Refugee Radio joins UOK partnership to deliver mental health support for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers

Posted on 25 June 2026

Southdown is pleased to welcome Refugee Radio as a new UOK partner, following a recent expression of interest process for mental health support for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Brighton & Hove.

UOK is a partnership of voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations working together to improve access to mental health and wellbeing support across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex. Southdown delivers UOK services on behalf of partner organisations, helping to coordinate community-based support so that people can access the right help sooner.

Refugee Radio is a local community charity supporting refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants across Sussex. Working alongside Conversation Over Borders, they will deliver a range of mental health and wellbeing support for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Brighton & Hove.

Support will include one-to-one mental health support, peer support, and a weekly peer-led wellbeing group for LGBTQIA+ refugees and asylum seekers. Support will be available both online and in person.

The service will also establish a Client Advisory Panel, helping to ensure that lived experience and participation are embedded throughout the project.

As part of the selection process, applications were reviewed by people with lived experience. Their involvement helped ensure that the voices of those most affected were central to the decision-making process.

Southdown and the UOK partnership would like to thank Possability People and panel members for supporting the selection process. We would also like to thank all the organisations that submitted an application. The quality of submissions was high, and we greatly appreciated the time, thought and commitment shown by every applicant.

Brooke Joyce, Partnership Lead for UOK Brighton & Hove, said:

“We are thrilled to be working with Refugee Radio and Conversation Over Borders to deliver our new services for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Brighton & Hove. This partnership brings together lived experience and specialist expertise to provide accessible, culturally responsive mental health and wellbeing support.”

Stephen Silverwood of Refugee Radio said:

“We are delighted to join this group of wonderful organisations and are really looking forward to getting started with this project.”

The new support forms part of UOK’s wider work to make mental health and wellbeing support more accessible, inclusive and connected to local communities.