Embrace Lifeline from Northern Ireland


Embrace

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Transcript


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Hello, and welcome to Lifeline. Today we've another busy programme.

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We're going as far away as a unique Nepalese village

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on the outskirts of Belfast, where children learn about different cultures.

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And we're on an autumn garden clear-up with Men United,

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a special activity group for men over 55.

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But our first appeal today comes from the Embrace charity,

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which works to make Northern Ireland a more welcoming place

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for migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers.

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You may have noticed that there are many more people from other countries living here now.

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It can be a daunting experience, especially if you don't speak the language well.

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I've been a migrant as well.

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At the tender age of 17, I found myself in unfamiliar territory,

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looking for a welcome and a connection with the locals.

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For many, migration is a positive experience,

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and they're able to build a new life and become part of the community.

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This has been the case for Aneta from Poland.

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Starting a new life in a new country can be exciting, challenging

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and hard at the same time.

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When I came seven years ago,

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I didn't know English very well.

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I couldn't speak and hardly understood anything.

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But I have found here very nice people

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with big hearts and open minds.

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A local charity gave me a lot of encouragement and support.

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For me, Northern Ireland is a good place to live.

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You can make a big difference by just saying a simple hello

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to your new neighbours.

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We came in Northern Ireland about a year ago.

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It was quite difficult in the beginning,

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especially the language barrier

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and we experienced many difficulties to settle,

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and to understand the places and everything.

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It was very difficult to find work.

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Especially...

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We received our permission a few months after we came.

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And after that, it took ages to get it.

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So it's very difficult to find musician's work,

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and any kind of work.

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We found a local church here and this helped us very much.

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They took care of us at every level.

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They helped us with the documents, they helped us with every information we needed.

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They helped us in our daily needs.

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And, um, this was very good for us

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and it helped us to survive those months.

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For a small number of people, their experience here is difficult.

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In these tough times, migrants, like locals, can lose their jobs.

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Unfortunately, some migrant workers find themselves

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with no entitlement to benefits or even a bed in a homeless shelter.

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For some, the best move is to return to their home country,

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but for others, short-term support can get them back on their feet

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and into work here, with the help of the Embrace charity.

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Embrace is a Christian organisation, whose main role

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is making this a more welcoming place to people from other countries

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and different minority ethnic backgrounds.

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We also raise awareness about the challenges faced by migrants

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and, where necessary, you know, providing practical needs.

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Before...it was an Italian factory...

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Embrace networks with a range of homeless support organisations

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and minority ethnic support groups. Embrace On The Street offers a positive response

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through donation and distribution of clothing, bedding, toiletries and foodstuffs to those on the street

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and in hostels, both local and migrant people.

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The Embrace Emergency Fund

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supports people in short-term accommodation

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and pays for flights home for people who might become destitute.

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They helped us with emergency accommodation,

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and they designed a very good leaflet to welcome us to Belfast,

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to give to our members, so we know exactly where to go for help.

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'Many of us have family who have gone abroad.'

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Embrace provides the support we hope they would get

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if they found themselves in trouble.

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If this coming winter is as severe as the last,

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there's a significant risk of more people suffering on our streets.

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Your donation, however small, can make a big difference to someone's life. Thank you for your support.

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If you'd like to help Embrace fund their work, use our online donation form.

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Or send a cheque to...

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You can visit the charity's website...

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The Beyond Skin charity uses music and art

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as a form of cultural education to address issues such as racism and sectarianism.

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But the charity recently brought a taste of Nepal

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to Whiteabbey Community Centre.

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In Nepal, they dye a little red streak in their hair,

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which I think is brilliant - it makes things simpler.

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You can tell right away she's married.

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Supported by Newtonabbey Borough Council, Beyond Skin

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had a lively audience of children keen to find out

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about life on the other side of the world.

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< Namaste, amma.

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'We built tents to represent huts in Nepal,

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'and we teach the kids how kids in Nepal live during the day.'

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So they'll collect water, wood for the fire, get dinner,

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make bracelets to sell at market.

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The idea is to teach the kids what it's like

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to live in a culture where you can't just go home and play your PlayStation.

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They experience a different kind of life.

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I've learned a lot today - how to make their little bracelets

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and things, and how, like,

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small their houses are compared to ours and stuff.

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Well, I've learned that they don't have electric or anything like that.

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I've learned the language that they're speaking in Nepal.

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SINGING

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That looked like a lot of fun.

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Now, when some men retire,

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they can feel isolated and their health can suffer.

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But Men United are a group of mature men

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who are determined to get the best out of life.

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'It gets you out of the house. I live alone and it gets me out the house.'

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If you were stuck in the house on your own,

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looking at four walls all day, it'd drive you nuts.

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It helps men to come out, to be together, to get away together.

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'Volunteer Now looked at older people and the work we do with them,

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'and realised that older men don't engage.

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'They don't join in. They seem to retire, fade into the armchair.

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'And that's a problem, especially with social isolation

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'and loneliness and maybe depression.'

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So we got some men together

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and they came up with the name Men United, and it's grown and grown.

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'We go to races, we go to dog meetings...'

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We do have a lot of learning - we go to cultural issues as well.

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And, you know, it's a win/win.

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'Come and join us. It'll change your life.'

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I've just time to say we've been inundated with items for our Community Noticeboard.

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So we've made a list of events on Ceefax page 619.

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You'll also find today's contact details.

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They're also on our website...

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Upcoming events from the BBC Writer in Residence at Queen's series,

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which recently featured Sir Mark Tully,

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will soon include journalists Peter Riddell, Sir Peter Stothard and Quentin Letts.

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And comedy, politics,

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religion and local writers are included in a new series

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of illustrated talks from BBC Northern Ireland's Community Archive.

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Book tickets for both events through...

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So that's it from a busy Lifeline. I'll see you next time.

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Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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Email [email protected]

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