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BELONGINGS exhibition Photograph by Scott Murray ;

BELONGINGS workshop: Challenging anti-immigration narratives and creating pathways for belonging with people seeking asylum and refugees

How can public services and community action challenge anti-immigration narratives, create pathways for belonging, and improve quality of life and mental health with refugees and people seeking asylum?

This was the guiding question for our BELONGINGS workshop that brought together refugees, practitioners, community organisers, policy makers, and academics to formulate recommendations to achieve a greater sense of belonging, quality of life and mental health for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. We considered the workshop important as barriers to belonging, quality of life, and mental health have been shown to originate from the UK’s “broken” asylum system and “hostile environment policies” that aim to deter irregular immigration by restricting access to work, housing, healthcare, and banking for migrants and people seeking asylum.

To explore pathways to belonging for sanctuary seekers (refugees and people seeking asylum) within an inherently hostile environment, we critically examined anti-asylum narratives; mapped routes to belonging and their impact on quality of life; and considered potential effects on mental health. This was explored through creative exercises led by consultants with lived experience Ana Asatiani and Miskhka Pilay, artist Susan Aldworth, and art therapist Anna Virabyan, who has lived experience of the asylum system.

BELONGINGS Photo exercise sheet

What are the key principles and challenges related to belonging, quality of life, and mental health for sanctuary seekers?

Workshop participants reflected that sanctuary seekers are forced to navigate an asylum system designed to be hostile, often facing divisive and harmful attitudes that severely impact their quality of life and mental health. They are frequently wrongfully blamed for taking what is perceived as 'rightfully belonging' to others, becoming scapegoats for wider societal issues. This rhetoric, participants noted, is laced with misinformation, racist tropes, and harmful stereotypes, further exacerbating the challenges sanctuary seekers face. Despite having to navigate these hostilities, it was acknowledged that sanctuary seekers make hugely valuable contributions to our society, often with support from community organisations, faith groups, educational institutions, and individuals.

 

While workshop participants agreed on the above, we also deliberated on three key principles:

  • belonging
  • quality of life
  • mental health

We explored how these interconnected concepts shape the experiences and relationships of sanctuary seekers:

1.Belonging

Workshop participants considered to be closely linked to the idea of ‘home’ and other places that offer connection, safety, and stability. It involves recognising our shared humanity and the desire to be part of something meaningful, to feel accepted, and to have access to resources and opportunities. However, a sense of belonging is often undermined by anti-asylum narratives that dehumanise sanctuary seekers, often labelling them as a “swarm”, “invasion”, or “aliens.” These harmful stereotypes are spread through scapegoating and misleading claims, such as the idea that asylum seekers come to ‘take over homes, jobs, and school places.’ Such rhetoric fosters fear, division, and exclusion, making it harder for refugees and asylum seekers to feel they can belong.

2. Quality of life

Participants noted quality of life is mostly about having control over one’s life, stability, dignity, and respect, as well as the opportunity to contribute to the community. For many sanctuary seekers, arriving in a new place can feel dehumanising when they are treated with suspicion by the Home Office, are lacking basic human rights, and don’t have access to enough food, adequate and safe housing, and the ability to work.

A participant noted that the “Home Office [is] not treating the asylum community with the same human rights as everyone else”. As a result, sanctuary seekers are often made to feel isolated, frustrated, alienated, dehumanised, and fearful. To enhance quality of life, participants felt that the core message needs to be: “We are all human,” and should be treated as such.

3. Mental health

The mental health of sanctuary seekers was perceived to be shaped by how they experience their place in society. Participants noted that when people feel unsafe, unwelcome, or marginalised, it can have a significant negative impact on their mental health. Conversely, feeling valued, accepted, and part of a community, along with having access to essential services like healthcare and counselling, can greatly enhance people's mental well-being.

 

How can community action challenge anti-asylum narratives and improve sanctuary seekers’ sense of belonging?

Workshop participants considered various ways in which anti-asylum sentiments can be challenged through public services, community action, and individual initiatives. They agreed that public services can challenge anti-asylum sentiments by using inclusive language, clearly communicating refugees’ entitlements, and fostering community integration. Long-term planning, rather than reactive measures driven by crises such as those in Ukraine and Afghanistan, is essential. This, it was argued, requires effective collaboration across services, proper staff training, and the provision of accurate information will ensure that sanctuary seekers receive the support, respect, and rights they deserve.

A positive example of how community action has recently challenged anti-asylum sentiments was the response to the racist riots where people clearly took a stance saying “no, that’s not us, the extremist voices are not us.” Other positive examples that were highlighted were Boroughs of Sanctuary, part of the City of Sanctuary UK movement, which acknowledge a community's dedication to fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, with a focus on supporting their rights and overall well-being.

