As part of the Leadership-in-Action project, I undertook a placement as an immigration detention caseworker with Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID). I deepened my understanding of the nonprofit legal advocacy sector, supporting individuals held in immigration detention through casework. The outcome included meaningful contributions to individual cases as well as the creation of a resource that will continue to benefit both BID and the people it serves.
Over the course of the project, I worked on a range of client cases supporting release from immigration detention, particularly those involving Russian and Chinese speakers where I was able to communicate with clients directly in their native language, and interpret for conversations between clients and other stakeholders - the Home Office, solicitors, detention centres, prisons and probation officers, external charities. Such interactions deepened my appreciation of the role that language plays in building trust. For many, the ability to communicate in their native tongue eased the process of discussing their situation by allowing them to feel truly understood. It required me to slow down, and reflect on the way in which I communicate and the way it may be perceived. The gratitude expressed by clients reinforced the importance of accessibility to legal support, as language should never be a barrier to justice.
The importance of accessibility in advocacy work was clear in my research initiative to create a client-facing leaflet regarding Home Office accommodation and their eligibility criteria, which makes complex legal entitlements more accessible to those in detention. The process required me to take complex and highly technical legal information and frame it in a way that could be easily understood by people in detention, many of whom face significant barriers to accessing clear information about their rights. The sustainability of this impact lies in the use of this material which can continue to be used as an accessible tool to explain accommodation entitlements to clients long after the project has ended.
It would be easy, comforting even, to frame this experience purely in terms of academic and professional growth. I could write about the corporate skills I have developed, the insights I have gained into immigration law, and the ways in which this will strengthen my future career. But to do so would feel hollow and naive. Such a reflection would reduce a profoundly human experience to a line on a CV, neatly packaged as a “placement” - whilst ignoring the raw emotional weight of the work. To focus only on how I benefitted would be to neglect the reality of its difficulty, the quiet unraveling that comes from bearing witness to the suffering of others. The truth is that my time at Bail for Immigration Detainees has not just expanded my knowledge - it has unsettled me, exhausted me, and forced me to confront the challenge of maintaining professionalism in the face of a system that fails, over and over again, to protect human dignity.
Working with those in immigration detention - some of the most vulnerable in the current political climate - I have had to reconcile the dissonance between the composure expected of me in a legal and bureaucratic environment, and the grief surrounding individuals being treated as if their lives hold no value. To speak to someone whose freedom is contingent upon an unjust system, and to respond with the calm neutrality that professional standards demand, has felt at times like a betrayal of my own humanity. Bearing witness to blatant systemic failure whilst trying to remain an effective advocate has forced me to confront uncomfortable questions about justice, morality, and my own values.
What I have learnt is that unconditional empathy takes true emotional vulnerability. People, regardless of their past, are deserving of a chance to be listened to and heard. And sometimes, that means crying on the tube home, sleepless nights and a heaviness that lingers. This reflection is not just an admission of struggle, but an acknowledgement of the profound humanity required in any attempt to stand alongside people fighting for their freedom. Ultimately, I have come to see that professionalism in this work does not mean being untouched by suffering, but rather choosing again and again to keep showing up despite it.
What was meant to be my final day with the organisation brought a sobering reminder of the climate in which this work exists. The office was closed due to safety concerns following media coverage of the support offered by the organisation for individuals affected by the UK-France and Rwanda policies - coverage that came at a time of heightened far-right protests across the country. This underscored the hostility faced not only by those in detention but also by those who stand alongside them. It is a harsh reminder that this work is situated within a volatile political landscape where advocating for humanity can become a source of risk.
In this way, I came to understand that the role of a leader is not necessarily represented by a position above others, but by the way in which you amplify the voices of those who are marginalised, whilst standing alongside them. The time I spent at Bail for Immigration Detainees has reinforced my commitment to pursuing a path that intersects academic insight with advocacy and action, working to challenge structural inequality and create meaningful social change.