am helping in solving some of their problems."
Our creative and educational activities are only possible because of our volunteers like Adetutu. Thank you all!
Volunteers Week 2024: Reflections from Eesha, our Literacy Volunteer
To celebrate Volunteers Week 2024, we're shining a spotlight on our brilliant and dedicated volunteers throughout the week.
Eesha, our Literacy Volunteer, has shared some reflections on her time volunteering at Women for Refugee Women.
Our Literacy class meets weekly to support women to develop their English skills, build their confidence, and to connect with one another. As Eesha reflects, "I feel lucky!"
Thank you for sharing your reflections Eesha, and for all that you do for Women for Refugee Women! We're so grateful for your support and dedication.
🌟 It has been 7 months since I started volunteering as an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Literacy teacher for beginners and intermediate English for Women for Refugee Women. Women for Refugee Women is an amazing charity that supports a network of over 350 refugee and asylum-seeking women who have fled persecution to build their confidence and skills, and develop friendships in a welcoming and supportive space!
🙋♀️ Feminism and refugees’ rights are both causes I’m incredibly passionate about; I chanced upon this role of teaching English literacy in October and was initially hesitant on applying as it seemed very out of my comfort zone - I had no experience in teaching or tutoring, definitely not in teaching English as a foreign language! However, after talking to Isabel Young, Head of Grassroots Programmes at the charity, I was reassured and ready to have a go at it. I started out in October, teaching beginners’ literacy to one small class and was asked to extend it to intermediate learners the following month (to my delight).
👩🏫 I feel lucky to have the weekly opportunity of independently designing and delivering an extensive and engaging English literacy curriculum to both of these classes of amazing women! I’ve learnt how to use an empathy-centred approach to successfully support refugee women and asylum-seeking women from a wide variety of different backgrounds. I’ve also gained improved communication skills and am much more at ease in terms of working independently!
💡 Moreover, volunteering with this charity has given me a more nuanced perspective on immigration in the UK and the experiences of refugee and asylum-seeking women in general, something I really appreciate as an incoming history and politics student. Their campaigns made me think about a lot of things I’ve never considered before, such as the fact that there is no statutory time limit on immigration detention in the UK (the only country in Europe to lock people up in immigration detention centres without release dates). This means that women are often locked up for weeks and months at a time, not knowing when they will be released, which can be especially traumatic given that the majority of female detainees are survivors of gender-based violence.
❤️ Finally, I want to give a shout-out to the WRW staff and volunteers - the charity is such a welcoming, warm and supportive volunteering environment because of them! In particular, I want to thank Isabel Young, my supervisor, and Dina Aragaw, Grassroots Program Coordinator, at Women for Refugee Women, who have provided me with constant support, whether that be about literacy lessons or giving general advice on things like working in the charity sector!
Check out our other Volunteers Week blogs: an interview with our Drama volunteers; Reflections on English by Henrietta.
Volunteers Week 2024: Reflections on English, by Henrietta
To celebrate Volunteers Week 2024, we're shining a spotlight on our brilliant and dedicated volunteers throughout the week.
Henrietta has penned this thought-provoking piece on her experience volunteering with our Intermediate English class.
Our Intermediate English class meets weekly to support women to develop their English skills, build their confidence, and to connect with one another. As Henrietta says in her wonderful writing: "A dozen women meet to listen and talk... In addition, there is plenty of non-verbal communication: making tea, sharing fruit, putting on and off layers of clothes, sitting down and standing up, in a circle or not, looking for a pen, arriving late or early."
Thank you for sharing your piece Henrietta, and for all that you do for Women for Refugee Women! We're so grateful for your support and dedication.
"There is no true word that is not at the same time a praxis. Thus to speak a true word is to transform the world." - Paulo Freire, the Brazilian writer and teacher, author of The Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
When I was training to become a teacher for adults, I was asked to choose a pedagogy to study in detail and put into practice. I chose Paulo Freire. I never wanted to be the so-called charismatic teacher who could hold their students transfixed. I was curious about what the students had to offer. Freire’s pedagogy is about being transformative, and about problem solving. To learn to describe a problem, to write a problem is to transform it and oneself. To name the world is to change it. There was to be no teacher narrative or ‘banking’ of knowledge. I took this to mean, in my work, that all language, words and topics must come from the students.
There’s a huge tension between this kind of teaching and a traditional ESOL course in which there is a ‘target’ language, in which students are empty vessels to be filled with correct grammar and syntax, in which later they’ll be tested.
They, the ones who present themselves, are grown adults who already have English. Their English comes from their years of living in London, moving around a city in which this many people speak this many languages, interacting with people in their own and other established communities. So what is it they are asking for, looking for? What am I providing?
In this weekly class, the class I’m talking about, there is no exam or curriculum. A dozen women meet to listen and talk. English is possibly a ‘target’ language as advertised but it is also a shared language, a language in common that we are all practising. We’re really developing a means of mutual understanding for dialogue.
In addition, there is plenty of non-verbal communication: making tea, sharing fruit, putting on and off layers of clothes, sitting down and standing up, in a circle or not, looking for a pen, arriving late or early.