Related supportive initiatives that participants found meaningful were:

  • welcome and information hubs
  • community action cards
  • exhibitions and events
  • training and capacity-strengthening initiatives
  • opportunities to access further education through scholarships
  • social media groups where sanctuary seekers can express their views anonymously without fear of reprisal
  • transparent complaint systems if something goes wrong

However, participants wished communities came together more to amplify values of belonging in public spaces with greater visibility, engage in community resistance to anti-immigration policies and rhetorics, and campaigns to improve sanctuary seekers’ lives and wider community cohesion.

Participants also reflected on how individual action can counter anti-asylum narratives by emphasising the importance of speaking up in our personal circles and advocating for refugees within families or workplaces to foster positive, inclusive behaviours. Additionally, actions such as signing petitions, donating, and campaigning for asylum seekers' rights were seen as valuable in raising awareness, reshaping public perception, and challenging harmful stereotypes.

BELONGINGS exhibition Photograph by Scott Murray
BELONGINGS exhibition by Susan Aldworth. Photo credit: Scott Murray

What would improved pathways to belonging look like, and how could they enhance quality of life and mental health?

In the workshop, we also explored how pathways to belonging can be improved and how this might enhance sanctuary seekers’ quality of life and mental health. The underlying principles that should shape such pathways were considered to relate to peace, safety, stability, connection, and mutual respect. Moreover, participants agreed that pathways to belonging should be supportive and empowering, ensuring that sanctuary seekers are treated with dignity and respect throughout their journey.

Practically, it was suggested that these pathways could begin already in home countries or in countries where sanctuary seekers are stranded on their journeys to safety. Upon arrival, refugees should receive a welcome pack containing essential information, including details about their rights, available services, and a transparent complaints procedure to hold decision-makers accountable. They should also undergo comprehensive assessments for healthcare, housing, and disability, with clear communication about the outcomes.

To enhance sanctuary seekers' quality of life, it was considered important to provide community group signposting and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. Participants highlighted that such opportunities could facilitate connection and integration into new communities.

Work opportunities should be available from day one, with proper assessments of skills and qualifications, enabling sanctuary seekers to contribute and regain their sense of purpose. Adequate benefits and transport options should also be provided to ensure sanctuary seekers can meet their needs. In terms of health and mental health support, participants emphasised that sanctuary seekers should have access to mental health services, including therapy, disability assessments, and adequate support, with access to full care packages if required.

BELONGINGS Photo mental health question

How does belonging feel? How might belonging affect sanctuary seekers’ mental health?

Through a drawing exercise, participants explored how a sense of belonging might impact sanctuary seekers’ mental health, while recognising the difficulty of documenting this impact in a system where belonging is often denied. When belonging is made so inaccessible, how can its true effects on mental wellbeing be fully understood?

Participants emphasised that the asylum process must be trauma-informed and compassionate, allowing sufficient time for individuals to prepare their cases without fear or re-traumatisation. A rushed or hostile system reinforces alienation, fear, and mistrust, deepening mental health struggles. In contrast, fair and inclusive processes can support healing, helping people rebuild their lives and form meaningful connections.

 

Belonging, participants noted, goes beyond legal status; it involves being recognised, included, and able to participate in society. When individuals feel accepted and valued, they are more likely to experience emotional stability, reduced isolation, and a sense of purpose. Mental health support, therefore, must extend beyond clinical care to address the social and cultural dimensions of wellbeing. While access to therapy, disability assessments, and comprehensive care packages is vital, equally important is the feeling of being truly "seen" and "heard" within one’s community.

 

What’s next?

Workshop participants agreed on the importance of building on this work through concrete and collaborative actions. Key priorities include developing a policy brief and an academic article to share insights and influence change at both policy and research levels.

Participants also proposed creating public presentations to raise awareness of the mental health impacts of the asylum process, and to amplify the voices of sanctuary seekers. Establishing a community of practice was identified as a way to sustain dialogue, share resources, and support those working at the intersection of migration and mental health.

Finally, expanding the Refugee Mental Health and Place (RMHP) network will be essential for fostering partnerships across sectors and ensuring that this work continues to grow in reach, impact, and inclusivity.

Authors

Susan Aldworth, Leonie Ansems de Vries, Ana Asatiani, Sarina Bitomsky, Anne Burghgraef, Elaine Chase, Gvantsa Chkharchkhalia, Joanna Green, Harry Hobson, Cornelius Katona, Hanna Kienzler, John Martin, Elizabeth Owen, Mishka Pilay, Sheyda O’Rang, Francesca Rowson, Bhavna Sennik, Nanou Thassina, Anna Virabyan

Contact details

To learn more about the initiative, please contact the project lead, Prof. Hanna Kienzler at hanna.kienzler@kcl.ac.uk

Acknowledgements

With thanks to Virginia Elgar, Trudy Mensah, Gabriel Lawson, and Guntars Ermansons for their invaluable contributions.

This work was supported by the King’s Public Engagement Fund, ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King’s Culture, King’s Sanctuary Programme, GHSM Mental Health & Society Research Group, and Kairos. We are also grateful for the support of Ana & Mishka (A&M) Consultancy, Helen Bamber Foundation, and Migrants Organise.

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