Volunteers' Week 2020: Mentor Stephanie's interview with the Mayor of London's team

This week is Volunteers’ Week and to mark this important week, one of our volunteer mentors, Stephanie, recently spoke to the Mayor of London’s team about her experience of helping refugees during the Covid-19 crisis.

Is there a personal reason this volunteering is important to you? 

While it's not something I've experienced personally, I'm familiar with the narratives surrounding refugees having grown up alongside family members who have been through that struggle, instilling in me a call to support young refugees who have been displaced from their home lands.

How long have you volunteered?

1 Year

What is your most memorable experience from volunteering?

This has to be the dance at the end of the graduation ceremony; a tightknit community of young refugees, mentors, trustees, programme directors having a fun and enjoyable celebration of achievements and diverse cultures (with amazing bread!)

What impact has the volunteering had on you personally? 

This experience has taught me that our acts of kindness do not have to be large or grand for it to make a difference. My mentees have showed me that even something as little as being present at the stalls every week can make a huge difference to their confidence and self-belief.

Do you think people care about this cause enough?

A general negative bias continues to persist against refugees and asylum seekers, standing in their way of making a fresh start here. Many people do not recognise that by providing refugees the opportunity to work, they can become productive contributors to society.

If you had unlimited resources, what type of projects or programmes would you start?  

I would start an internet café with open mic nights that not only offers young refugees work opportunities but also access to learning computer skills and a platform to showcase their talents.