On this occasion, I bring newspapers. We choose photos of humans, famous or not, and describe them to each other.
Kate Middleton has her hair in a bun at the nape of her neck. The words for her hairstyle pass around the table: bun, chignon, pony tail, up do.
Words briefly appear and disappear. A few I write on the board, others float by like so many scraps in the current, as the river rises up to one metre above its normal level, what with all the rain we’ve been having.
The women laugh at the idea that one ‘wears lipstick’. Then I laugh, the volunteers laugh, we all laugh. Is it really ‘we’? How far is it possible to be ‘we’?
The words in the room disappear into some patch at the back of my mind. Words detach themselves from their meanings. Queries go unresolved. Statements can be both positive or negative at the same time, ‘can’ and ‘can’t’ sound the same. It’s common to hear ‘too’ for ‘very’ or ‘too much’ for ‘a lot of’.
If I introduce some words no one has ever heard of, straight out of the unused lexicon (‘I despise’ for ‘I don’t like’) there is only more confusion. The unusual words become a distraction for me and create distance. The women start talking in their own languages or the other languages that they share. Arabic works for most, French or Kurdish for others. These are also languages that cross borders.
After a good class, they come up to me smiling, joyful. Something has happened. I don’t know what, as a teacher, I might have provided. There’s been dialogue and communication, some hilarity and laughter. My job is to make sure everyone is included, is warm enough, can hear and see. I’m a sort of micro party planner.
In an episode of the radio programme Word of Mouth, Michael Rosen talks to Ruanni Tupas, a professor of linguistics. There is, we learn, the concept of English as a global language, and then there are all the other ‘Englishes’ that people use everyday. In linguistic terms all englishes are equal. As examples, Tupas talks about local influences on American English in the Philippines, his country of birth and Singlish, spoken in Singapore. In my own experience, I hear my grandchildren switch from one ‘English’ at home to another ‘English’, that is Geordie, with their schoolfriends. We all become competent in a ‘repertoire of Englishes’.
In terms of everyday life, my English is just one in a number of Englishes spoken in London. Hence the discussion over what to call Kate Middleton’s hair do. My word is as good as anyone’s.
There is a pervasive ideology, Tupas goes on to say, that one kind of English is better than another, but studies show that communication is not lost without standard UK English. Communication is helped by competency in many ‘englishes’.
The women in the group have to cope with concepts from officialdom and have to account for themselves in a way I have never had to. More than anyone they will have to be careful what they say, at the same time as learn how to say it.
What ‘English’ is it that the students want? Following Freire, I spend weeks on this question: what shall we practice, what shall we study? While the immediate answer is just ‘English’, after discussion and enquiry we can come up with a few of what Freire calls ‘generative themes.’ One theme might be to be able to speak confidently to the doctor or with a child’s teacher or to immigration lawyers.
In the tension between desire for real dialogue and desire to teach, I am left with big questions that I can ponder for the rest of my teaching life. Here I am with something to offer, the skills with which to teach a language I didn’t do much to learn. How can I teach correct English without teaching western culture? In my resistance to teaching ‘correct’ English am I gate keeping myself? I could give a few answers but for now I’ll hold the tension. It’s not correct English that’s needed for justice and equality, but true communication and dialogue.
Written by Henrietta Cullinan
Check out our other Volunteers Week blogs: an interview with our Drama volunteers; Eesha's reflections on volunteering at WRW.
Volunteer Week: "I volunteer...to be part of a political movement for refugee women"
by Katie, volunteer for Women for Refugee Women
Volunteers are people who take on unpaid work because they have a deep belief about service and what they are meant to do with their lives. And they keep doing it even if it is difficult or heart-breaking. And there are rewards.
One of the biggest rewards for me has been the connections with other volunteers: the other women who do check-in calls to women in our network. The volunteers in other organisations that I liaise with who make sure food and nappies and clothes get delivered. The volunteers who teach English, knitting, writing and lullabies- a shout out to Mariam, Sandra, Jane, Helen, Stephanie and Hilkka-Liisa. We share how we are affected by the women we support and think together how we can support them better.
Being able to enrol one of the women I support in a class was a delight, added to later by hearing how much they were getting out of it.
I volunteer for Women for Refugee Women in order to be part of a political movement for refugee women. So, to the women in our network who volunteer to develop and promote the wider political work, I salute you.
This week is Volunteers’ Week! At Women for Refugee Women we are so grateful to our talented volunteers who share their time and skills with us each week, helping us to welcome and support our London network of over 350 refugee and asylum-seeking women. Each day this week we will be sharing one of our wonderful volunteer’s reflections, read the rest of this series here.
Volunteer Week: "The organisation inspires me"
by Sandra, volunteer for Women for Refugee Women
My experience of volunteering with WRW is many-layered and the organisation inspires me on many levels.
When I first started to call the women in the group I was allocated at the beginning of the second lockdown, I thought it would simply involve a friendly ear every couple of weeks. As the months pass by and my involvement with the lives of individual women in a range of situations, some distressed, some in pain, some resigned and others just getting on with life, this meant much more to me and to them, I think.
