This year, we’ve celebrated the graduation of several members and volunteers for completing the esteemed Sanctuary in Politics course provided by City of Sanctuary UK. These individuals are pivotal in advancing our core charity objective: fostering a culture of welcome within local communities. Leveraging their expertise and with the aid of Speak up for Sanctuary training, we aim to pioneer a new Community Cohesion project. This initiative will empower our graduates and volunteers to disseminate their knowledge, encouraging broader community engagement and fostering a welcoming ethos. Our goal is to inspire others to take proactive steps and join us as volunteers.

This project will work by providing further training to our volunteers and other charity members, equipping them with essential skills such as presentation, media outreach, event planning, and fundraising. Funding from donations will cover all associated costs, including travel, ensuring the participation of communities with lived experience—a crucial aspect of our inclusivity efforts. Through community events, we aim to unite local residents and new arrivals in Swansea, facilitating dialogue and amplifying the voices of our volunteers. These gatherings will serve as platforms to identify community champions who advocate for asylum seekers and refugees.

While we take pride in the diversity of our volunteers, including the representation of individuals with lived experience of seeking asylum in leadership roles, there are still underrepresented communities in Swansea. As demographics among new arrivals evolve, it’s vital for our organisation to mirror the diversity of those we aim to serve. The proposed Community Cohesion project builds upon our recent capacity building initiatives, extending our reach to communities currently underrepresented in Swansea City of Sanctuary.

With your donation, we anticipate recruiting and engaging volunteers from diverse communities in and around Swansea, broadening our network to include voices from various backgrounds. This project presents an opportune moment to showcase our organisation’s mission to a local and international audience, highlighting the myriad roles and opportunities available for volunteers from all walks of life.

For more information, please see our fundraiser page on LocalGiving: https://localgiving.org/appeal/community-cohesion-project/