Meet Betty: from volunteer to supporting families as a caseworker
In this post, one of our Resettlement Caseworkers, Betty, shares how volunteering shaped her journey, what she has learned along the way, and why…
News and Insights
Courage to dream: creating art together for Refugee Week 2026
To mark Refugee Week 2026 and the 75th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, we invited our community to reflect on this year’s theme: Courage. Staff, volunteers, clients and neighbours […]
Read moreMeet Godwin: Finding hope and support in Brighton
When Godwin arrived in Brighton, he was facing an uncertain future. In this blog, he shares his journey of rebuilding his life, the support…
Stories, impact and community: Launching our 2025 Impact Report
We are proud to share our Voices in Exile 2025 Impact Report, highlighting the collective impact of our staff, volunteers, partners, supporters, and the…
Meet Garry: Supporting refugees through two essential volunteer roles
Meet one of our amazing volunteers, Garry, a retired social worker supporting both group sessions and casework at Voices. In a recent conversation, Garry…
Rebuilding safety and stability: How we supported our client
Last year, a mother from Iran who had arrived in the UK on a spousal visa was introduced to Voices in Exile and was…
Introducing Philip: A passionate new voice on our Board
We’re delighted to have recently welcomed three new trustees to the Voices in Exile Board. This month, we’re introducing Philip, who brings a wealth…
Creativity, connection and plenty of colour in our recent group sessions
Over the past few weeks, our community groups have been busy getting creative, learning new skills and enjoying time together. These sessions are a…
Finding belonging and sharing stories through poetry: Nemat’s journey
When Nemat Ahangosh came to the UK to study at the University of Sussex, he didn’t expect that Brighton would become the place where…
English classes bring success while building a sense of community
More than 40 clients of Voices in Exile celebrated the completion of their pre-entry and entry level English language studies at the end of…
End the private contractor’s greed in asylum seeker housing: BBC News story
In August, Voices signed onto a statement with 60 organisations calling for an end to using for-profit private contractors in the delivery of housing…
A statement of solidarity and support with Peacehaven Mosque
We are deeply shocked and saddened by the attack on Peacehaven Mosque yesterday, and our thoughts are with all those affected. During this challenging…
Letter to the Home Secretary: Unite our communities
Anger and division cause tensions in our communities, dividing us and tearing the social fabric of our society. It harms us all. We have…
Impacts of the Ministry of Defence Afghan data leak Survey
We invite you to take part in a survey about you and your family’s experiences of the Afghan Data Breach and Resettlement. Your input…
28 days is never enough: A letter to Government
With 63 other expert groups, we have written to Government to oppose the sudden reduction in the asylum accommodation move-on period for newly recognised…
End this alarming current of hatred: Open letter to party leaders
Voices in Exile join over 200 orgs to call on party leaders to end the divisive politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language of the…
Meet Anerley: Generalist Advice Caseworker at Voices
This week we’re introducing Anerley, one of our dedicated Generalist Advice Caseworkers. Anerley is part of the team providing vital, day-to-day support to our…
Exploring the border conundrum: Small Boats documentary screening raises vital questions
On Tuesday, 5 August, members of our volunteer team attended a special screening of Small Boats: The Border Conundrum at Brighton’s Lantern Theatre. The…
Meet Becca: Resettlement Caseworker at Voices in Exile
This week, we’re getting to know Becca, one of our Resettlement Caseworkers. Becca works closely with families who have recently arrived in Brighton and…
Celebrating Refugee Week with stories, poetry and community at the Unitarian Church
As part of Refugee Week 2025, we were invited to take part in a special service on Sunday 22nd June at the Unitarian Church…
Meet Alison Kelly: Director of Voices in Exile
In this Q&A, our Director Alison Kelly shares her background, experience and priorities for the future of Voices in Exile.
