Andy, can you introduce yourself?

Hello, I’m Andy, a Creative Director from London.

What's your connection with #RefugeeWeek, and how did you get involved with Refugee Education UK ?

My parents were refugees from Iraq. They fled persecution, and came to the UK in the early 90’s… I was born shortly after. I met Catherine Gladwell and the team at REUK several years ago when they were looking to refresh the brand, and was glad to give my time to help them.

What were some of the educational challenges you faced with your parents being refugees?

There were a whole mixture of things that meant that school wasn’t straight forward.?

Firstly, there was the language barrier - like many other second generation kids I ended up just being a translator for both my teachers and my parents. This made me feel like I was never fully understood or heard. Especially when even yourself you’re speaking in some form of broken English.

Then there was the actual learning bit. Outside of the traditional academic studies, there were a lot of things that were alien concepts to my parents (even to this day, I still don’t think they quite understand what I do for a job). That at times left me feeling like I was missing the emotional support/affirmation I needed. So I would often end up being my own motivation or finding it somewhere else.

The last major thing was cultural dissonance. I was a British kid with Arab/Kurdish parents trying to make sense of each other. Then you include the other students and teachers in the mix and it can feel a little comical. We all needed to put in a lot of effort to help one another understand!

What difference did school make to you growing up?

I always found it funny when kids would say they didn’t like school. I probably was the only one in my class who had the opposite opinion. School for me was an amazing escape. I loved being in an environment where I could do activities, learn interesting facts, experiment and play. Even right through to higher education, I always loved it!?

But another area that many might take for granted was how important school was for me to build friendships. In the early years, my parents didn't have many friends themselves. And they were very cautious of allowing us to play out where we grew up (it was quite a rough neighbourhood). This meant all my friendships existed at school. It was a vital safe place where I could get to know other people.

Overall, how has your education improved your life, or created opportunities for you?

I love this question because it's so close to my heart. The right to education has allowed me to experience privileges my parents were not afforded. It gave me hope for a better and more fulfilling future: one where I could have an impact not only for myself but also now on my own family. I think of my children and what a difference my education has made to their quality of life and understanding of the world. The things that were missing for me as a child, I can now play a role in providing for them.?

Without my education, I never would have been able to test out all the wild ideas I had as a kid. Following my curiosity. Asking the dumb questions. Having fun finding out why they weren't that dumb afterall. Picking up new skills. Growing in a knowledge of the things that intrigued me. All of it came together to build me into the creative person I am today. It is a huge blessing to do a job I love, and the blessing started with my education.?

What would you most like to communicate to your network this Refugee Week?

There's two things I'd love to say in particular:

Firstly, for many reasons, the image of a refugee has been smeared with unhelpful tropes and stereotypes. But these are real amazing people, with rich stories and histories and so much to offer the world. Please befriend them. Genuinely. Share life with them. You never know what impact it might have on you or them.

Secondly, if you believe in the power of education, invest. Your time, your finances, your relationships. Volunteer. Give regularly to incredible charities like @REUK. Engage with the topic. Petition for better opportunities for those less privileged. Use your voice, your influence. Goodness never runs out.