New coalition aims to mitigate the trauma of refugees and their UK hosts
Ten UK organisations have joined forces to create the Trauma Informed Hosting Coalition, aimed at supporting victims of trauma being hosted in the UK and those around them.
The Trauma Informed Hosting Coalition sees the coming together of charity and partnership organisations: Barnardo’s, Citizens UK, Hope at Home, Housing Justice Cymru, Migration Yorkshire, NACCOM, Refugee Council, Refugees at Home, Reset and Trauma Treatment International (TTI).
Significant numbers of people who have experienced horrific and violent events are living in the homes of people across the UK, connected through hosting and community sponsorship schemes. Those being hosted include refugees and people seeking asylum, as well as victims of slavery and trafficking.
TTI strategic advisor Tiffany Watts said the coalition was born in response to a need identified by organisations managing and overseeing the schemes, whose staff are looking for consistency in trauma-informed training and support.
She explained: “A safe, welcoming host home can foster resilience from trauma and positively support the overall well-being of asylum seekers and refugees. However organisations recognise the potential risk that trauma poses within the hosting context - to hosts, the guests, and to staff and volunteers working in complex, resource-scarce contexts where frequent exposure to traumatic case studies can lead to burnout or vicarious trauma.”
A TTI research project carried out last year highlighted a wide variety of hosting and community sponsorship services responding to increasing need, with limited government recognition or investment in trauma-informed support for those involved.
The research also found that hosts were unsure how to access mental health advice or services for their guests, while they were uncertain which ones they could trust. At the same time, staff at supporting organisations including local councils were at risk of burnout, particularly as they responded to the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
As a result, the Trauma Informed Hosting Coalition will work together to ensure hosting schemes in the UK are trauma-informed. This will help create the best possible conditions to prevent re-traumatisation, support long term recovery, and promote the wellbeing of hosts, guests and the people who work with them.
Tiffany said: “Shared best practice guidelines, based on the experiences of guests and hosts, will be promoted to the charity, public sector and policy makers for future national hosting schemes.”
She added: “It is wonderful to be working alongside such fantastic organisations, uniting in a shared vision to provide the best possible support to victims of unimaginable trauma.”