Introduction
When we consider the concepts of asylum and sanctuary, the discussion often centres on laws, borders, and political debates. However, what tends to be less visible are the everyday lives and lived experiences of mothers in Wales, seeking safety and a new beginning for themselves and their children. My recent research (Shobiye 2023) aims to shed light on how social learning – defined as the processes of both acquiring knowledge and skills and (re)building identity and belonging through shared community experiences and settings (Wenger 2018) – plays a crucial role in empowering these mothers to rebuild their lives and foster resilience. Such social learning can occur in formal educational settings and informal social spaces and can be transformative (hooks 2014)
Wales as aDevolved Nation (of Sanctuary?)
In 2019, the Welsh Government launched its ambitious Nation of Sanctuary plan, and reaffirmed its commitment to principles of inclusion, diversity, and social cohesion with its Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan (2022; 2024). Wales has positioned itself as distinct from the policies of the UK Home Office, with the Senedd symbolically opposing legislation such as the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Act 2023 (Senedd Cymru 2023). Welsh Government policy remains to provide a home to all those who live there, including those with no choice/at risk of persecution. Despite this political divergence, the actual lived experiences of mothers seeking sanctuary in Wales remain under‑researched, highlighting a significant gap in the existing literature.
Women around the world face disproportionate harms within asylum systems, compounded by gendered social norms, barriers to accessing childcare, and exclusionary criteria in educational opportunities. My research focuses specifically on mothers in Wales and explores how social learning environments facilitate their integration, empowerment, and healing. In this short piece, I highlight my core findings through the experiences of two women, Sarah and Olena.
Sarah’s Story
Sarah’s journey exemplifies the transformative potential of community-based support. She became a single mother and an asylum seeker after fleeing an abusive spouse. She vividly described the devastating impact that the asylum process and strict exclusionary criteria had on her confidence and sense of self. She recounted how it was profoundly discouraging to be told she would not be eligible for the university course directly relevant to her years of professional experience because she had graduated too long ago, stating, “What is happening to your confidence? It goes to the floor.”
Community groups became her vital support network. Within these spaces, she could bring her children, participate in art activities, and engage in conversations with other women, all while her children played. She referred to these groups as “life savers,” emphasising their importance in her recovery. Through her involvement, she learned about short courses and eventually applied for a different postgraduate programme. Volunteering within these same community settings also provided her with the practitioner hours required for professional accreditation. Sarah’s journey illustrates how these community spaces enabled her to rebuild her life, transform her identity, and emerge as an active, contributing member of her community, supporting others on similar journeys.
Olena’s Story
Olena’s experience offers another powerful narrative of resilience and renewal. Upon arriving in the UK, she was overwhelmed by trauma that rendered her unable to function for over a year. She expressed that as a mother, she had to rebuild herself and her life, yet initial mental health support proved insufficient. Her engagement with community organisations provided a crucial pathway to recovery. These spaces allowed her to rediscover her sense of self and regain confidence.
Through connections with community members, Olena discovered sanctuary scholarships to help asylum seekers pursue higher education. She applied for a postgraduate course and, after enrolling, reported feeling a sense of liberation and flight. She described her emotional state by saying, “I was feeling like a bird. I was thinking I will just open my arms now, and I will fly!” For Olena, postgraduate study became more than an academic pursuit; it was akin to medicine — providing profound mental health benefits that surpassed any medication she had previously taken.
The Power of Community Learning
The experiences of Sarah and Olena vividly illustrate how social learning operates at the grassroots level. Informal, community-based, or focused learning serves as a bridge to formal education and professional development, as well as to improved mental health. These community spaces are interconnected networks rather than isolated pockets, forming vital pathways for mothers to reconstruct their identities not only as survivors but as active participants, professionals, and community leaders.
Community groups offer more than mere activities; they foster confidence, build social networks, and present opportunities for meaningful engagement. They facilitate mothers’ transition from mere survival to participation, from social isolation to a sense of belonging and community cohesion.
Why This Matters
Existing asylum systems often reduce mothers to their caregiving roles, undervaluing their potential and resilience. Social learning challenges this reductive perspective by demonstrating that mothers seeking sanctuary are complex, resilient individuals capable of making significant contributions when provided with appropriate support.
Wales’ commitment to ‘cynefin’ (belonging & home) must be matched by sustained investment in these vital community spaces for the concept to have meaning for those seeking sanctuary. Such spaces are not peripheral extras but are foundational to the infrastructure of social inclusion and integration.
Conclusion
The stories of Sarah and Olena serve as powerful reminders that sanctuary is more than protection from harm – it should be an opportunity to live and thrive as an member of society. Social learning serves as a critical bridge, enabling mothers to reconstruct their lives, redefine their identities, and build futures filled with hope and opportunity. Learning spaces are not isolated silos but interconnected pathways where sanctuary seekers can rebuild their lives as individuals, professionals, and community members. For Wales to truly realise its vision of being a Nation of Sanctuary, these pathways must be recognised, adequately supported, and expanded, ensuring that every mother seeking safety has access to the resources and community networks necessary for renewal and achievement.
References
hooks, bell. (2014). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. ebook. Routledge. [online]. Available from: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351762007/chapters/10.4324/9781315194752-12 [Accessed August 14, 2025].
Senedd Cymru. (2023). Legislative Consent: Illegal Migration Bill. Senedd Business. [online]. Available from: https://business.senedd.wales/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=41246.
Shobiye, L. (2023). “ I survive on people ”: ( Mis ) recognising the value of social learning for mothers seeking sanctuary in Wales. Cardiff University.
Welsh Government. (2022). Anti-racist Wales Action Plan. Online. [online]. Available from: https://www.gov.wales/anti-racist-wales-action-plan.
Welsh Government. (2024). Anti-racist Wales Action Plan Update 2024. [online]. Available from: https://www.gov.wales/anti-racist-wales-action-plan-2024-update-html#157082.
Welsh Government. (2019). Nation of Sanctuary – Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan. Cardiff. [online]. Available from: https://gov.wales/docs/dsjlg/publications/equality/190128-refugee-and-asylum-seeker-plan-en.pdf [Accessed February 4, 2019].
Wenger, E. (2018). A social theory of learning. In K. Illeris, ed. Contemporary theories of learning : learning theorists – in their own words. London: Routledge, pp. 219–228.
Research Stories 