Teesside would benefit from further migration
Stockton charity Cultures doing amazing work with migrants in our region.
An Iranian migrant who built a new life for herself in Teesside says the area would benefit from further migration.
Nas made the move to the UK with her husband 14 years ago and now works as a supply teacher in Yarm.
She's one of the 250 migrants who've found full-time work thanks to the help of Stockton charity Cultures.
They help asylum seekers and refugees with employability skills and adapting to British customs and values.
The charity recently launched a housing project, which involves recent migrants renovating properties around Teesside, in a bid to gather new skills and network.
It's as the number of asylum seekers in Middlesbrough reaches 1 in 137 people.
Mum-of-two Nas said:
"When new things happen, there's always good and bad things.
People are staying and starting up businesses and bringing different cultural shops.
It's better for the economy, better for culture, it's a good thing to happen.
I've always said this is a country of opportunity."
Sade Songawawa runs the charity, she said:
"We celebrate every job, even if it's working in a factory because for some people, it's just that step in.
Be it a big job, be it a small job, the point is people are moving on with their lives.
For us it's like yes! We're doing something right!
It's very hard with our client group but actually people are moving on and we are contributing to that success in the Tees Valley."