More than a bed: from temporary to transformative
by Janet Haugh, Chief Executive of Right There
On World Refugee Day, conversations often focus on crisis: displacement, loss, and the complex systems people must navigate when they arrive in a new place.
But behind those headlines are people rebuilding their lives – finding their way into new communities, learning how things work, and working towards a future that feels stable and their own.
At Right There, we see every day that one of the most important foundations for that journey is something simple: a safe, secure place to call home. We build trusting relationships with the people we support. We walk alongside them, without judgement, offering the consistency and understanding needed to begin again.
One of these people was a young woman who was forced to flee her home due to political persecution and threats against her life. She travelled alone for months through unfamiliar countries and harsh terrain, often without money or food – carrying only hope. Still not yet an adult, she made the unimaginable decision to leave everything she knew, including her family, in search of somewhere she could feel safe.
Or the young man who fled Ukraine with his parents and elderly grandparent. Shortly before the war began, his father had been diagnosed with cancer. Faced with the reality of limited access to treatment in a warzone, his father made the painful decision to leave in the hope of seeking refuge in a country that could save his life – knowing that not all of his children could come with him, as his elder sons would need to join the war effort. At just 17, his youngest son became the navigator and translator on their week-long journey to the UK. He left behind his school, his friends and his home, arriving in a new country where everything felt unfamiliar, including the language.
Across Scotland, the pressure on housing continues to grow. For people arriving in a new country – many of whom have fled conflict, persecution, or instability – accessing suitable accommodation can be particularly difficult. Affordability, limited supply, and unfamiliar processes can all create barriers at the point when stability matters most.
At Right There, our At Home programmes play an important part in that journey. Our Short-term Housing, Supported Accommodation and Next-step Housing homes are time-limited by design, but the impact they can have should not be.
Too often, temporary accommodation is seen as something to be endured – a holding space between crisis and something better. But our experience shows that it can be something far more powerful: a foundation for what comes next. This is where we see the shift from temporary to transformative.
Our approach is about more than providing a roof over someone’s head. It’s about creating the conditions for stability, dignity, and hope – supporting people not just to stay housed, but to begin rebuilding their lives and looking ahead to what comes next. We’ve explored different ways to make this transition period easier for the people going through it, including shared accommodation.
For some people, living alongside another person helps reduce isolation and build confidence in a new environment. It can create opportunities for connection – sharing day-to-day experiences, building routines, and navigating unfamiliar systems together.
Crucially, our At Home programmes sit alongside our tailored support – whether that’s help managing a tenancy, understanding official processes, or accessing counselling or mentoring services.
If, like me, you are Scottish and have social media accounts, your feed will no doubt be flooded with videos and messages from the thousands of people who have travelled from Scotland for the World Cup in the USA. Every day I smile as I watch with pride at the warmth and welcome shown – people from all backgrounds, ages and cultures coming together. At Right There, we see that spirit every day; people from all backgrounds, welcomed with no judgement or expectation and supported to feel part of a community again.
Our work is rooted in a simple belief: everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home. That belief doesn’t change depending on where someone has come from or what they have experienced – it is something that should be available to everyone, equally.
On World Refugee Day, it’s important to recognise the resilience and determination of people rebuilding their lives in new communities. But it’s also an opportunity to look at how we respond, and how we create support that truly meets people where they are. It’s about creating the space for something more; a place where people can pause, stabilise, and begin again. A place that turns a temporary moment into a transformative one.
