Empowering people to take on new challenges - how older Hong Kongers are being supported to settle in the UK
It is not easy to build a new life in a new country, and it is even more difficult for older people who do not know the local language. However for Sally, who is in her late 60’s and moved to the UK from Hong Kong with her wider family including young grandchildren, the experience has been very different after encountering the ECHO radio project.
The ECHO radio project, run by All Arts and Media (ALLFM96.9) and Dragons Voice, was a chance for Sally to challenge herself at the same time as learning about British culture and making friends. Joining a group to learn the skills involved in making radio shows and presenting live on air has really helped Sally to build her courage and confidence. She says,
“I hosted this programme because I want to challenge myself. To test myself to see if I can make it and then I also would like to try, through the process, to learn some techniques or learn something more. It enhances my courage.”
Entering the workplace near retirement age, she says, is difficult and many aspects of life are very different here. However, Sally is facing the changes positively by embracing activities she enjoys like badminton, swimming and taking up opportunities to try new things and meet new people.
As Dragons Voice’s Director, Denise, who is herself an immigrant, explains: “ECHO stands for Education, Culture, Health and Opportunities, which were the themes that we structured the whole project around. We believe the project has helped Hong Kongers arriving in Britain to first of all integrate into society and also to understand the complexities that living in the UK may bring.”
Sally has enjoyed making radio jingles, researching topics and facing her initial worries about speaking on air. The team have also organised trips to other cities in the North-West and the visit to Blackpool was particularly enjoyable for Sally. “This programme has brought me to quite a number of places. But what impressed me the most was Blackpool, because I feel the history of Blackpool is very special. And it is my first time to hear about that. I especially like it.”
Sally and the rest of the group who joined the project had their achievements recognised by gaining a national radio gold award for innovation. Sally feels that she has definitely benefited in many ways by being part of the group. Since the sessions have ended she has remained friends with many of the people she met and made shows with.
“This programme can help me to face things,” Sally says. “I never dare to speak, speak with the mic, other than that. The other thing is this gave me great courage and also I think ECHO can help me to face more challenges in the future. I came to Britain and my confidence has increased a lot.”
About the ECHO Project
All Arts and Media (AllFM 96.9) in collaboration with Dragons Voice (a group of Chinese radio broadcasters) applied for project funding from the Regional Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Grant Scheme to help the new arrivals. The project offered employment to a project coordinator and a project worker on a part-time basis (a BN(O) visa holder.)
Six days of training were provided on radio production, editing, making jingles, legal aspects of radio broadcasting, essential communication skills for interviewing and basic practical technical radio studio skills, including operating the desk, microphones and Myriad software.
Each participant made at least one jingle in Cantonese and those who were able made a jingle in English too. A total of 18 radio shows have been broadcast. Anyone with access to the internet can listen to the shows and participants have been recommending these to people they know back in Hong Kong, who may be thinking of coming to the UK. These shows are a source of information produced by participants and supported by members who have lived and worked in the UK for much longer, in the fields ofeducation, health and wellbeing. They are able to share first-hand experience of British culture, the employment market and other important topics for new arrivals.
About the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers and the government’s Welcome Programme
The Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers has been set up in response to the BN(O) visa scheme. It brings together the ‘welcomers’ and the ‘welcomed’ and helps coordinate efforts across the UK’s nations and regions from civil society, communities, business, education and government to support Hong Kongers to settle in the UK. It also conducts research to inform policy, share best practice and support organisations to make their voices heard. The Welcoming Committee is hosted at independent think tank British Future, which works for a confident and inclusive Britain, welcoming and fair to all.
Through the Welcome Programme, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is providing funding to 42 locally based organisations around the UK to ensure that local grass roots community groups can meet the needs of the local Hong Kongers in the communities where they are based.