Introduction
Community Sponsorship schemes are visa pathways introduced in the UK in 2016. The country imitated the model initiated by Canada. These schemes enable communities or groups to support refugees, help them resettle, and encourage them to integrate into the new society. These community schemes and essential resources provide emotional support and guidance, give them a sense of belonging, and make resettlement easy. Involving local communities in community sponsorship schemes creates an inclusive environment for refugees. The UK government's adoption of Community Sponsorship schemes depicts its commitment to creating an inclusive environment for refugees, alternate pathways, and harnessing the maximum potential of community engagement. This, in turn, helps refugees to rebuild their lives in a nurturing environment.
How do the Community Sponsorship Schemes in the UK Work?
One should not underestimate the commitment and resilience shown by the community people to welcome refugee families in the UK. These communities work by taking the following steps:
1- Direct Involvement
The Community Sponsorship schemes allow local communities, such as charities, faith groups, and community organizations, to engage directly with refugees. They extend their support beyond financial assistance by providing emotional support, physical presence, accommodation, and practical assistance.
2- One-year Long Sponsorship
The communities extend their support for a minimum of one year period. However, in the case of housing, the sponsorship period is two years. Communities may also choose to provide their support beyond this period. During this time, they build refugees' social networks, inculcate the necessary skills for self-sufficiency and survival, and provide access to essential services. All this helps in their successful social integration.
3- Comprehensive Support
The Community Sponsorship schemes provide comprehensive support to refugees. This includes housing, financial assistance, necessary language training, access to education, healthcare, and employment guidance.
4- Collaboration with Local Authorities
The UK's Community Sponsorship scheme encourages collaboration between community sponsors and local authorities. This partnership helps streamline processes, access additional resources, and ensure effective coordination between community-based support and governmental services.
5- Monitoring and Evaluation:
The scheme incorporates monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This includes collecting data on refugee outcomes, community engagement, and challenges faced during the sponsorship process.
What do Community Sponsors do?
Each community sponsor is allocated to a particular family fleeing the conflict and arriving in the UK. A community sponsor is responsible for assisting the refugee family in resettlement from the moment of arrival in the UK. Responsibilities of a community sponsor include the following:
meeting the family at the airport
providing a warm welcome and cultural orientation
providing housing
supporting access to medical and social services
supporting access to English language tuition
supporting registration with local Job Centre Plus and assistance with navigating social welfare provision
support towards employment and self-sufficiency
Community Sponsorship Scheme and Jenny Phillimore
Jenny Phillimore is a professor of Migration and Superdiversity and Director of the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) at the University of Birmingham. Her work is considered significant concerning the Community Sponsorship schemes in the UK. She wrote a substantial number of research pieces in this field. A few of her most crucial works are as follows:
· Community Sponsorship in the UK: A 'New' Approach to Refugee Settlement (2019)
· The Potential of Community Sponsorship to Enhance the Integration of Refugees in the UK (2020)
· Community Sponsorship: Evidence and Insights (2021)
· Refugee Resettlement and Community Sponsorship: From Humanitarian to Development Approaches (2022)
Through rigorous methodologies, in all her works, along with other collaborations and research projects, she demonstrated methods of successful integration of refugees, community resilience, and social development. Moreover, she has also explored motivation, challenges, outcomes of community sponsorship schemes and the methods to avoid challenges and get the maximum output out of these schemes. Apart from her academic contributions, she has actively engaged with practitioners, policymakers, and community groups to extend her support to refugees in a pragmatic way. Overall, her work has been instrumental in understanding the Community Sponsorship schemes in the UK and beyond.
The Canadian Model of Community Sponsorship Scheme
The Canadian model of the community sponsorship scheme is unique and notable in the refugee resettlement program. The distinctive feature of the Canadian model that sets it apart from other projects is the ability of sponsors to name the refugee. So, the Canadian model allows sponsors to select refugees based on cultural affinities, personal connections, or specific circumstances.
The personalized approach used in the Canadian model, thus, creates a sense of ownership and connection for sponsors. This fosters a strong bond between sponsors and refugees based on their cultural or historical ties and pre-existing relationships. Moreover, the Canadian model facilitates the integration process of refugees through its unique feature.
Comparison of the UK's Community Sponsorship Scheme with Others
Various other states have also adopted Community Sponsorship schemes. Canadian model stands out as a pioneer of community sponsorship programs and its unique features. However, among other schemes, notable ones are that of Australia and Germany.
Australian Community Support Program (CSP)
Australia's sponsorship model is known as the Community Support Program. Under this program, various groups and communities can sponsor refugees and help them resettle. The CSP has shown promising outcomes and a high level of employment, self-sufficiency, and social integration among refugees.
German Community Sponsorship Program
Like other sponsorship programs, the German Community Sponsorship program is also aimed at facilitating the resettlement process of refugees through encouraging local communities to extend their support. The program has been highly appreciated because of its positive impacts on refugee integration and a sense of belonging between refugees and their host families.
When the UK's Community Sponsorship program is compared with others, they have many similarities. When the working of these programs is compared with others, all of them work in the same pattern, i.e., by motivating the local communities and charity groups to support refugees, both financially and morally, emotionally, and physically. All these models aim to address refugees' immediate needs by providing them with necessary services and speeding up their integration process.
However, when their outcomes are compared with the UK's Community Sponsorship scheme, the Canadian model is considered the most successful model in terms of employment, social integration, and language acquisition because of its unique features. The UK's sponsorship program is relatively newer and has shown various positive outcomes concisely.
Challenges Faced by the Community Sponsorship Schemes
Both sponsors and refugees may face various challenges in the Community Sponsorship programs. Some of these challenges are as follows:
1- Financial Burden
Sponsors may face financial difficulties while sponsoring the refugees. Financial responsibilities include housing, education, language training, and healthcare facilities. All of them can prove to be very demanding. Sponsors may need to secure funding and resources to ensure sustainable support throughout the sponsorship period.
2- Language Barrier
Language and cultural barriers pose significant challenges during the resettlement process. Effective communication is crucial for easy social integration. Sponsors may need to provide robust language training to speed up the integration process.
3- Social Isolation
Social isolation can impact both sponsors and refugees. Sponsors may face difficulties in engaging the broader community and building support networks. Refugees may experience isolation due to language barriers, cultural differences, or a lack of social connections. Encouraging community involvement, fostering social integration, and providing opportunities for social interaction are essential for overcoming this challenge.
4- Emotional Well-being
Sponsors and refugees may face emotional challenges throughout the sponsorship process. Refugees may have experienced trauma or separation from their families, which can impact their mental health. Sponsors may encounter emotional fatigue or struggle with managing expectations. Access to mental health support services and building a supportive network can help address these challenges.
Fostering Hope and Building Bridges
In a world where refugees continuously strive for safety, security, better life, equality, representation, and integration, the community sponsorship programs act as a beacon of hope and a bridge between different worlds. From the pioneering Canadian scheme to the unique and innovative UK Community Sponsorship scheme, these programs have demonstrated the immense potential of community work. They have shown the world that when communities come together to work, they can create transformative opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives and find solace amidst uncertainty. It is a tapestry that weaves stories of belonging, solidarity, and the transformative power of community. Together, we can defy borders and prejudices, fostering inclusive societies where compassion reigns and the promise of a better tomorrow becomes a reality. So let us continue to embrace the spirit of community sponsorship, uplift lives, and forge lasting connections.