Support for hosts and guests
The support I’ve received is great – there’s always someone I can speak to, and knowing that someone will check in with us and our guest has been a comfort too.
Support for your guest
Your guest will have a support network of their own; this can come in many different forms, but we will have discussed this with the guest and their referrer (if they have one) prior to making a placement; and we can share this with you. Being willing and ready to ask for help is part of our guest assessment process.
Support can come in many different forms, and some guests may have high expectations. For example, guests are sometimes told that the local authority will provide them with private accommodation, but in reality, this rarely happens.
It’s incredibly important that we all be clear when we don’t know someone’s support entitlements and help them manage their expectations. When you are asked questions about things like this by your guest, please speak to your Placement Coordinator.
Support for hosts
We know things don’t always go as planned in hosting. You might have an unexpected visitor and no longer be able to host. You might be worried about your guest, or your guest might not be adhering to your house rules. It might be that you and your guest don’t get along. Your Placement Coordinator is always on hand to discuss any element of your hosting and help you find a solution; we’re here for the good things too! We have a robust handover process for covering holidays in the team as well as weekend cover for urgent matters.
All placements start with a trial period, so both you and the guest can explore whether this arrangement works. If you are hosting with us through the Homes for Ukraine programme, additional support is available through your local authority who will be helping your guest to move on from hosting.
A member of the Refugees at Home team is available seven days a week, but we are not an emergency service. If something happens outside of working hours we will do our best to respond and resolve issues.
The quickest way to record your emergency with us is to email info@refugeesathome.org
Our local hubs
Our hubs, which are completely optional to join, provide a local connection for hosts and home visitors to come together and share experiences, ideas, and questions on the hosting experience from both a practical and emotional perspective. There’s no one way that a hub operates, some are virtual groups, meeting online regularly or keeping in contact through WhatsApp Groups.
To see a map of our current hubs, and find out more about joining, visit our hubs page. If there isn’t a hub in your area, please contact us at info@refugeesathome.org as we’re always keen to set up more.
As a host in Sheffield, I have found it extremely helpful to be connected with the Sheffield Hub. We mainly use WhatsApp and we meet up at local restaurants to share experiences and have a good old chat. WhatsApp helps with practicalities such as sharing refugee themed events and asking for advice on specific situations, so you always have friendly people you can rely on. Meeting up was amusing in some respects as certain interactions with guests that you might think only apply to you turn out to be universal!
