Sabir Zazai, the new chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, wants to build on Scotland's special relationship with refugees

Eighteen years ago Sabir Zazai arrived in Dover as a refugee from Afghanistan with only the clothes on his back. Today he is chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council.

And the irony doesn’t end there. His last post was director of the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Center — the first place that supported Zazai shortly after he’d arrived in the UK.

He tells me these achievements won’t ever leave him, so much so each day he takes time to remember his perilous journey to the UK and the nine long years he and his family lived in a refugee camp.

There, he says, they counted the “days months, years” when he they could return to their home in Kabul.

Sadly that return never came as the war between the mujahedeen and the Taliban worsened. But crucially he never gave up hope: “It’s human nature to believe,” he says. “Whether that’s a dream or for something more practical, we never give up. We all have that survival instinct.”

Two weeks into the job, 42 year-old Zazai says his appointment should encourage other refugees that anything is possible and to realise that life presents “many opportunities.”

“With my appointment I can send the very strong message you might have lost everything but it’s not the end,” he says. “It can be a new beginning and new opportunities will come your way.”

From his unique background, Zazai knows how important services are if newcomers are to have hope of integrating into Scottish society. And he understands what’s at stake because he's been through the process himself.

“You end up in a strange world where you don’t even speak the language, your qualifications are not recognised and you’ve left family behind. You lost people in war and conflict, you’ve got the tremors of the journey, the conflict, and also the treatment of the system, and that all stays with you for a long time.”

The UK – and Europe - has a refugee crisis which, despite trauma and destitution, sees this growing population of dispossessed people becoming the scapegoat for a whole hoard of social ills.

Tackling this stigma won’t be easy but he contests that people aren’t against refugees. On the contrary he says the tide of opinion has changed with recent events creating empathy as opposed to hatred.

He refers to the tragic images of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose image made global headlines after he drowned on September 2015.

“We were all appalled that we couldn’t help,” he says. “We saw a child without its dignity. And everyone related to that indignity. There was a revolution of generosity. The prime minister was forced into action, taking in 20,000 Syrian refugees.

“It showed to us there’s a big gap between public opinion and public policy. Usually policy is informed by opinion: we are full, refugees take our jobs. But that has changed. While we see overwhelming evidence of the public’s empathy for migrants, the government isn’t being influenced enough by it.

“So the public does want change. People will welcome refugees if they are allowed to.”

Indeed Scotland has welcomed more Syrian refugees than any other part of the UK under the government’s official resettlement scheme, accepting more than 1,200 people compared to just 33 who have been taken in by London local authorities

However what government currently does is invest more in enforcement than integration. “If the public response was coupled with government investment we’d be in a very different society,” says Zazai.

He adds: “Sadly instead it’s left to charities, churches and local communities to support refugees.”

Yet, he says, even on his first few weeks in Scotland’s biggest city it is apparent refugees and migrants are woven into the fabric of Glasgow and that the idea they are not accepted is a mistruth.

"If you walk out this building and get in a cab chances are you’ll meet a driver who’ll tell you he’s from another country,” he says.

“I speak to people in shops, in the street from different backgrounds. Everyone in Scotland has a refugee story. It’s become the fabric of this city and, of course, that’s a great thing.”

What first attracted Zazai to the Scottish Refugee Council, replacing John Wilkes, was the country’s track record on human rights and the greater opportunities to influence policy. Despite immigration being reserved to Westminster, Zazai hopes the SRC will develop its presence and build on its success in being able to shape legislation as well as design bigger and better services for its growing numbers of clients.

We saw a child without its dignity. And everyone related to that indignity

“Just now it is a great time to achieve social justice,” he says. “Scotland has unique voice in refugee protection. SRC has developed that voice as the leading organisation of its type, so much so the charity has become part of Scotland’s identity.

“Of course I’m just started in the job but I think that’s something that presents a great many opportunities where our services and our experiences can influence politicians and others.”

In just a matter of weeks Zazai says he’s been hugely impressed by the amount of people and communities interested in engaging with refugees. “It’s happening at every level: local authority, NHS, the police. They want to actively improve their services. It’s phenomenal; you won’t see this anywhere else.”

For Zazai, the difference in thriving rather than just surviving is the challenge of playing an active role in the life of your community. He believes giving others that opportunity is vital if Scotland’s refugees are to continue their journey of integration.

“There are many refugees like me,” he says. “They have a huge wealth of talent and ability. And they want to actively engage in their communities, to support others and wider society.

“I see my role as assisting that – of helping these people contribute as best they can as well as giving them the support to do so. That’s the very definition of a healthy society.”