Volunteer Story: Meet Sunny, our Comms and Social Media Volunteer
To mark Volunteers’ Week 2025, we’re shining a spotlight on one of our brilliant volunteers, Sunny, whose story was also featured on the Community…
Celebrating Volunteer’s Week 2025: Thank you to our volunteers!
Volunteer’s Week is a national celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. It takes place every year during…
Safe Homes, Not Hotels: Open letter to Yvette Cooper demanding action on asylum accomodation
Voices in Exile joined over 50 organisations in signing Conversations Over Borders’ open letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding a chance in the…
Launching our first Impact Report and kicking off our 20th anniversary celebrations
On Thursday 10 April, we welcomed friends, partners, and members of the local community to the Fitzherbert Centre in Kemp Town, Brighton for a…
Building confidence and community: Jamila’s journey with Voices
At Voices in Exile, we strive to provide a welcoming space where refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants can build skills, gain confidence, and feel…
Migrant parents screen video message across Westminster
‘This week, Praxis campaigners screened a video message across Westminster to make migrant voices heard on child poverty. The video played on loop around…
Finding a new passion in supporting others: Rahmat’s story
Our volunteers play a vital role in supporting refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants as they navigate life in the UK. From language lessons to…
No child left behind: Take action now!
This Government promised to cut child poverty. Right now, they are writing their strategy on how they’ll do it. The question is, will they…
Love in Limbo: Visa rules tearing families apart
As loving couples and families will celebrate their love and relationships, this Valentines Day Voices in Exile stand with Reunite Families UK https://reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/uk and a…
Open letter: Refugee citizenship rules ‘breeding division and distrust’
Voices in Exile signed, along with 148 organisations, a letter urging the government and Home Secretary from citizenship rules which effectively banning tens of…
End the hostile and racist rhetoric in our politics: Open letter to Keir Starmer
We are proud to join 136 orgs, with Together for Refugees, to call for the end to hostile politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language…
Race Equality Week 2025: Proud
We are proud to take part in Race Equality Week 2025, from February 3-9. It is an annual UK-wide movement uniting hundreds of thousands…
Joint statement: Six months since the racist riots, we urge the government to take action
Voices in Exile joined 60 racial justice, migrants rights and Muslim organisations to call on the government to take action on growing levels of…
Joint public letter: Reconsider the decision to suspend all Syrian asylum claims
Part of Asylum Matters’ campaign to Fight the Anti Refugee Laws, Voices in Exile join over 730 organisations and individuals in signing a joint…
Mitzvah Day at The Progressive Synagogue of Brighton and Hove: Stronger With Tea
This Sunday November 24 was a special day at The Progressive Synagogue. Mitzvah Day is an international day of social action designed to bring…
The shift to eVisas: what you need to know and how to protect your rights
The UK government’s decision to move to a digital-only immigration system is set to take full effect by 31 December 2024. This policy will…
We join 71 organisations writing to the government regarding transition to eVisa and migrants entitlements
We’ve joined 71 organisations, including Migrants Organise and the3million, in writing to the UK government to express significant concerns that the transition to eVisa…
Live music, fasting and feasting: A heartfelt thank you to our incredible fundraisers
At Voices in Exile, we’re continually moved by the dedication and creativity of our supporters. From dance marathons to community feasts, the people and…
Paula’s mentoring story: Could you be a Voices in Exile mentor?
