About the group
A small group of volunteers in a rural area. Most are white and there are currently no people with lived experience of seeking sanctuary involved. Their work focuses on awareness raising and contacting MPs.

Challenges

• Limited diversity within the group
• Risk of making assumptions about what people need
• Few local connections to people seeking sanctuary

What they did

• Focused on learning first
  The group committed to learning about racism, the asylum system, and their own positionality. They held regular learning sessions and reflected on their language and messaging.
• Built relationships, not assumptions
  Instead of designing services, they reached out to other organisations already working with people seeking sanctuary to understand local needs.
• Started using co-production principles early
  Even before having direct contact with people with lived experience, they made a commitment that future work would be shaped with—not for—people.
• Made connections beyond their area
  Volunteers supported nearby groups, attended regional meetings, and learned from others with more experience.
• Prepared for the future
  They developed values and ways of working that would ensure they are ready to welcome people with dignity and respect when they arrive.

Key learning
You don’t have to wait until people arrive to start working in a justice-focused way. Building the right foundations early matters.

About the group
A group with around 15–20 volunteers, a trustee board, and established activities. They run frontline services and support people directly.

Challenges

• Balancing service delivery with meaningful participation
• Addressing power dynamics within the organisation
• Ensuring work reflects diverse experiences

What they did

• Embedded co-production in services
  People with lived experience were involved in designing and delivering services. This included shaping activities, giving feedback, and leading parts of the work.
• Created space for honest conversations
  The group held discussions about power, privilege, and racism within the organisation, including at board level.
• Took an intersectional approach
  They recognised that people’s experiences are shaped by multiple factors, such as race, gender, disability, and class. They built relationships with organisations working in housing, health, and climate justice.
• Improved how they communicate
  Their awareness-raising work was reviewed to ensure it did not reinforce stereotypes and was rooted in anti-racist framing.
• Focused on quality and integrity
  Programmes such as school sessions were updated to reflect lived experience and a justice-based approach.

Key learning
Justice means changing how decisions are made, not just what services are delivered.

About the group
A large City of Sanctuary organisation with staff, trustees, and an advisory group. They run multiple programmes and have strong local partnerships.

Challenges

• Ensuring lived experience is meaningfully embedded, not tokenistic
• Aligning all parts of the organisation with justice values
• Creating long-term structural change

What they did

• Established paid roles and leadership pathways
  People with lived experience were supported into paid positions, leadership roles, and decision-making spaces.
• Created an advisory group with real influence
  The advisory group helped shape strategy, not just provide feedback.
• Invested in training and development
  All staff and volunteers received ongoing training in anti-racism, justice, and inclusive practice.
• Made a clear organisational commitment
  The organisation publicly committed to anti-racism and intersectional justice, and built this into policies, governance, and strategy.
• Looked beyond their own work
  They used their influence to advocate for wider systemic change and collaborated with movements for racial, climate, and social justice.

Key learning
Justice requires structural change—embedding values into leadership, strategy, and the whole organisation.