Supporting participation at the local, national and global level

Migrant clients may be concerned about various problems – from local issues to national or global challenges. They may want to have a voice on an issue in their country of origin. Some participation routes may be more suitable and impactful than others in addressing issues that require action at different levels. 

Goal: To explore the different levels at which migrant clients might want to raise concerns or take action, and how best to assist them in doing so.

Time required: 30 minutes

Your task:

1.  Warm-up reflection (5 min): Consider the following and write down some examples.

• What kinds of issues do your migrant clients bring up?
• Are they mostly local (e.g. housing, transport), national (e.g. NHS access, migration policy), or global (e.g. climate change)?
• Do clients feel they have a voice in these matters?

2.  Matching issues to action (15 min): Thinking about the example issues raised by clients, consider what they could realistically do about them. For example, informal and low- barrier actions (e.g. attending an event) and more formal ones (e.g. writing to an MP). The example actions in the table below can help you get started. Think about the support clients might need from your organisation.

3.  Debrief reflection (10 min): Reflect on the actions that may be most realistic for your clients. What kinds of barriers do your clients face (e.g. immigration status, confidence, language)? How can your organisation support or facilitate those actions?

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