Why might you want to share sponsorship experiences with others?

• Raise awareness and public support for refugees, and engage others in sponsorship
• Learn about best practices to improve the sponsorship experience for everyone
• Share accomplishments that you are proud of and the lessons you have learned
• Connect with a broader community on refugee sponsorship and inclusive communities. 

What might be helpful to keep in mind?

To leverage the benefits of sharing refugee sponsorship experiences and avoid negative unintended consequences, you might find the guiding principles helpful, as well as these considerations:

1. Privacy and self-determination
Only share information that refugee newcomers are comfortable with being shared, remembering that they might not feel comfortable saying no to you or the sponsorship group. Think about how this can be done to empower them and embrace that the answer may be not to share anything at all. (See privacy and confidentiality, and considering power)

2. Safety
Consider that the connectedness of ethnic, cultural, faith or other communities in resettlement communities around the world could lead to information spreading quickly. Regardless of an absence of overt discrimination or harm, refugee newcomers may not feel completely safe. How or whether their stories are shared could positively or negatively affect their wellbeing. Safety concerns could include:

• A perpetrator of domestic violence learning where the survivor has been resettled;
• A person being expelled from a faith community if others learn about their sexual orientation; 
• A parent of a transgender person receiving threats if it becomes known where their child is.

3. Narratives of helpless victims
Consider whether or not your messages reinforce a simplistic and harmful story about refugees as helpless victims who are unable to make their own decisions once in the resettlement community (important when considering power). Think about how you can share experiences without encouraging generalizations about any individual or community, whether it is refugees, other newcomers, or sponsorship.

4. Permanence of information in the media
Since information in the media – including on social media – is difficult to remove or permanent, it may be important for your sponsorship group and the refugee newcomers to understand that revoking consent once their information has been publicly shared may not be possible.

At a social event, Paolo runs into Mariana, a former colleague at his workplace. Here is their conversation.

Paolo: Hello Mariana! I haven’t seen you in a long time. How have you been?

Mariana: I’ve been ok, Paolo! What have you been up to?

Paolo: I’ve been pretty busy. My friends and I are sponsoring a refugee family.

Mariana: Oh really? Where are they from?

Paolo: They’re from Eritrea, but they were living in South Sudan before they arrived here last month.

Mariana: Wow, it’s amazing what you’re doing. What happened to them?

Paolo: Well the father, Kidane, was put in jail because he was a journalist. And I believe his wife, Mariam, was sexually assaulted by a militia man.

Mariana: That’s terrible. Thank goodness they’re here now.

Paolo: Yeah, we’ve put them in group therapy classes. I think it’s helping.

Mariana: It’s important they have a supportive network here.

Paolo: Absolutely. That’s Kidane coming over here. Let me introduce you to him.

Mariana: Sure!

What information does Paolo share that might not be appropriate in this situation?

How does sharing this information raise concerns around privacy and confidentiality?

While it may seem challenging to meaningfully incorporate the considerations for sharing refugee sponsorship stories, doing it well can be powerful and transformative for refugee newcomers and welcoming communities – just like sponsorship itself. Whether your sponsorship group engages in larger events or campaigns or is looking to carefully navigate day-to-day conversations with people who are particularly curious these considerations and strategies might be useful. 

• Discuss within your sponsorship group and with refugee newcomers if, what and how to share.
• Remember that the refugee newcomers’ preference, privacy, and boundaries are most important.
  • Are there specific safeguarding or privacy regulations your sponsorship group is bound by in the refugee sponsorship program in your country?
  • Would it be helpful to have a consent form that refugee newcomers can sign?
• Consider whether setting group guidelines for handling traditional or social media would be useful.
  • Would it be sufficient for the group to verbally agree, or would it be helpful to sign a written commitment to adhere to collectively developed guidelines (if developed)?
• Revisit and validate the group and refugee newcomers’ understanding of this during the sponsorship period in case preferences or boundaries shift, and be open to the change.
• If refugee newcomers fully understand the scope of their consent and explicitly want to engage, ensure that you explore what their limits are. A few options for levels of engagement could include:
  • Choosing to be the only one to tell their story.
  • Being filmed/photographed entirely or only having hands filmed while recording their voices. 
  • Determining whether they want to use their real names or aliases.
  • Sharing about their experiences after arrival only or focusing only on the sponsors.

In terms of tone and content:

• Try to portray nuance, complexity, resilience, and dignity of all people, including refugee newcomers.
• Avoid portraying sponsors as superheroes or saviours, ensuring that it is clear that refugee newcomers are equal and active participants in their own adaptation and involvement in the new community.
• Emphasize sponsorship goals (See: Why Sponsor Refugees?), and the opportunities and challenges in the journey.
• Highlight the diversity of people’s identities and experiences, including those of refugee newcomers (See: Considering Culture)

This video is an example of people in the UK sharing their experience of community-based refugee sponsorship.

Resources
Solutions and Actions You Can Take Today Amnesty International
The danger of a single story Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on telling nuanced stories
Refugees’ and Migrants’ Rights Are Human Rights Amnesty International (see Section 5)
Guide to Hope-Based Communications Open Global Rights