Restore; Training Course and a Welcome to our new Befriending Co-ordinator

Ahead of Restore’s next training course for new volunteers in June, Jasmine Cullen, Restore’s new Befriending Co-ordinator,  reflects on what motivates her to support refugees and on why Christians and churches should also welcome refugees. 

As a Christian, I believe that God demonstrates his love towards displaced people throughout the Bible therefore Christians should also show compassion in this area. In Deuteronomy 10 verse19 God calls the Israelites to love the foreign person living in their land because they themselves were foreigners in Egypt. In the New Testament, Jesus taught in Matthew 25 verse 35 that when we provide help to others, it is as if we are providing help to Jesus Himself. The apostle Paul asks the church to ‘extend hospitality to strangers’ in Romans 12 verse 13. Both the Israelites and Jesus’ family fled their homes to escape persecution, with the Israelites leaving Egypt to escape slavery, and Jesus’ family fleeing into Egypt to escape persecution from Herod. It is also helpful to remember that in both instances it was God himself who encouraged these people to move country, and God who supported them throughout their journey.

In Birmingham, I believe we are in a unique position to offer welcome and support. Birmingham is home to both asylum seekers and refugees from a wide variety of locations, including Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan and Ukraine. During this initial period in the UK, it is common for people to suffer from poor mental health and feelings of isolation as they struggle to settle into a country which may be very different from their own. At Restore, we aim to alleviate these issues by pairing asylum seekers and refugees with a local person in a process known as befriending. These incredible volunteers can help by providing friendship and time to practice English, as well as information on relevant services or volunteering opportunities. In a survey of our befriendees conducted in 2023, 100% stated that befriending helped them to feel more confident and 94% believed that befriending had helped them to improve their English. This demonstrates befriending as a way in which we can show God’s love towards displaced people and is why I am particularly excited about my new role at Restore.

After volunteering as a befriender at Restore for the last three years, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work full-time as the Befriending Co-ordinator. One of my best friends is a refugee and through our friendship I’ve developed an understanding of the difficulties faced by those applying for asylum on a more personal level. This inspired my interest in working with refugees and asylum seekers, and since then I’ve volunteered as a befriender with Restore, and also with the Open Door Friendship Project in Small Health leading an IT training course for migrants living there. I’ve also worked with international students by volunteering with Friends International since 2016 which has helped me to develop an appreciation for different cultures, as well as an understanding of the challenges faced by those adapting to the culture of the UK. As part of this, I’ve organised a variety of events to support students with English practice and integration into life in the UK.  For the past seven years, I’ve worked in the IT sector where I gained experience of leading large groups of volunteers and a range of training experience including creating video training and presenting in person in front of a group. In my spare time, I attend City Church Birmingham in Edgbaston, and I also enjoy a variety of hobbies from scuba diving to kayaking.

So far, I’ve absolutely loved my first few couple of weeks at Restore. I’ve learnt so much from people during both initial visits with newly referred refugees and group social activities, including how to cook coffee in sand and the variety of unique musical instruments in Iran. I’ve also been amazed by the work of all the charities and volunteers I’ve met who dedicate so much time to helping asylum seekers and refugees in the Birmingham area. I’m excited to meet more incredible people over the coming weeks, and to build upon my current experience to support both the befrienders and befriendees at Restore. Our next 3-session training course begins on Tuesday 11^th June at a city centre venue, and is a great opportunity to learn about how you can support refugees and asylum seekers living in Birmingham. If this is something you are interested in, or if you have any questions about Restore’s work, please feel free to contact me on jasmine@restore-uk.org or sign-up to the join the course online HERE.