Could you provide a home for young asylum seekers aged 16-18? They are on their own with no family and have experienced significant adversity, trauma and loss on their journeys to Fife.
The young person will need:
- their own room in a clean, comfortable and safe environment
- reasonable access to the communal areas of the house - i.e. kitchen, bathroom, living room
You don’t need formal qualifications, but you’ll need:
- patience
- understanding
- commitment
- willingness to learn
They have come from countries - such as Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Sudan and have a wide range of cultural and religious beliefs. As they have no access to public funds, you will receive a weekly fee plus an age-related maintenance payment for the young person. The maintenance payment is for food, toiletries, clothing, personal allowance, and activities.
Jenny and Eleanor have young asylum seekers staying with them - here are their stories and experiences.
Jenny
“I was watching a programme about young people in Afghanistan and their struggle to survive and thought I would really like to help. If they were my children, I would want someone to take them in. Ali is no bother; he’s hard working and very grateful for being safe.”
Ali who is staying with Jenny: “I left Afghanistan because the Taliban killed my father and it was too dangerous to stay. I had a very long and frightening journey across seven countries often with no food or water and nowhere to sleep. But now I’m so happy to be safe and I’m learning English making friends and hope to become a car mechanic in the future.”
Eleanor
“Mona and Hilani have been with me for nearly a year and the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you have to get alongside them you have to understand their journey. I’ve become more aware and sensitive to their backgrounds, religion, and personalities. The most challenging thing is the language. When the girls first arrived, we couldn’t speak to one another but now we're getting along really well and it’s a delight to see them settling in. They are so nice and working hard in a strange culture and environment on their own. I’m glad to support them and offer them a safe haven. I’m passionate about giving these young people the best chance and the best possible future."
Mona and Hilani who are staying with Eleanor say:” We arrived at Eleanor's house at ten o'clock at night we had no idea where we were or who Eleanor was. But this was far less frightening than the experiences we’ve had over the last two years travelling from Ethiopia. We did not feel anyone cared - we were not treated like people. We were two 15-year-olds travelling alone through Sudan and Libya, held in camps where we were beaten and abused. We are now so happy to be safe with Eleanor and we are very keen to learn English. Our past was unhappy and we still worry about the future but we’re hoping for the best.”