Compass Collective makes film with young refugees in lockdown

Refugee Theatre Company Compass Collective has made a film with young refugees from around the UK during lockdown, with the help of Arts Council funding.The short film uses spoken word, song and poetry to tell their stories - many being unaccompanied minors living alone in lockdown. At a time when racial injustice is a topic of discussion for all, it is evident that young refugees are often at the receiving end of these injustices by being disproportionately hit as an ethnic minority group during the pandemic, often as a result of their socio-economic circumstances. Isolation has had a negative impact on their mental health as many have no internet, a limited social network, and a lack of access to information and support.

As new arrivals in the UK without family to support them, lockdown has been particularly challenging for them. But, in some ways, their life is just the same. They are in limbo, caught in a time of waiting, without a home, without work, without a future.

Their experiences have been collated through online sessions and homemade videos which have been made into a film for Refugee Week being streamed live from The Globe Theatre’s website, Migration Matters and YouTube on June 20^th.

Compass Collective is a non-profit theatre company working with refugees and asylum seekers. Their mission is to strengthen communities, build resilience and help people seeking sanctuary integrate into the UK. They’ve worked with over 220 asylum seekers and performed to an audience of over 1,250. Their performances have been programmed as part of conferences and seen by delegates from Government and Home Office with the aim to inform policy change. 

The company has been supported by the Arts Council, British Red Cross, The Shakespeare's Globe, Migration Matters and Emma Thompson among others.

https://www.compasscollect.com