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Macquarie Group Foundation x Breaking Barriers: One year on

Rachel Engel, Regional Director of the Macquarie Group Foundation, reflects on our partnership for refugees

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Rachel Engel
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At Macquarie, we’re passionate about driving social impact, through both our financial and non-financial resources.  

Recognising that many people face systemic barriers to employment, much of the Macquarie Group Foundation’s work focuses on building effective pathways into work. So, the partnership we began a year ago with Breaking Barriers felt like a perfect fit.  

We entered this partnership with three goals

  1. To support refugees through funding for Breaking Barriers’ employment and education programmes.  
  2. To contribute practically to individuals achieving employment outcomes.  
  3. To grow overall national support for the organisation through skills-based volunteering within the Macquarie Group.  

The immense challenges faced by refugees – from language barriers to lack of UK work experience – mean they’re four times more likely to be unemployed than people born in the UK.  

Such challenges can’t be fixed overnight. But we’re excited to have already contributed to the achievements of Breaking Barriers clients in 2023-24, which are highlighted in the charity’s Impact Report. And our recent CV & Interview Skills workshop, led by Macquarie staff, showed how meaningful direct connections with refugees can be on both sides.  

Being part of the charity’s Business Behind Refugees movement has also connected us with likeminded companies from a wide range of sectors. It’s rare that you get corporates together, convened by a non-profit, on a specific issue. So, this movement offers a real opportunity to share and learn best practice, and to grow our impact. As a safe space for collaboration, Business Behind Refugees is quite unique and actually very special.

It's rare that you get corporates together, convened by a non-profit, on a specific issue. So, this movement offers a real opportunity to share and learn best practice, and to grow our impact. As a safe space for collaboration, Business Behind Refugees is quite unique and actually very special.

So, what are my key reflections from a year of partnership for refugees?

The best stories aren’t always fiction. Throughout my career, I’ve aimed to build organisational relationships for measurable impact. And the accountability of Breaking Barriers – its ability to report back to partners on its clients’ outcomes – has been fundamental to getting Senior Leader and business buy-in to the partnership.  

Equally important, have been refugees’ personal stories of challenge and success. In particular, it was inspiring and motivating to meet Fatima and Nanou, from Breaking Barriers’ Lived Experience panel, when Macquarie hosted the Business Behind Refugees showcase in November. Facts and figures – whether about employment barriers or successful support programmes – mean so much more when you have the chance to learn directly about the individual, human impact.   

Meaningful collaboration is key. This isn’t a new discovery, but a reaffirmation for me. Partnerships can achieve great results if each organisation recognises the other’s particular expertise, understands their needs, and brings this knowledge to bear on shared goals.  

Plus, of course, don’t forget to collaborate with the people you’re hoping to benefit. Our team values how Breaking Barriers’ services are influenced by feedback and contributions from those with first-hand experience of employment challenges. With the right opportunities, refugees have the skills and knowledge to be changemakers in their own right. We just need to listen and learn.  

Let your employees lead the way. At Macquarie, we firmly believe in giving people the space, time and encouragement to participate in a charity partnership in the way they choose. And, in our work with Breaking Barriers, there are so many opportunities for staff engagement. From leading employability workshops, to mentoring, to taking on a fundraising challenge and benefitting from our donation matching scheme.   

Volunteering really should be voluntary, and the right opportunities can make all the difference between a top-down initiative and grassroots-driven impact. 

Don’t forget to collaborate with the people you’re hoping to benefit... With the right opportunities, refugees have the skills and knowledge to be changemakers in their own right. We just need to listen and learn.

In short, my conclusion from Macquarie’s first year working with Breaking Barriers is:  

If your company wants to help overcome systemic barriers to employment. If you want to make an impact for talented, motivated and inspiring people. Then a truly collaborative partnership for refugees, informed equally by organisational expertise, your team, and lived experience, may just be the right fit for you.  

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