My First Week As A Refugee Integration Worker

At 9am on January 4th I set off on my very first journey to St Chads Road in Derby, with little knowledge of what the week had in store. Just 30 minutes after arriving I found myself walking around the streets of Normanton learning about the history of Upbeat Communities.

From this point, I began to realise, Upbeat, was no ordinary organisation. That very afternoon, I was stood in the middle of B & M trying to work out different nappy sizes and toothpaste ages for a family soon to arrive. The next day I drove with a colleague to four supermarkets to ensure the families would have the best and most culturally accurate produce in their new home. I was so impressed at the lengths Upbeat Communities went to to ensure families felt at home when they arrived. Two colleagues and I then drove to the property and packed everything away in anticipation of the family’s arrival.

An action shot from our snow-filled local orientation walk.

The following morning, it was time for the family to arrive and as we sat in the house waiting for them, it decided to snow in Derbyshire! Thankfully, they still arrived safely and the fresh snow brought a lot of joy to the younger kids.

The family settled into their warm home and we caught up with them the next day to walk around their new town. The snow arrived again. For one and a half hours we walked through town in the snow and I was the only person complaining about the cold.

During this walk, I learnt about how it can snow a lot in Afghanistan and the snow we were currently experiencing is nothing in comparison. The family then described to me how the sound of walking in the snow was making them feel at home and this made my frozen legs feel worth it. By now, I had been with Upbeat for four days and I had already experienced and learnt so much. I was feeling very appreciative towards my new colleagues for spending so much time answering my questions and showing me the reality of my new job.

Fast forward roughly six weeks and I found myself in the wonderful company of another colleague. Together we travelled to four Lincolnshire towns all in one day.

It was now time for me to take on the support of an additional family and so we travelled to meet with them. After we had finished this home visit, we raced to Morrisons and Greggs for a quick pit stop and a ten-minute break in the car. Soon after, we were on the road again heading for a hotel which was offering temporary accommodation to those newly arrived from Afghanistan.

It did not take long for me to realise I would benefit from a bigger boot. See here, my car packed with supplies ready for a hotel support session.

This was the day that I would lead my first family session at the hotel after observing and learning so much from my colleagues. It was half term, so all the children were off school and we spent a delightful 90 minutes crafting decorations, counting, puzzling and listening to nursery rhymes. The children really enjoyed themselves and it was great to provide entertainment and fun for families who have been living in the hotel for some months.

In summary, the weeks since I began working at Upbeat Communities have been an incredible experience with countless opportunities to learn from colleagues and participants alike.

When you work for Upbeat Communities it is impossible to explain what a normal working day looks like. You are constantly kept on your toes and challenged by the everchanging landscape of Refugee Resettlement in this country. Yet, at the same time, you are consistently met with the steadfast support of a dedicated team of people. A team working tirelessly to welcome, support and empower the communities with which we work.

I feel so thankful to have ended up in this role and to have the daily privilege of meeting inspiring people and supporting them on their journeys.

Megan Boyce - Refugee Integration Worker

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