Find out all the latest news about welcoming Hong Kongers across the UK
Research update (June): Survey Data collection
This March, WC4HK held a third round of forums dedicated to issues in employment and education for Hong Kongers - and there are some powerful testimonials from the some participation on integration
Migrants’ own decisions are the missing piece in Scotland’s migration puzzle
Last Wednesday (7 June) the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers, which is housed within British Future, held an event in Edinburgh jointly with Reform Scotland on the country’s immigration challenges, here’s what have been discussed.
Hong Kong food in the UK - and where to get it
With more Hong Kongers moving to the UK since the BN(O) visa route opened 2 years ago, we are seeing more and more food stores selling Hong Kong style food. Friendship festivals, pop-up markets and other events are also providing people in Britain with new opportunities to sample the cuisine of Hong Kong - or you may have eaten some with your Hong Konger neighbours and friends.
It’s time for some Hongkongese
As a mixture of English and Cantonese developed over time, some unique words and phrases have evolved, with new terms emerging from time to time. These may not even be understood by Cantonese speakers from other parts of the world. So using “Hongkongese” is not just about Hong Kongers’ identity – it can also reflect differences in the language itself.
Forum April 2023: Welcoming work for Hong Kongers in other countries/regions
While over 144,000 Hong Kongers have moved to the UK in 2 years since the launch of BN(O) visa scheme, many Hong Kongers have also moved to other places to start their new lives. Popular destinations include Canada, Australia and Taiwan. Our April forum invited overseas organisations which support Hong Kongers to settle in to share their insights. It aims to learn from the overseas experience and understand what possible challenges the Hong Kongers may face during integration, to give the local welcoming groups some inspirations on current and future welcoming work for Hong Kongers.
“Coffee mornings help to build a relationship with the local community and are an opportunity to breakdown barriers.” - an example from a school in Berkshire
As students started to come back into the classrooms after the Covid pandemic related disruptions, many schools like The Forest Secondary School in Berkshire were also finding that due to the British National Overseas visa scheme, there was an influx of families arriving from Hong Kong in the surrounding areas with children they wished to join their school.
“The moment they knew I could understand them it made a big difference” - how Canto speaking teaching staff can help Hongkonger students
A motherly smile and twinkling eyes greet the students when they walk into the library at Comberton Village College in Cambridgeshire. Thanks to Mandy Siu, the Canto speaking librarian, this area of the school has become so much more than a place to read books or study.
How schools can provide the welcome that Hong Kongers need
Many migrants are motivated by the prospect of a better life for their children. People coming to the UK via the British National Overseas (BNO) visa route from Hong Kong are no exception. Hong Kongers want their children to succeed in school and in their future lives as British citizens. But how are schools responding to the challenge of welcoming and integrating migrant children, including recent arrivals from Hong Kong? Heather Rolfe, joint author of a new report by the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers on the topic, looks at how schools might do welcoming better.
Better understanding of why Hong Kongers are coming to UK could help schools integrate new arrivals, finds new research
The new report ‘New in class: How schools can help children and families from Hong Kong to settle and integrate’ published today by the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers, finds that schools in England have played a positive role in the integration of children from Hong Kong.
Research update (March): Exploring Cultural Identity and Integration in UK Schools
This March, WC4HK held a third round of forums dedicated to issues in employment and education for Hong Kongers - and there are some powerful testimonials from the some participation on integration
Forum March 2023: Spreading the gains: attracting Hong Kongers to all nations of the UK
Hong Kongers’ priorities considering settling in location include the quality of local schools, the availability of good housing, low crime rates, good job opportunities and a relaxed pace of life (see report published by WC4HK). As a result, some areas of the UK have proven more popular with Hong Kongers while others have attracted relatively few and stand to miss out on the benefits Hong Kongers bring. The March forum aims to explore the topic of spreading the gains across all nations, specifically Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Get to know your new neighbours with HK-POP (Hong Kong-POP)
K-POP has gained popularity amongst Hong Kongers. However, for many Hong Kongers (including myself), their favourite boy/girl groups would be those from Hong Kong, with the most popular probably being MIRROR, a Hong Kong boy group with 12 members. Let’s know more about HK-POP.
Empowering people to take on new challenges - how older Hong Kongers are being supported to settle in the UK
It is not easy to build a new life in a new country, and it is even more difficult for older people who do not know the local language. However for Sally, who is in her late 60’s and moved to the UK from Hong Kong with her wider family including young grandchildren, the experience has been very different after encountering the ECHO radio project.
Forum February 2023: Supporting Hong Kong Culture, Traditions, Language and Festivities
As part of the integration, not only are the Hong Kongers eager to be part of the local community, they are also ready to show the others about Hong Kong culture and traditions and contribute to the cultural diversity. A recent survey shows preserving Hong Kong culture and language to their next generation is one of the Hong Kong new arrivals’ major concerns.
“I can see I am doing something massive for their lives.” - supporting young people building up confidence and settling in through English class.
The newly arrived Hong Kongers have joined an English learning programme being run by the organisation Positive Youth Foundation in Coventry, which specifically aims to help Hong Kongers arriving in the area to be able to settle in well. The Youth Engagement Officer who is supporting and encouraging them to take part had a similar journey to many of the young people he now assists in his role.
English lessons help couple from Hong Kong build confidence and communicate with local people
Dixon and Rebecca had long professional careers in Hong Kong but when they moved to the UK on the BN(O) visa a year ago, joining their son who was already settled in London, their standard of spoken English was holding them back from re-entering the workplace and making friends.
Hong Kongers and welcomers gather to mark 2 years of BN(O) visa scheme
Today, 31st January 2023, marks the two-year anniversary since the UK Government opened a new visa route for British National Overseas (BN(O)) citizens in Hong Kong to move to the UK to live, work, and study. Since then, over 140,000 Hong Kongers have arrived in the UK through this route.
Recently-arrived Hong Kongers and those helping them to settle and integrate in the UK gathered in London this week at an evening reception held by the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers.
Lunar New Year Culture of Hong Kongers
Lunar New Year (LNY) may not sound new to many people in Britain, where a diverse range of people from different cultures have been celebrating this festival each year. But the way in which this important festival is marked differs according to where people originate from. This blog explores how Hong Kongers celebrate LNY here, ahead of the first day of the LNY period on 22 January this year.
Research update (January)
This January, WC4HK held a second round of forums dedicated to issues in employment and education for Hong Kongers. Each forum was attended by a broad range of stakeholders, from Strategic Migration Partnerships to education charities and Welcoming organisations.
Forum December 2022: Housing and cost of living
With no exception for Hong Kongers, cost of living is no doubt a top concern for households in 2022. It is even more pressing when it comes to the Christmas season. The December forum with the topic “Housing and cost of living”, explored various housing challenges faced by the Hong Kongers, and the difficulties faced amidst the cost of living crisis.
