Our first UK project supports refugees and people seeking asylum living in and around the conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP).
Since opening its doors in November 2023, the Bournemouth Dignity Centre has become a lifeline for refugees and people seeking asylum on the UK’s south coast. With the growing number of people arriving in Bournemouth and surrounding areas, the Centre provides a vital space of welcome, where members can access essential services, connect with the local community and find a sense of belonging during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
While new arrivals can select a Welcome Pack of weather appropriate clothing and hygiene items from our ‘free shop,’ many of our members also use the space as much-needed respite from their cramped, isolating hotel accommodation.
The team of amazing local volunteers, led by our wonderful Coordinators, offer a wide range of services that address the complex needs of people seeking asylum and refugees as they navigate life in the UK.
Our busy helpdesk assists with important tasks such as filling out paperwork, making appointments and navigating the asylum system. We also provide weekly English lessons and run music sessions twice a month with Seeking Refuge to bring people together, offering moments of levity and self-expression.
On Fridays, it’s ‘Members Takeover,’ a time for games, puzzles and, thanks to Table Tennis England – through whom we were able to purchase a heavily discounted professional table – a few rounds of table tennis.
For those needing more specialised support, through close partnerships with experts, we offer careers advice, as well as assisting with access to health care, education and mental health services. Alongside, we support members to apply for Universal Credit, set up bank accounts, find housing and apply for college or more comprehensive English classes.
Find out more about current activities and offerings on our local Facebook page.
The Centre has an open-door policy and is a community space where we can listen to the evolving needs of the people we serve and respond appropriately.
As with all our Dignity Centres, our location in the heart of Bournemouth also provides an opportunity for local residents to get involved and serves as a space that brings people together and helps build strong relationships in and across communities.
The background & need
In the UK, we hear dangerously racist rhetoric about “migrants” from the highest levels of government almost every day. This filters through to every level of society, from access to basic services to xenophobic media reports that influence public sentiment. The deliberately created ‘hostile environment’ has been exacerbated by the Nationality and Borders Bill, which, according to the UN, further increases risks of discrimination and human rights violations.
In 2023, 84,132 people applied for asylum in the UK. More than half travelled here by small boat, arriving on the south coast after a traumatic and perilous journey. While many of the towns and cities along the coast are served by a number of charities and community groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers, we have identified a gap in coverage in Bournemouth.
Men make up the majority of asylum seekers in the UK for a number of reasons. In many countries, men are the main breadwinner and also expected to join the army—factors which make them more likely to be targeted in situations of political and social turmoil. According to Professor Nando Sigona, the chair of International Migration and Forced Displacement at the University of Birmingham, “the journey to Europe is dangerous and expensive, and raising enough money for all members to seek protection abroad is difficult, so often men are sent abroad first to secure an income to support the family and also a safer route to international protection via family reunion.”
While there is some support for people in the UK once they get refugee status, there is very little for asylum seekers, who must wait an average of one to three years for their asylum application decision, living in temporary accommodation that often compounds feelings of isolation and precarity, and are not permitted to work during that time.
Most of our members have been placed in hotels provided by the Home Office, and the living conditions have created significant mental health challenges for people seeking asylum, who are unable to work, forced to share cramped rooms with strangers and reliant on three processed meals a day. A report published by the Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid in June 2024 highlighted the negative impact such conditions have on quality of life and the huge potential for (re)traumatisation for those housed in this way.
The Bournemouth Dignity Centre was designed to provide an antidote to these conditions: a hub of vibrant activity and community, responding to the needs of those we serve. It’s the latest example of what we do best: dignified support in times of urgent need.
How you can help
- Live locally? Apply to volunteer.
- Have good quality men’s clothing to donate? Contact us to arrange delivery.
