The project’s main focus areas are home energy and recycling support, food sustainability including home food growing, and boosting climate literacy through English lessons. The project began in 2015, with many activities switching online after the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. The sessions are designed to be friendly, fun and accessible. 

Working with partner organisations is key to The Welcoming’s success – it brings in a range of charities to deliver workshops and activities, and has played a leading role organising events such as the Edinburgh Climate Festival.   

The project has created volunteering opportunities for more than 50 people, both native Scots and migrants. Some volunteers have credited their experience with helping them find paid employment.  

Advice, connections and new skills 

The Welcoming helps new migrants stay warm and save on their energy bills – making sure they can operate their boiler and heating controls, deal with energy companies, and get further support from other energy charities and services.  

The organisation has also given people one-to-one support on recycling in their new homes, and run dozens of recycling workshops. And it has organised swapshops where people can exchange items. In 2017 a separate social enterprise, Remode, spun out of The Welcoming’s reuse work. This runs workshops and repurposes leftover textiles.   

The Welcoming also offers cooking sessions, food sustainability workshops and support for home food growing. These help people save money and eat healthily, with climate benefits too. 

The Welcoming have provided seed packs and planters, and offer monthly support workshops. The organisation’s community demonstration garden allows people to learn about food growing, and share green skills and traditions from their home countries, while spending quality time outdoors.