The Sanctuary in Politics course was first run in Dublin, Ireland in 2017. Designed and delivered by Tiffy Allen, the course arose from needs and gaps expressed by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants regarding a disconnect from mainstream society and facing obstacles to representing and advocating for themselves in the media, with policy-makers and on a national level.

Since 2017, Sanctuary in Politics has been successfully replicated at Preston College in the North West of England, in Bristol for the South West, Newport, London, Swansea and at Durham University in the North East of England.