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WHAT WE ASK OF YOU

HostNation recognise that whilst asylum seekers and refugees over the age of 18 are not technically classified in legal terms as vulnerable adults many of them are nevertheless vulnerable. The form is both a screening and a profiling questionnaire and for this reason requests a lot of personal information.

You will need to upload some documents as ID as well as provide us with two references. We need these for safeguarding purposes but all personal information and documents will be data protected and will not be shared with others. Once the information has been submitted and references checked, someone from the team will contact you to discuss befriending.

We also ask you to commit to reading the befriending guide which has a lot of information on seeking asylum in the UK, the problems many asylum seekers and refugees encounter, how the system works, best practice befriending, boundaries, signposting to specialist support services etc.

BEFRIENDER REGISTRATION FORM

If you'd like to befriend an asylum seeker or refugee trying to find their feet here in the UK, we would love to hear from you.

We ask for an initial commitment of three months, during which we suggest a phone chat once a week and an outing at least once a fortnight. This is your opportunity to show your befriendee around, introduce them to free activities and help them participate more in UK life. They’ll have the chance to get to know a friendly local and practise their English. And you may find a real friend in the process!

London

Due to unprecedented traffic on our site over the summer, we have had to close our registration for London.

If you are keen to befriend in London through HostNation, please submit the form below so we can add you to our waiting list and be in touch as and when we need more befrienders.

London: Befriender Waiting List »

Meanwhile please consider a small, regular donation to support our work.

Donate Here »

North East

We currently have two befriending programmes in the North East of England. One operates in Teesside for asylum seekers and refugees living in Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees. The other operates in Tyneside for asylum seekers and refugees living in Newcastle and Gateshead. Please ensure you fill out the correct form.

For those wishing to befriend in Middlesbrough / Stockton-on-Tees:

North East: Teesside Registration Form »

For those wishing to befriend in Newcastle / Gateshead:

North East: Tyneside Registration Form »

SCOPE OF SERVICES AND EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY

Scope of Services

HostNation is an introductory service putting socially isolated asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in need of friendship, in contact with local, volunteer befrienders offering friendship. We aim to create interactions between two different populations (UK residents and those seeking refuge) who have problems intersecting, but we cannot recommend anyone on the site to you. This is an altruistic, social arrangement, not a contractual obligation and there is no payment nor are volunteer befrienders expected to provide any professional services.

We try to manage the expectations of refugees referred to HostNation and help them to understand that befrienders commit to meeting their befriendee socially once every week or two weeks over a period of 3 months. We will also explain that befrienders are not social workers, case workers or legal experts and cannot help with the progress of asylum claims or housing applications but may be able to help their befriendee access expert support should it be needed. For information on the role of the befriender please read the Befrienders Guide.

HostNation is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of information given by befrienders or referrers. We will do what we can to ensure a successful match but cannot guarantee that friendship will emerge. We are not making recommendations or any representations about the suitability or appropriateness of any relationship that arises either directly or indirectly through the use of the website.

Whilst we will help to arrange the first meeting, HostNation cannot take responsibility for managing the continuing relationship between befriender and befriendee. Support after the initial meeting is limited; further meet ups are arranged directly between befriender and befriendee. HostNation will check on the status of the relationship at 1 month and 3 month intervals. During the three months, befrienders can contact HostNation with any queries or concerns and we will do our best to respond as quickly as we can, but we are unable to provide a full support service.

Exclusion of Liability

As HostNation is an introductory service, we do not accept responsibility for any relationships formed as a result of using our website. To that end, please note that we hereby exclude all and any losses, liabilities, claims, damages, expenses or costs (whether as a consequence of our negligence or otherwise) arising directly or indirectly in connection with any content on or provided through the website (including any relationship which is initiated by or results from use of the website). New volunteers should contact us for information regarding our liability insurance for active befrienders.

HOSTNATION PRIVACY POLICY

At HostNation we will only collect, process and store information about you that you have willingly provided. We aim to be open about collecting this information and clear about what we will use it for. You do not need to give us any information to use our website, although as a result of your use of the website we may collect cookies and other related information (see below).

We will not share your information with third parties or outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) without your permission unless we are legally permitted or required to do so. There are times when we may be forced to share your information with police, regulatory bodies or legal advisors without your permission (sometimes referred to as ‘breaching confidentiality’).

Read our full privacy policy here.

HostNation is a charity. Registered charity number 1180004