gal-dem had a different perspective to most media organisations. We aimed to make a difference in the British media landscape, which is predominantly white.

Getting involved in the RJP fellowship programme was a no-brainer for us; it aligned with our values. We also covered many issues surrounding refugees and asylum seekers, so were keen to collaborate. 

gal-dem was started by women of colour, and grew into an intersectional, inclusive organisation. It was fundamental that we employed journalists from diverse backgrounds and writers with lived experiences to tell stories. But there are challenges surrounding diversity within any organisation. Our priority was to be as inclusive as possible, and although we worked with freelancers who experienced forced migration, we didn’t have anyone on our permanent staff with that background. Employing someone who had been forcibly displaced brought a unique outlook and understanding into gal-dem. It also expanded our ideas and knowledge about the stories we cover, as we learned from our colleague. 

Language can be the most significant barrier when integrating refugee employees. It's inevitable that writing skills can be challenging when English is not your first language. This means that editors and colleagues must be mindful that they may have to spend more time on the work than usual. Understandably, it may also take the RJP fellow longer to complete certain tasks than someone whose first language is English, or someone who has worked in English for a long time.
 
As a host organisation, we also came across barriers around cultural references. For a refugee or anyone brought up in another country who hasn't had a long relationship with the UK, there are cultural codes and expressions they might not be familiar with, even references to celebrities we knew of as children. Employers need to be aware of this because using these cultural references as a team can make the person feel excluded; this is not fair on them and is something that can be addressed easily and with sensitivity.
 
These challenges can be factored in and potential host organisations need to be prepared for and willing to address them. If the refugee journalist isn't supported in an inclusive way, they might not be able to fully feel involved at work. We definitely recommend training for host organisations aiming to work proactively with displaced journalists. I attended a course organised by the Refugee Council about working with refugees and asylum seekers. It was very useful.  

For gal-dem job applications, we didn’t ask for a CV or a cover letter; we had a form with specific questions. This meant that applicants just answer questions about relevant skills for the job instead of giving information about where they’re from, what and where they studied or how long they've been working in journalism. We did have questions about how applicants identify because that is key to our values of inclusivity. 
 
It helps if host organisations ensure that well-being services are available for the refugee journalist. A buddy system and regular meetings with a mentor or line manager to discuss progress all support them too. Our refugee employee came into our office and really benefitted from face-to-face meetings.