Caritas Aspire Business offers two distinct services for refugees. The first service is called Up Collective, which is a 12-week course designed for early-stage refugee entrepreneurs. It provides them with foundational knowledge in business and offers a testing event where they can interact with real customers to receive feedback on their business prototypes. Additionally, participants receive personalised support from a business coach and mentor to refine their ideas and adapt their business offerings for the UK market. The second program, On Demand, supports refugee entrepreneurs who have already made progress in their businesses or have an established business but require specific assistance in areas such as marketing, finance or registration. This programme is conducted entirely online and involves one-on-one support over a four-month period. Caritas Aspire Business is pleased to announce that they recently assisted the first business with registration and look forward to supporting many more.
Caritas provides a range of other services for refugees, including Caritas Refugee Education, which supports refugees and asylum seekers in their wellbeing and integration journeys. This involves offering high-quality language lessons in a welcoming community setting, mentoring for further education and employment, and comprehensive wellbeing services. Caritas also offers a community sponsorship support to assist communities planning to sponsor a refugee family. These services, among others, are available to people from all walks of life.
Caritas chose to support business entrepreneurship to breach the gaps in services that often focuses on the basic needs. They recognised the need for development support and empowering refugees to take control of their own futures. Rasha, the Service Manager, explains, "We aim to empower individuals with their own ideas. We believe that entrepreneurship is the way forward. People encounter barriers and lose self-confidence, but we encourage them to see their own potential."
"The broader benefits of this support include economic growth and introducing new perspectives and flavours to businesses. People are incredibly creative. For example, we provided support to a lady who is an artist and wanted to establish an arts café. Her business will not only showcase her own work but also provide a platform for other artists. Businesses contribute to building communities by serving as meeting places. Refugee-owned businesses can help reduce stigma, create job opportunities, foster social cohesion, and enhance community skills. It takes a village to support one entrepreneur, but one business owner can contribute to the growth of an entire village. We help business owners achieve financial independence, confidence, community engagement, improved mental health, a sense of belonging, and establish roots."
Caritas is seeking mentors who share their belief in the power of entrepreneurship and wish to support the creativity and self-sufficiency of refugees. They are looking for individuals with their own businesses and/or coaching/mentoring experience. Mentors will assist refugee entrepreneurs in bringing their business ideas to life. The commitment involves attending 12 weekly sessions and providing one hour per week of one-on-one guidance to an entrepreneur from a refugee background. The programme aims to empower refugees to thrive through their own ideas, and mentors' guidance and advice will be invaluable in helping entrepreneurs realise their business concepts.
Here is feedback from one mentor in the Up Collective program: "Participating in this program has been a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to support effective entrepreneurship and enhance their own skill set. The sense of community is incredible, with dedicated and talented individuals on the programme, including a fantastic group of entrepreneurial talent to work with. Overall, it has been a superb experience".
To apply, please email [email protected]
Photo Credit - Caritas Salford