Growth Company Launches Refugee Employability Programme across Yorkshire and Humber

• The Growth Company (GC) is delivering the Home Office Refugee Employability Programme (REP) across Yorkshire and the Humber.
• The programme aims to help refugees into sustained employment through individually tailored support.
• To mark its official launch, we hosted events for local stakeholders and referral organisations in Rotherham, Sheffield, and Leeds, and unveiled a dedicated new website.

Late last month, the Growth Company hosted events in Rotherham, Sheffield, and Leeds to mark the launch of the Refugee Employability Programme across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Commissioned by the Home Office and delivered by GC, the programme aims to help refugees into sustained employment.

To achieve this goal, we match participants with a dedicated case worker, who provides practical support and a learning plan tailored to each individual. This includes assistance with language and employability skills, work experience opportunities, and community integration. We also work closely with employers in different industries to make sure that refugees are factored into recruitment strategies across the region.

The launch events offered a chance for local stakeholders – from voluntary organisations and social enterprises to local authorities and ESOL providers – to find out more about REP by speaking directly with our team, ten of whom have lived experience as refugees, speaking 15 languages between them. To be sure, 47 percent of customer facing colleagues have lived experience, 68 percent speak community languages, and 18 percent are multi-lingual.

Goitom Negash, an employment advisor with the programme, explained why these figures are so important: “When you have gone through a similar experience to participants, it makes it easier to see things from their perspective, and for them to trust that you understand the challenges they face.

“In the end, this means better outcomes for everyone involved.”  

Growth Company services manager Kate Liddle was pleased with the turnout and engagement at the events: “Our team is ready to help refugees in Yorkshire and the Humber find meaningful work, so it was encouraging to establish relationships with so many influential organisations.”

Explaining the importance of GC’s people-centred approach, Kate added: “The case worker model is highly adaptable to a range of circumstances. It is therefore particularly suited to the complex needs of refugees seeking paid work. Having one devoted professional who can help an individual through the process from beginning to end is invaluable.”

Partnership and integrations manager, Timothy Jeffrey, agreed, pointing out the parallel benefits to employers: “With skills gaps affecting most sectors of the UK economy, forward thinking businesses are already examining every corner of the labour market.

“Many refugees are skilled, experienced, and motivated. They are therefore an important, though often overlooked, part of the solution to today’s worker shortages. Although employers will sometimes face difficulties navigating the system, in the end, the additional effort is worth it.

“The Growth Company can help businesses when it comes to finding and hiring the right candidates. Indeed, we have a proven track record in doing so through similar initiatives such as United For Ukraine.”

Find Out More

If you would like more information about the Refugee Employability Programme visit the Refugee Employability Programme: Resources for Refugees website. 

Get In Touch

The Growth Company is an award-winning social enterprise with a mission to generate growth, create jobs, and improve lives. We offer employment services across Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire and Humber.

Get in touch today to find out more.