New Era Volunteers began through the initiative of members of the Rwandan diaspora who had become UK citizens and were concerned particularly for those living in difficult conditions in parts of Africa with which they were familiar.
The charity was registered as a company by Companies House (Registration Number 06552813) in April 2008 and entered on the Register of Charities by the Charity Commission (Registered Charity Number 1128225) in February 2009.
Among its first projects were well-digging in Malawi, an HIV/Aids project and the provision of training and equipment to enable women to become self-employed and the payment of the school fees of orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More recently the main focus of New Era Volunteer’s work has been to provide awareness-raising, information and support to new migrants, resettled refugees and members of the BME community aimed at their integration into British society. This has been aided by generous grants from the Big Lottery Fund.
Refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly those from developing countries, face many challenges on arrival in the UK. A large number have fled conflict or persecution which has left them traumatized. The process of applying for asylum, especially for those who have had little or no formal education, can be very complex and stressful. It can take many months, mean access to public funds and services is restricted and result in poor living conditions, poverty and homelessness. In addition, social and cultural differences and limited or no understanding of English create barriers the can have a serious and negative effect upon recently-arrived migrants, discouraging them from participating in the life of their local communities.
New Era Volunteers is providing courses where the basics of living in Britain are explained. Advice is offered through courses which include group sessions for women, men and young people and individual mentoring through home visits where participants are able to follow up topics discussed in the courses. Training is offered in English and French as well as some African vernacular languages – experience has shown that many migrants are more comfortable with others who have come from a similar background and have a common language and understanding.