Often, I can offer support through WRW, referrals or just talk through thorny issues as one human to another. Sometimes I can feel helpless or even guilty, and this is one area in which WRW are so impressive - not only are they committed to giving the women from refugee backgrounds a voice, they also listen to the volunteers' anxieties and concerns. Not only through regular team meetings and one-to-one calls with our Co-ordinator, but also by offering us sessions with a professional psychologist and zoom space just for the volunteers.
WRW also listens to our suggestions and has supported me in setting up a Radical Knitting session for those women who want to learn. The experience of seeing the pride of six women who can now knit is joyous! The sessions are chaotic and full of laughter.
Finally, through the other volunteers and my own reflections on my experience, I am continuing on a journey of my own self-development, signing up for a module in working with people from refugee backgrounds and workshops on shame resilience and transformation skills. The continuing evolution of WRW, its self-awareness and willingness to listen and respond is laudable.
This week is Volunteers’ Week! At Women for Refugee Women we are so grateful to our talented volunteers who share their time and skills with us each week, helping us to welcome and support our London network of over 350 refugee and asylum-seeking women. Each day this week we will be sharing one of our wonderful volunteer’s reflections, read the rest of this series here.
Volunteer Week: "Seven years later, I am still here, and I still love it"
by Helen, volunteer for Women for Refugee Women
I had my first hip replacement in 2014 and, knowing that my normal busy life would have to be restricted for a few months, I emailed everyone I knew and asked them for suggestions about how to use this time most productively.
The long list that came back was amazing – random, creative, off-the-wall, serious... I can't remember which of the ideas I did take up, except for one – a friend who was volunteering at WAST suggested that if I could make my way down to Old Street (one bus journey away), I might be of any general help... So I did and met some of the other volunteers and workers and some of the women coming to drop-in classes. I immediately loved the atmosphere and it soon became obvious the best use of my skills would be to help with the English classes (I'd been a teacher of English in a French secondary school for several years).
And seven years later (seven?? how can that be already?), I am still here, and I still love it (although obviously it's going to be much better when we can do face-to-face classes again).
I love the contact with the wide range of amazing women are involved in the project. The students never fail to amaze me with their resilience, warmth and commitment and I love to see them growing in confidence. The other volunteers and staff members are welcoming, efficient, and committed. I really enjoy the intellectual challenge of designing classes that are appropriate for such a wide range of experiences and skill levels, that are challenging and interesting as well as informative. And there's no greater thrill than when a student comes out with an expression or correct grammatical construction that we studied maybe weeks earlier.
I feel so privileged to have had this opportunity to be involved with WAST - thank you to everyone involved.
This week is Volunteers’ Week! At Women for Refugee Women we are so grateful to our talented volunteers who share their time and skills with us each week, helping us to welcome and support our London network of over 350 refugee and asylum-seeking women. Each day this week we will be sharing one of our wonderful volunteer’s reflections, read the rest of this series here.
Volunteer Week: "I hope that lending a hand continues to be an important part of everyone's lives"
by Enez, volunteer for Women for Refugee Women
I started volunteering with Women for Refugee Women in January 2020. I was in my final year of my undergraduate degree in Social Sciences and feeling exasperated with the discourse surrounding immigration, race and sexism. Instead of languishing in my hopelessness, I decided I wanted to become involved in a community that was actively celebrating the work that refugee women are doing to change narratives and campaign for better rights. That’s when I started helping facilitate the ‘mothers and toddlers’ group. Every Monday morning for an hour or so we would sing, dance and play with the mothers and children who enthusiastically joined in to the endless repetitions of ‘The Wheels on the Bus’. But then March came around and everything changed. As we transitioned to on-the-phone support, it was hard to imagine that the hugs, laughs and dancing we shared were only weeks in the past. But still, over the phone I got to know many women in the network that I had never previously met. We still laugh and talk – without seeing each other's smiles – and speak fondly of the day we will be able to meet and hug again.
Volunteering with Women for Refugee Women has been an important part of my life for the past year and a half. At moments where I felt more disconnected from my communities than ever before, I still had a network of women that I never lost touch with. I have also come to know my fellow volunteers better from my computer screen. Meeting weekly, then fortnightly, on zoom for the past year; I look forward to hearing about their lives and working together to try and help someone in the network. We have also had important conversations about positionality, boundaries and our role as volunteers. These are ongoing concerns which were further brought to light by the pandemic, as well as conversations about race and lived experience. They are not always easy conversations to have, but they are certainly important ones which have been incredibly impactful on the way we provide support as volunteers.
I hope that the sense of community which has been absolutely vital over the past year won’t disappear. I know that Women for Refugee Women has been, and will continue to, empower and foster its growing community. But, I have also seen the critical role of the mutual aid groups and food banks which popped up to support those worst affected by the pandemic. I hope that lending a hand continues being an important part of everyone's lives and that we continue to build communities of care.
This week is Volunteers’ Week! At Women for Refugee Women we are so grateful to our talented volunteers who share their time and skills with us each week, helping us to welcome and support our London network of over 350 refugee and asylum-seeking women. Each day this week we will be sharing one of our wonderful volunteer’s reflections, read the rest of this series here.