More Than Just a Haircut: Personal Care & Self-Esteem
Personal grooming is essential to self-worth, mental well-being, and social confidence. Yet, for asylum seekers living on a Home Office stipend of just £8.86 per week, a commercial haircut costing £15 to £25 is an impossible luxury.
Recognizing this need, Asylum & Refugee Care (AARC) SCIO launched our popular Free Barber Service. Operating every Saturday at our Aberdeen hub, volunteer barbers provide complimentary haircuts and grooming for refugees, asylum seekers, and visitors in a friendly, welcoming environment.
Multilingual Booking Built for Convenience
To ensure fairness and avoid long waiting times, AARC developed a dedicated online booking system available at aarcvisitor.com/barber. Recognizing the diverse linguistic background of our community, the appointment portal is available in over 14 languages, including:
- Kurdish Sorani (کوردیی ناوەڕاست)
- Arabic (العربية)
- Farsi (فارسی)
- Amharic (أمازيغية / አማርኛ)
- Tigrinya (ትግርኛ)
- Somali (Soomaali)
- Pashto (پښتو) & Dari (دری)
- Urdu (اردو), Turkish (Türkçe), and English
The Impact on Mental Health and Confidence
Looking good helps people feel good. For service users preparing for legal appointments, job interviews, college enrolments, or simply everyday life, receiving a professional haircut brings a sense of normalcy and self-respect.
"When you are living in a temporary hotel for months with very little money, getting a haircut makes you feel like yourself again. It gave me confidence before my asylum interview." — Karam, Barber Client
How to Access or Volunteer for the Barber Service
Appointments for Saturday sessions open every Friday at 5:00 PM via our online portal at aarcvisitor.com/barber. If you are a qualified barber or hairdresser interested in volunteering a few hours on a Saturday, please visit our Contact Page to join our team!