Kirklees is rich in diversity when it comes to our communities, with people from many different countries making their homes in local places and enriching our community life.
It isn’t always easy for migrants coming to live in a new place. One of the ways migrants can now be supported is through the Welcome Mentors programme, provided by Third Sector Leaders Kirklees.
The Welcome Mentors programme offers a volunteer support and befriending service to help reduce some of the barriers and alleviate the feeling of isolation some migrants may feel.
The Mentors are there to help refugees, asylum seekers and migrants settle in Kirklees and help them navigate through what can be a complicated process for starting again in a new environment.
You can find out in detail just what the Mentors can help with on the Kirklees Welcomes blog:
What is the Welcome Mentors project?
In this short video Steffi Rogers, the Welcome Mentors Co-ordinator at Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, explains more about the role of the mentors:
What is a Welcome Mentor? (video)
For things like the Welcome Mentors project to work, willing volunteers are needed and it’s always nice to hear first hand the stories of those directly involved. These stories from Volunteering Kirklees say more about the practical help that Mentors provide to migrants, along with what the volunteers get out the experience as individuals. It’s heart-warming stuff.