I started volunteering with RAY when I moved to York, almost ten years ago. My career had been in communication and I was keen to carry on using my experience - and I enjoy speaking to groups. So one of my roles with RAY has been exactly that. I’ve spoken to different groups - Women’s Institute, scouts, guides - but mainly to schools. I’ve done everything from giving a formal presentation to a school assembly to talking to 180 six to ten year olds. That was a real challenge; I couldn’t believe how well behaved they were; one teacher controlling 180 very small people!
What I do most often is a 45 minute session with one primary school class, usually aged eight upwards. Quite often the class will have been reading a book about refugees and the teacher will have been encouraging them to talk about the issues raised, so they’re already interested and involved. I often find that some of the children have a much clearer idea of the asylum system than many adults I meet, and I’m heartened by their interest and positive attitude. They really enjoy the discussion and come up with lots of interesting ideas and questions. I vividly remember one small nine year old girl. We were talking about how refugees integrate into society, and someone suggested perhaps they could wear badges so people would know they might need help. This little girl said fiercely ‘No, we mustn’t do that - that’s what Hitler did to the Jews’. It gives you hope for the future. I think it’s impossible for any of us to imagine what it’s really like to be an asylum seeker, but I try to give the children a bit of an idea of what it must feel like to have to leave your home and everything you know and love and make your way to a strange country with a new language and different culture. It really cheers me to think that these children have a view of and an approach to asylum seekers and refugees very different from views prevalent in much of our society.
My other main activity for RAY is to volunteer at the Hub, where I work in the kitchen putting together the food that service users and volunteers bring for the communal meal. Do we sample the many delicious looking contributions? Of course we do. It’s so good to see everyone sitting and chatting and enjoying a range of wonderful food. My enjoyment of the different dishes has led me to be part of the group putting together a RAY cookery book. We’re still short of recipes so would really welcome contributions from service users and volunteers.
I’ve learned a lot, met a wide range of people and made some good friends volunteering with RAY, and I continue to be impressed by all the work the staff and volunteers do to support refugees and asylum seekers here in York. The world seems to be so full of hatred and prejudice; it’s good to realise that there are islands of positivity, goodwill and hope for the future.
by RAY volunteer