Paula joined us as an Admin volunteer and has also recently acted as a mentor to Voices in Exile service users. We recently spoke…
Reunited in Brighton: A new start for Mohammed and Lana
Here, Mohammed explains how support from Voices in Exile has helped him to settle in the UK since he left Sudan in 2019, and…
Seasonal harvest from Goat Grid boosts the Voices in Exile food bank
Our food bank relies on the generous donations we receive from individuals and funders. We recently received a visit from local farmer, Casper, with…
Addressing the housing crisis for refugees in Brighton: Challenges and solutions
Our Generalist Advice Team offers essential support to refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants, helping them access welfare benefits, secure housing, and find childcare.…
Joint briefing: Immigration legal aid
Our legal aid system is in deep crisis. We need urgent change, now. Voices in Exile were part of a joint briefing on the…
Allies not Enemies: Pictures from a successful music event in solidarity with migrants
In August, Cost of Living Events hosted an all day music event at the Gladstone Pub with 100% of profits going to charities supporting…
Joint briefing: Immigration legal aid
https://jcwi.org.uk/resource/joint-briefing-immigration-legal-aid/ Did you know that 4 million people could soon struggle to prove their basic rights? The Government plans to overhaul how we…
Joint Statement: Response to the announcement to reopen Haslar and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres
Voices in Exile reacted quickly to the announcement to reopen Haslar and Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centres, signing the following joint statement, which you…
Allies not Enemies: Cost of Living Events presents a solidarity show for Voices in Exile
On August 31 from 2pm until late, Cost of Living Events presents: Allies Not Enemies. An all-day music event in solidarity with refugees and…
Open letter: Demand accountability and an immediate shift in policy to prevent further riots
Over 100 frontline organisations providing advice to migrants and communities across the country today presented the Home Office with an open letter demanding accountability…
Open letter: 137 orgs and groups write to the Home Secretary demanding suspension of immigration reporting appointments
Voices in Exile has today joined 137 organisations and groups in calling for an immediate suspension of immigration reporting conditions due to risks posed…
This is who we are: 240 refugee charities stand together in joint response to anti-immigrant violence
Today we join over 240 orgs to stand in solidarity with those affected by the recent acts of violence across the UK, many of…
An open letter to Keir Starmer: Race riots
With 80 anti-racist and migrant rights organisations, we’ve written to Keir Starmer asking for Parliament to be recalled to address the scale of this…
The Voices in Exile Summer Celebration: A joyful evening of community and conversation
This July, we hosted our annual Summer Celebration at the Fitzherbert Centre, bringing together staff, service users, volunteers, fundraisers, and members of the…
Solutions to homelessness amongst migrants: A signed briefing
Homeless Link and NACCOM have have published a new policy briefing exploring the key drivers of, and potential solutions to, homelessness amongst migrants. The briefing outlines…
EU Settlement Scheme: An open letter to the Prime Minister
Together with The 3 Million and 75 partners from the migration sector, Voices in Exile have signed this open letter asking the Prime Minister…
Broken asylum system: Joint public letter to the Prime Minister
Today we join 300 orgs & 500+ people in calling on 10 Downing Street to urgently overhaul our broken asylum system. We need a…
Joint Letter: Migrant homelessness briefing to the government
119 organisations including Voices in Exile have written to the leaders of the Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat parties, urging whoever forms the next…
UK Election: Open letter to candidates signed by 36 civil society groups
Words carry weight. They shape how migrants and refugees are treated in the UK. We’ve joined 35 other civil society groups in an open…
Designing homelessness out of the asylum and immigration system: An open letter
Everyone needs a safe place to live. But the immigration system pushes people into homelessness. Voices in Exile joined over 100 organisations in signing…
6 steps towards migrants justice
The rights of people who move have been under attack for too long. Our media and our politicians want to make us forget one…
Joining the call: Free the Rwanda detainees
Voices in Exile joined hundreds of charities in the call to free the Rwanda detainees, coordinated by Right to Remain. You can read more…
Read a new report from Safe Passage, Routes to safety: A new approach to people crossing the channel
“People fleeing war and persecution have a right under international law to seek asylum, but currently face life-threatening journeys to safety in the UK.…
Volunteers Week 2024: A history of volunteering at Voices in Exile
From Monday 3rd to Sunday 9th June, we’re celebrating Volunteers Week — a time to recognise the contributions that volunteers make to organisations like Voices…
Majority of people crossing the Channel are refugees, new Refugee Council report shows
A recent report from The Refugee Council highlights that most people risking the dangerous journey across the Channel on small boats are, in fact,…