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Volunteers who approach Community Sponsorship are focused on changing a refugee family’s life, providing safety and supporting their integration. However, they rarely anticipate how impactful the experience will be on their own communities.
Reset recently partnered with COMET, a European network project focused on complementary pathways, to produce a comprehensive Lessons Learned report examining community-led welcome initiatives across participating countries. A key insight from this collaboration was how community-led welcome strengthened the very communities in which this welcome takes place:
“An advantage of the sponsorship scheme is that volunteers can welcome families into the wider community due to the nature of the group coming from the community themselves. Sponsorship itself is a great opportunity for communities to strengthen their connections, lead to new friendships and collaborations and give people a sense of purpose and belonging within their villages, towns and cities. This in turn, can have a huge impact on the integration of the family or individuals welcomed into that environment as well as those that follow. A welcoming community who strives for inclusivity can deeply support a family’s journey of integration.”
Reset set out to see whether this finding accurately reflects the experience of Community Sponsorship groups in the UK. We presented this excerpt from the report to the Pontyclun Refugee Support group to compare their experience on the ground. What emerged was a vivid picture of how these benefits touched even those beyond the group and family.
The Pontyclun group shared: “Prior to the family’s arrival, the community were amazing in contributing financially to the group for us to meet the financial requirements set by the Home Office. Not only did we hit the required £9k target but we were lucky enough to have raised significantly more money.”
The group found that the fundraising process itself became a catalyst for community connection. They organised bingo sessions, music events with a local choir, and their biggest success – a community ball that drew 250 attendees. “Two members have businesses in the community with history of hosting balls,” the group explained, showing how existing community links were utilised for the cause. The event featured raffle prizes, auctions, and contributions from local businesses.
The group’s 18-month fundraising journey did more than meet their target – it raised awareness in a community that, as the group noted, “is not necessarily very diverse.” The process helped prepare the village for welcoming their new neighbours.
Once the family arrived at the end of March 2024 in this small community where “everyone knows everybody,” they quickly became woven into the community fabric. One powerful example of their integration came during a casual school pickup conversation, when a group member discovered that another member of the community had been supporting the mother in the family with her ESOL exam preparation every Friday night. This had not been organised by the group, it naturally emerged through the family’s own connections at school. “This just shows how integrated and how important connection is – this was a pure connection – it was so lovely,” the group reflected.
The ripple effects extended throughout the community. Mum has become a regular at local charity shops, building relationships across the community. The family’s presence at the local parks has also become a familiar sight. The school has embraced the family wholeheartedly, demonstrating how wrap-around support can reinforce community-led welcome.
Community Sponsorship created new bonds within the community itself. Group members who had never connected before formed lasting friendships. Business owners found new collaborations. People who had lived parallel lives in the same community discovered shared values and common purpose.
The Pontyclun Supports Refugees group emphasised how these connections extended beyond their immediate circle: “There are new links here – people who have businesses have new links, connections to the school, more connections across the community as a whole.” What began as an effort to welcome one family evolved into a broader strengthening of community ties.
The experience of this group illustrates what the COMET research identified: Community Sponsorship doesn’t just provide safety and opportunity for refugee families, it strengthens the fabric of the communities that welcome them.
Reset concluded by asking the group what advice they would give to other communities considering Community Sponsorship on getting their wider community involved.
The group shared, “You have to create a really strong group. If you are linked to the community, and a lot of our group members have links, this makes an enormous difference. Because I have a link to the school, for example, I am able to phone the school when there is an issue. It’s about building those bridges and those really good relationships with each other and the community.”
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Reset empowers volunteers to welcome refugees into communities across the UK. Find out about us and the kinds of programmes we’ve been involved with.
Research, monitoring and evaluation are essential for making evidence-based decisions that will support Community Sponsorship to grow and flourish.
Sponsoring a refugee family is a significant responsibility. We advocate for Community Sponsors to ensure that they are properly supported throughout their journey.
Our advocacy focuses on representing the views of Community Sponsors to the Home Office to support them in implementing the necessary operational changes.
We also represent the views of Community Sponsors to other key stakeholders, including Local Authorities, international organisations, the wider resettlement field, housing providers and financial institutions. We also use our voice to campaign on policies affecting refugees. We are members of the Together With Refugees coalition, campaigning for a more humane approach to people seeking protection in the UK.
