Social support
Having a social support network that is strong and meaningful can contribute to the wellbeing of defenders, enabling them to get the most out of the programme, and provide important support to the staff engaged in the programme. Without such a network, there is a danger of isolation, loneliness and cultural shock, amongst other things, for relocated human rights defenders. It is therefore important to provide a supportive environment, separate from wellbeing provision. This may be through the establishing of social networks or a support scheme or similar volunteer network. Students may be able to contribute to this, or volunteers from the local community. Other local or alumni human rights defenders can play an important role here too. There may also be established local support groups that you can draw on for assistance.
“In my case I really enjoyed my friends. They are very friendly, funny. They helped me a lot – both practically and emotionally. I didn’t have much social life before coming to York. I could have dinner with them without thinking about politics and feel safe. We talked about lots of different things.”
“I don’t know how I would be able to survive York without it – especially at the beginning of the fellowship. I love my friends. They were life-affirming and these will be life-time friendships. ”
“This [Friends Scheme] is the most amazing part of the emotional protection… It gives the opportunity to learn about the local culture and society very quickly and effectively.”
“I found, yet again, the whole experience extremely rewarding. It was a privilege to get to know [HRD] and I learned a lot from him.”
“I realised that being [HRD]’s friend meant exactly that – introducing her to my own local friends and integrating her into my circle. It didn’t feel like volunteering but meeting someone new and wonderful.”
Support from a local NGO at the University of Deusto
Beyond financial and academic support, developing a social network of support that can help human rights defenders, and their families, is key for the success of the Programme. Integration in a new environment is not an easy process, especially when there are linguistic barriers. Children go to school and find ways to socialise and, eventually, learn the language. In the case of parents and adults, that process of socialisation and integration is much more challenging.
In Deusto, the University has collaborated with a local NGO which provides this valuable support to those on the Programme. Fundación Ellacuria, an NGO of the Society of Jesus that works for the creation of a multicultural citizenship in the Basque Country, arranges excursions, cinema trips, Spanish lessons, and opportunities for socialisation and mutual exchange with local families and individuals. As part of a volunteer programme run by the Fundación Ellacuria, University staff have joined a support group to accompany human rights defenders hosted at the University. The volunteer group is led by a social integration specialist from Fundación Ellacuria. The support includes integration at the University and in the community.
The ‘Friends Scheme’ at the University of York
The Friends Scheme sits alongside the University’s Protective Fellowship Scheme and provides practical and social support to relocated human rights defenders through a network of volunteers. The role of the Friends is to befriend defenders, to help them settle in, to explain local culture and customs, and to introduce them to the everyday life of the local community. Each defender is allocated a group of Friends from a pool of volunteers, mostly retired, who have an interest in human rights and social justice. The coordinators of the programme, who are also volunteers, try to match defenders to Friends who have shared interests, or perhaps knowledge of the language or country of the defender.
Each defender is sent a welcome email with some background information about their Friends before arrival. The Friends then meet the defender at the train station, take them to their accommodation, and remain in regular contact for the first few days, striving to ensure defenders feel neither isolated nor overloaded. Friends provide ongoing social support for at least the first 4-6 weeks, inviting them to events and introducing them to the local area, such as trips to cafes, museums, and the coast. After this, the Friends or the defender can choose to discontinue the relationship. In practice, most continue to meet up for the duration of the defender’s stay, with many remaining in contact after they have left the Programme. As well as these social events, over the years Friends have organised a bike scheme, provided English conversation lessons, sourced extra clothing, accompanied defenders to medical appointments, and helped to establish wellbeing and counselling provision.
The Friends Scheme is one of mutual benefit. Feedback from Friends demonstrates that the Scheme offers an enriching experience to volunteers and creates links for them with the local community, and evaluations completed by defenders at the end of the programme highlight how the Scheme enhances their emotional wellbeing and overall experience of relocation.
Feedback on the University of York ‘Friends Scheme’
More information
Crawshaw, M., Brown, M. and Eriksson, S. (2023) ‘Using a volunteer friends support scheme in a temporary relocation programme’. Journal of Human Rights Practice, Volume 15, Issue 2, July 2023, pages 581 to 594.
‘Offer personal as well as professional support’ in CARA’s Supporting persecuted academics: A Guide for Higher Education Institutions (page 37).