Thread by @DrPetra

Today's #ResearchTip is #refugee students and scholars are among the most neglected in discussions about #AcademicMentalHealth, inclusion, rights and access.
What can you do to help? Find out in the thread and share your suggestions too
#AcademicChatter #AcademicTwitter #HigherEd

You can campaign to make your university a #SanctuaryCampus Find out more on how to do this via @UniofSanctuary universities.cityofsanctuary.org

You can support @CARA1933 who support refugee academics. There's a variety of ways to assist from fundraising to volunteering. This can be as an individual or as a university cara.ngo/how-to-help/

You can lobby your member of parliament to support refugee academics and hold universities and funding bodies accountable to ensure the safeguarding of refugee academics.

You can support @ScholarsAtRisk scholarsatrisk.org/get-involved-i… who assist at risk and vulnerable students and staff, including refugees.

Remember, all of the resources above also offer support for those who are currently at risk or have a loved one in danger. Message them if you need advice. If they can't help they will know who can.

Ensure that campus care - be that through counselling, chaplaincy, unions, pastoral care and supervision is trauma-informed in ways that understand and can respond to the needs of refugee students and staff.

Recognise that many refugee staff are not all working in academic roles and may be employed in a variety of jobs on campus. Ensure support is accessible to all staff, not just those in tenured, lecturer or research positions.

Use support from local communities to build networks for refugee students and staff, familiarity with food, languages, music, stories, and faiths may be greatly reassuring (ensure this is done safely and don't assume commonality or connection that may not exist)

Student and staff networks, clubs, befriending schemes and other opportunities to meet and spend time together can be crucial to making refugee students and staff feel welcome. Ensure, again, this is done safely, humanely, not patronisingly, and not extractively.

Familiarising yourself with Psychological First Aid nostartoguideme.com/psychological-… may be of use. Some universities also use Mental Health First Aid training to help, but if this is offered ensure it is appropriate to supporting the needs of refugee students and staff.

Take advice from organisations supporting refugee scholars (see above) as your good intentions may not be adequate or appropriate. Remember refugees may require different assistance at different times.

Be alert to, and ready to challenge, decisions made by universities on admissions, visas, or other legal requirements that make the lives of refugee scholars difficult or impossible.

Recognise refugee students and staff are often in very precarious positions, so requiring them to put themselves in danger or attract attention is unfair. Don't take over, but do be an active ally or upstander (not a bystander). In a way that doesn't put people at further risk.

Finally, when you are talking about how tough things are for you in academia, be mindful of who you're bringing in or leaving out. Are your discussions distracting from the needs of refugee students and staff or even acknowledging their situations?

Refugee students and staff are often marginalised in many ways, not just through being a refugee but also due to disability, mental health issues (often caused or worsened by their status),sexuality,faith etc. This cannot be ignored in any provision of care,support or assistance.

If you have examples of good practice, support for refugee students and staff, or any ideas to share (including corrections if I have missed anything), please add them to this thread and I'll retweet. Thanks for reading.

Adding to this thread, ensure if you are supporting refugee students and staff that you do not take actions (albeit in good faith) that put their safety (or that of their loved ones or colleagues) at risk. Take your lead from them, they know best. And ask charities linked above.

Refugee students and staff will have diverse mental health and trauma care needs, but are liable to be particularly triggered when other global crises occur. That can include them being expected to have answers, to reveal personal info, or being burdened with intrusive questions.

This thread from @STARnational may be of use to those supporting students

https://twitter.com/STARnational/status/1427286303662649354?s=20