About
BeWell exists to improve the wellbeing of people working in the migration sector. We know that everyone has different wellbeing needs, and the demands of the sector are unique in some ways. People need to work together to improve staff wellbeing.
Background
From September to December 2022, Refugee Action and SIDE Labs led a co-discovery project focused on answering the question: How might we improve the wellbeing of people working in the migration, refugee and asylum sector?
The co-discovery project was a response to growing concern about staff and volunteer wellbeing across the migration sector since the beginning of the pandemic. The Insight Hub Survey survey in June 2022 revealed that 76% of refugee and asylum organisations were “surviving” when it came to staff wellbeing. The top 3 wellbeing issues reported were overwork, financial worries, and stress and anxiety.
For detailed learnings and recommendations, download the report.
Strategic work areas identified
Build a support platform
Create a “go-to” space that signposts to a range of tools, services and offers to support staff wellbeing in the migration sector.
Network and influence
Generate sector-wide understanding of sustainable practices that improve wellbeing.
Co-develop a framework
Standardise how we approach staff wellbeing in the migration sector.
Purpose
This website is a response to the first work area above. This is the first version of the website. It will grow and evolve.
The purpose of the website, from the report:
Be a dynamic and collaborative platform that signposts a range of effective wellbeing tools, services and offers. This could be the ‘go to’ place for people and organisations across the sector to find inspiration, a trusted directory of providers, and templates of documents including wellbeing policies, or bids that include funding to support staff wellbeing.
Landscape
Projects and programmes
- Insights Hub survey
- Migration Exchange Leadership Network
- NACCOM wellbeing programme
- JTI wellbeing programme
Contributors
Discovery interviewees and participants
Sector organisations
AVID Detention, Manchester City of Sanctuary, Rainbow Migration, Micro Rainbow, CLEAR Project, Helen Bamber Foundation, PAFRAS, Refugee Women Connect, Refugee Action Services and West of Scotland Regional Equality Council, Migrants Organise, Living Voices, Solace, Amna Healing and Refugee Action Experts by Experience team.
Wellbeing experts
Act Build Change, The Black Wellbeing Collective, Homelessness Link, Reward Gateway, What Works Wellbeing and Living Voices.
Strategic partners
NACCOM, Migration Exchange, JTI and Pascale and Mo from Refugee Action.
Funders
National Lottery Community Fund and Justice Together Initiative for funding this research.
Get involved
If you have any questions or want to learn more about this toolkit or project, please contact Pascale Gayford at Refugee Action.
