Background
Voices in Exile was set up in 2005 to address the urgent need for practical support and legal advice for refugees and vulnerable migrants in Brighton and Sussex. We began as a small, volunteer-led grassroots organisation providing a safe point of contact, advice and practical support for people who didn’t know where else to go, and soon developed a range of social and skills-based activities for clients alongside our advice, casework and destitution services.
Since the EU migrant crisis of 2015-16 we have experienced a huge increase in demand for our services, and at the same time a huge outpouring of goodwill from people wanting to help. This has been fantastic but also challenging, and our small team has undergone a number of changes as we have grown. One thing we know for sure is that demand on our services is not going to decrease anytime soon.
The south east of England, including Brighton & Hove, is acknowledged as an immigration legal aid desert, and we are the only provider of free, regulated, out-of-scope immigration advice in the region. This is crucial because, as we have seen in the aftermath of the Windrush scandal, good legal immigration advice is the key to unlocking almost all entitlements in the current hostile environment – including the right to work, claim benefits, rent accommodation, open a bank account, get married, study, and drive. If you’d like to support our vital work, you can donate here and also see what your money can buy.
Vision
Our vision is social justice, positive wellbeing and improved quality of life for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants at risk.
Mission
Our mission is to improve access to justice, housing, healthcare, education, employment and other services and entitlements through the exercise of rights, advocacy and social inclusion.
Values
Our work – both what we do and how we do it – is rooted in our core values. These include:
Respect – We aim to treat all those with whom we work, whether clients, colleagues or partners, with respect, compassion and dignity.
Justice – We believe in access to justice for all and will strive to secure it and to challenge injustice with and on behalf of our clients wherever we can.
Inclusivity – We want our services, activities, staffing and organisational culture to reflect the lived experience, views and voices of our clients and service users.
Openness – We want to build a work ethos and environment that is welcoming, transparent, reflective, and that models the world we want to see.
Solidarity – We stand in solidarity with all those who have been subject to the UK immigration system and hostile environment.
Professionalism – We believe in the importance of working to the standards of best practice and integrity at all times.
