Southampton
Mentors are given full training prior to being matched and then spend about 5 hours a month with their mentee, helping them to feel more at home in the UK. This might mean helping to write a CV, visiting a museum or art gallery, practising English or explaining the peculiarities of British humour.
The types of thing we do together have ranged from discussing current affairs so my mentee can practise and improve his English, to having a bite to eat in a traditional Congolese restaurant’ a mentor on the Time Together scheme.
Time Together started in Southampton in October 2005. It is delivered in partnership with City Life Education & Action for Refugees (CLEAR) who work to improve the education, employability and over all quality of life for refugees in Southampton.
The Southampton refugee community is very diverse and includes refugees from Somalia, Afghanistan and Iran. Refugees have many skills and talents to contribute to the city’s cultural and community life and Time Together aims to help refugees feel more at home in the city.
Time Together gives volunteers the opportunity to learn about other cultures, meet new people and help to build a more cohesive community. John Linford, the Southampton Co-ordinator, says:
'Through Time Together mentors are gaining a genuine, rewarding insight into the lives, cultures and experiences of refugee mentees. In turn, the mentees are encouraged by the commitment, enthusiasm and welcoming attitude of the mentors as they begin to feel at home in the city of Southampton.'
