Refugee Connections

National Refugee Week  19 - 25th June 2023 with the theme of Compassion


ChildsSide has partnered with Meeting Point again!


Funded by Leeds Community Foundation as a Leeds Together for Ukraine Fund, ChildsSide will deliver three workshops.


Kindred Welcome: Family Life in the UK - on three separate Tuesdays in June.

During the month, ChildsSide will be delivering face-to-face workshops, connecting people new to Leeds and settled communities. The 3-hour workshops will be held at Christ Church Upper Armley and involve Meeting Point community interpreters and volunteers.


Family Life in the UK (for parents)

6 June

20 June


Life in the UK (for individuals)

27 June


Contact for further information

info@childsside.com


Bookings only - Meeting Point client registration required.
ChildsSide has developed two special programmes for refugee parents settling in this country.
  • The idea behind both programmes is that people from the local area who are themselves settled refugees can serve as mentors to newly arrived refugees who speak the same language. 
  • This approach not only helps with any language difficulties, but it also provides support from others who already understand the challenges they face.  

           New Home, New Country© (NHNC)


This is a completely original project, designed for refugee parents who have recently arrived in the UK. 


ChildsSide has designed a completely original project in Yorkshire specifically aimed at new migrant parents.


From the research that we have carried out, we have learned that parents new to the UK want a better understanding of what it is to raise children in this country. They have told us that without current information on parenting ideas, expectations, and services, it is extremely hard to settle well. 


Using some of the ‘Kindred Welcomers’ to mentor participants, this series of workshops helps refugees to build a family life here and create a strong foundation for their child’s future. 


    NHNC is structured as an eight-week series of  workshops covering a variety of topics, including:


  • the importance of play 

  • the brain, feelings and emotions

  • communicating and gaining cooperation with  children

  • managing emotions and developing positive relationships

  • how to merge values and identity

  • child-led play, problem solving, discipline and effective praise

  • how to build resilience

  • what to expect from your child’s nursery and other schools.


Generously sponsored by The Scurrah Wainwright Charity, (http://www.wainwrighttrusts.org.uk/swc.html) our first NHNC workshop series was delivered in Leeds during May and June, 2019.

             Kindred Welcome Project Feb 2019

This is a one-day workshop based on the content of the New Home New Country© series.


Established refugees who already have a reasonable level of English undertake a four-hour workshop to become ‘Kindred Welcomers’ for newly arrived refugee families. Each person trained receives a resource pack and a certificate of attendance. They are offered links with local refugee organisations and are encouraged to seek out volunteering opportunities with those organisations.



Our first ‘Kindred Welcome’ project was funded by Leeds Syrian Refugee Resettlement Community Grants Scheme and supported by Refugee Council, Leeds in February 2019.

The ‘Intermix’ Project – April 2017  
Nola Ellen Education, DJ SchoolUK with ChildsSide makes Inter-Mix
InterMix is the name given to a dynamic youth music project in Leeds. Delivered through Voluntary Action Leeds, it brought together young people from diverse backgrounds for a series of workshops in which they could explore ‘Challenging Conversations’ and develop their DJ skills. One of our founders, Judith, represented ChildsSide in this exciting project which was delivered in partnership with Nola at Nola Ellen Education, Training & Consultancy and Dan from DJ School UK www.djschooluk.org.uk

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