Migrant Ground

Podcasts

Episode 1

Contributions of Migrant and Refugee Art in the UK

Guests:

Tom Green - Senior Producer, Counterpoints Arts

Emily Churchill Zaraa - Refugee Week UK Coordinator, Counterpoints Arts

Nour-Ani Sisserian - Actor, Performer, Comedian from Armenia

Counterpoints Arts: https://counterpointsarts.org.uk/ http://refugeeweek.org.uk/

Nour-Ani Sisserian: Insta: nourp_

Intro:

This episode was the first one in our Migrant Ground series and the reason for it being the first one is its importance. Arts build and shape the culture of a society. The more diverse it is, the richer it is. In this episode, we talked with our guests; Tom Green - Senior Producer, Counterpoints Arts, Emily Churchill Zaraa - Refugee Week UK Coordinator and Nour-Ani Sisserian - Actor, Performer, Comedian from Armenia, on the importance of this diversity in UK art and culture bring to our shores by migrants all over the world from many decades. We also discussed the challenges and narratives around migrant arts and artists in the UK.

Episode 2

Entrepreneurship and Employment

Guests:

Sheila Heard - Transition London

Fred Kastner - Director, TERN

Amr Sabbah - Founder, Sangha

Transition London: www.transitions-london.co.uk

TERN: https://www.wearetern.org/

Sangha: Insta: our.sangha

Intro:

In this episode, we delve into the opportunities available in the UK for refugees in terms of employment and business. We discuss the challenges refugees face whilst working in the UK and the contribution refugees make to society. We challenge the false narrative which is often associated with refugees that they “take Britain’s jobs”.

Episode 3

Impact of Past life on Refugee’s Mental Health

Guests:

Lis Murphy - creative Director, Music Action International

Ian Solomon-Kawall - Managing Director, May Project Gardens

Music Action International: https://www.musicaction.org/

May Project Garden: insta: may_gdn

Intro:

When a refugee started their life in the UK, they already had faced a lot of challenges in the process of coming to the UK and applying for the refugee status. All these experiences do affect the physical and mental health and thus it is necessary to deal with that. Our guests in this episode work closely with the refugees supporting them in rebuilding their confidence and overcoming their past traumas.

Episode 4

Impact of Past life on Refugee’s Mental Health

Guests:

Alexandra Simmons - Timepeace

Suzane Laure - Asylum seeker from Africa Cameron

Timepeace: https://app.slack.com/client/TH4PTDW6B/CH4PTELKZ

Intro:

One of the challenges refugees face when starting their lives in the UK is Isolation and social outcasting due to many reasons including the language barrier, different culture etc. Social inclusion is as important as finding a job. It is very important for survival. In this episode, we’ve spoken with our guests, discussing some of the challenges refugees face and how important is as well as the ways to socially include refugees in UK society.

Episode 5: (Part 1)

Indefinite migrant detention in the UK

Guests:

John Speyer - Director, Music in Detention

Toby Bull - Journalist

Music in Detention: https://www.musicindetention.org.uk/

Toby Bull: https://www.bulltobybull.com/

Intro:

Migration detention is not a new phenomenon. However, unfortunately, it’s not been discussed much in mainstream media. To go through why this is the case and to understand what is migration detention, in this instalment of the Migrant Ground we discussed with our guests the purpose of detention and is there a need of such a setup. We also discussed awareness in the general public on Detention as well as what kind of support can be provided to the detainees.