00:00 I think just for those who are curious about hosting but not sure, take the first step
00:07 and at any stage you can decide it's not for you. But even if you've got a hint of curiosity,
00:14 have a look into it, start the process and you might find out that you have the most
00:19 wonderful experience and you never look back.
00:21 Hosting a refugee isn't for everyone and there are plenty of reasons it's not suitable for
00:25 people. But Susie says that although she was hesitant to begin with, especially having
00:29 a young daughter, it was one of the best decisions she's made.
00:32 We were hesitant about it at first, we had a child at the time, she was seven, so we
00:38 have one spare room, we have one bathroom, so is it even going to be possible for us?
00:43 We talked to our daughter, she was very keen to host and so we approached Housing Justice
00:47 Cymru and just said, listen, this is our circumstance, is it possible for us to offer a host?
00:52 We're really keen to offer a place to someone, whatever their status, wherever they're from,
00:57 but we're just not sure if the facilities we have are appropriate.
01:01 Housing Justice Cymru helps to accommodate refugees and hosts, to make sure that people
01:05 get the most out of the experience. And one of the most important factors is matching
01:09 the right guest with the right host.
01:11 If you have a child and there are particular people you won't be able to host, you know,
01:15 particularly complex needs for example, but they were able to match us with someone who
01:20 was a perfect fit. We met up beforehand, outside of the house to get to know each other,
01:24 explored whether it would work, both sides decided it would, and then it was fantastic.
01:29 I think I said earlier, it wasn't that we were immediately a family, I mean, I work
01:34 full time, my husband works full time, my daughter's in school, we were very rarely
01:37 there, and our guest was often off studying, off doing her own thing, living her life,
01:43 but over time a really strong friendship formed, and even though she's not with us anymore,
01:47 she's moved on, we're still close friends, we still meet up, still eat together, which
01:52 was a big feature of hosting.
01:54 Having someone else in the house isn't a normal experience for a lot of people, especially
01:57 having someone from a totally different background, in a totally different situation to yourself.
02:02 But Susie says that learning about one another's culture and sharing food and stories was an
02:06 amazing experience for herself and her family.
02:09 It is intercultural exchange, but it's also the joy of having someone else in the house.
02:12 I mean, I grew up, you know, when I went to uni I was in a house share, but also after
02:16 uni I was in house shares for a long time, and I loved living with other people. I really,
02:19 there were challenges, don't get me wrong, but I really enjoyed having someone else in
02:23 the house to talk to, to have a relationship with. And my husband's from Eritrea, so he's
02:29 from overseas as well, so I've had a three-way multicultural exchange. And yeah, I think
02:37 in some cases that might not be possible, because the person that's staying with you,
02:41 you might not spend a lot of time together, because you're all busy, and that's also fine.
02:45 It's definitely not for everyone, but charities like Housing Justice Cymru are always looking
02:49 for people who might fancy a unique experience. Thousands of Ukrainian refugees have come
02:53 to Wales, and thousands more from all around the world. So the charity is hoping to find
02:58 those people with a spare room and are keen to try something new.
03:01 James Peter Watkins, reporting from Wales.
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