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RefuAid integration to strengthen support landscape for refugees

Breaking Barriers is thrilled to announce a transformational programme integration, which will strengthen employment support for refugees in the UK.

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Breaking Barriers

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We know how complex the support landscape for refugees can be and the barriers it can create to gaining meaningful employment. That is why we are thrilled to announce a transformational programme integration, which will strengthen employment support for refugees in the UK.  

Breaking Barriers has integrated refugee charity RefuAid’s Language and Re-accreditation programmes into our service offering. This move will expand our reach nationally, beyond our current locations in London, Glasgow, Greater Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands. Alongside our existing core offer of specialist advice and guidance, we will now offer structured language tuition and re-accreditation guidance for refugees across the UK who want to secure meaningful employment.   

In turn, RefuAid can focus on expanding its financial support services, offering interest-free loans to refugees to cover the cost of licensing, training, exams, housing, education and family reunification. 

“Refugees face many barriers to employment, including gaps on their CVs due to the lengthy asylum process, qualifications not being recognised and a lack of UK work experience. By better defining our offer, we can create clearer and more effective options for refugees, who often face a daunting and complex support landscape,” said Ciara Devlin, CEO of Breaking Barriers. 

“The driving force behind this change is a desire to improve the overall support system for refugees in the UK; it’s not because one organisation is struggling. That’s refreshing, and I believe it’s a fantastic example of sector collaboration.”

 

A shared ambition

There are currently more than 480,000 refugees in the UK, with a significant increase since 2021. Despite employment playing a crucial part in their integration, refugees are still four times more likely to be unemployed than people born in the UK. 

RefuAid Co-founder and CEO, Anna Jones, said: “We share an ambition with Breaking Barriers that every refugee in the UK can build a life for themselves through work that matches their skills and ambitions. It became apparent that to reach that ambition we needed to shake things up. 

“These changes will deepen the impact we can have, and I am looking forward to continuing a close partnership with Breaking Barriers via our RefuAid Loan scheme.”    

Nanou, a member of Breaking Barriers’ Lived Experience Panel, who has nine years’ lived experience of the UK asylum system, believes the integration will redefine support services and help refugees understand where to access support.  

She said: “This merger is a good thing for refugees. It will make it simpler for refugees to understand which organisation or community to turn to. They can go to Breaking Barriers for their employment needs and to RefuAid for financial support. 

“The support system for refugees can be confusing and very different across different parts of the country. Bringing RefuAid and Breaking Barriers together, and expanding the reach of both organisations, will be a great thing for refugees across the UK.”  

 

Enhancing opportunities for businesses 

The opportunity for businesses will also become clearer. Our Business Behind Refugees movement will continue to create skills-building and employment opportunities for refugees across the UK. And RefuAid will continue to work closely with businesses to enhance and develop their approach to lending. 

Together, Breaking Barriers and RefuAid are scaling nationally and will continue our close partnership long into the future, building a new standard of support to create a deeper, more transparent and sustainable impact for refugees across the UK. 

 

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