Migrant Voice is a migrant led organisation set up to develop the skills, capacity and confidence of members of migrant communities, including asylum seekers and refugees, to develop their own strategies to strengthen their voice, participation and representation in the media and at a policy making level, in order for them to participate more fully in society.

Migrant Voice aims to transform migrants from passive, disempowered and marginalized ‘victims’ – largely without a voice in the popular discourse – into creatively expressive makers of their own media content and messages, be it to share, inform, debate, express a point of view, tell their stories, interact with ‘target audiences’, educate or campaign.

Migrant Voice will provide a platform for members from the migrant communities, especially those whose voices are not usually heard, encourage and enable them to express their views on the issues affecting their lives in the UK, and to address the British public with the aim of correcting the imbalance in the way migrants are represented across large parts of the media.

Migrant Voice was established in January 2010. Registered Charity no: 1142963, Company  no: 7154151.

Our values
  • We believe that having your voice heard is a step towards making change, and that every individual has the ability to make positive changes in their own life and the community they live in 
  • We believe in an equal, diverse and just society where migrants are able to fully participate; to have their voice heard; and are valued for their role and contribution to society.
  • We believe that migration is, has been and will always be essential to the development of a better world.
  • We believe that migrants have the ability to advocate for their own rights, represent their own views and interests, and develop their own solutions to the challenges they face.  
Our approach
  • We work with the host community, the media, policy makers and other migrant groups
  • We initiate and build on existing opportunities for dialogue
  • We experiment and try out new ideas 
  • We learn from our own and others’ experiences
  • We share our learning
Our Key messages
  • Media coverage remains imbalanced and hostile on migration issues.
  • Migrants are largely absent from the immigration debate in the mainstream media.
  • Negative media reports on migrants and refugees fuels hostile public attitudes and in turn influences government policy
  • Migrant Voice will provide those affected by media misrepresentation to have the confidence, skills and ability to engage with the media directly in the immigration debate.
  • Migrant Voice will redress the balance in the media of the immigration debate to improve public attitudes.

Our funding

Migrant Voice would like to thank the following for currently funding our projects: The Barrow Cadbury Trust and The City Bridge Trust. We thank the Big Lottery Fund for having funded our 'Talking Pictures' Project. Migrant Voice also acknowledges the financial support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Open Society Institute. We thank the Churches Refugee Hardship Fund, and the many individuals for their in-kind and financial contributions. 

Much of the work of Migrant Voice would not be possible without the great contribution from our many volunteers, for which we are very grateful.