The Royal Borough of Greenwich has delivered its first ever ‘Together with Migrants’ staff training course – a unique, creative and immersive programme designed to deepen staff understanding of the experiences of migrants and sanctuary seekers in the borough.
As a proud Borough of Sanctuary, the council is committed to ensuring staff across all services have the awareness, knowledge and confidence to support sanctuary seekers with compassion and dignity. To help achieve this, the council commissioned Creating Ground CIC to deliver a bespoke training package shaped and led by people with lived experience of migration. This is a key action we have taken as we move towards publishing our new Borough of Sanctuary Strategic Framework next year.
Creating Ground is a not-for-profit organisation that works with women from migrant backgrounds to promote cross-cultural awareness, learning and sharing across different communities in South East London through collaborative arts and educational projects, and is a key member of the Greenwich Borough of Sanctuary Partnership.
The new half-day training session blends physical exercises, group discussion, film, performance and participatory arts to present the realities faced by new arrivals in the borough. Staff were encouraged to explore their own values and perceptions, and to reflect on how small changes in their roles could help make Greenwich more welcoming.
By the end of the session, participants had heard real stories from people with lived experience of seeking sanctuary and used creative art forms to immerse themselves in their experiences. Staff reported leaving with a clearer understanding of the challenges faced by different migrant groups navigating UK systems, and greater confidence in how to offer informed, compassionate support.
The programme has already received exceptional feedback from attendees across various council services, including:
- “The session worked very well and was a creative way of embracing very important themes. The biggest takeaway for me was migrants’ need for accurate information.”
- “I enjoyed learning about important issues in a different way.”
- “Listening to the Leader’s stories – really insightful and heart-warming.”
The council plans to continue delivering the training on a flexible basis, with each session accommodating around 20 staff. Work is also now underway to add the course to the council’s mandatory training list.
Laura Marziale, Director of Creating Ground CIC, said:
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to deliver this training for the council. It was really special for us to bring our stories, experiences, and creative methodologies to the group. Having spaces like this to be together to share, listen, and reflect on both the bigger picture and our individual roles is so essential for building a truly compassionate and welcoming Borough of Sanctuary in Greenwich.”
Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary, said:
“This training marks an important step in strengthening our commitment to being a Borough of Sanctuary. The creativity, honesty and lived experience at the heart of this session gave our staff a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by migrants and people seeking sanctuary, and how each of us can help make our borough a place where everyone feels welcome and supported.
“I am proud of this partnership with Creating Ground and excited to see the positive impact it will have across our services.”
The Royal Borough of Greenwich will continue to work closely with Creating Ground to expand access to the training and ensure that every member of staff is equipped to contribute to an inclusive, compassionate borough where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
We strongly encourage partners, individuals and organisations to sign our Borough of Sanctuary pledge, which will affirm your support for making our borough a welcoming place for all.