Solace is a Leeds’-based charity which provides psychotherapy, complementary therapies and advocacy support to the survivors of persecution and exile living in the Yorkshire and Humber region, many of whom have been traumatised by torture, rape, the death or disappearance of loved ones and often combinations of all of these and other atrocities.
Solace is a truly multicultural place to work where English is just one of many languages spoken. At the reception desk alone, clients are greeted in any one of the five languages spoken by our two receptionists between them. Between the staff alone we speak about 15 languages. Some of us have picked up smatterings of other languages simply because we hear them every day.
Making an attempt to say something in our clients’ languages makes them feel welcome and above all, safe – all good for mental health. Even when our attempts at speaking a language are very basic, we manage to raise a smile and smiling is good for wellbeing.
At Solace we treat people as human beings, not as Home Office numbers, customer reference numbers, post codes, or the first line of their address.