Refugee & Mentors CIC support refugees, people seeking asylum and vulnerable migrants to improve their employment prospects and collaborate with other organisations to offer inclusive employment opportunities.
This is done by offering pre-employment information and guidance and by working with employers, stakeholders and other non-profit organisations to increase access to opportunities. They work with employers to develop inclusive recruitment practices, diversify their workforce and fill skill gaps. Based at the offices of Rethink Rebuild Society in Manchester, their services work with people across Greater Manchester.
The overarching aim of the Returner Project is to support 'work ready' skilled refugee engineers, architects, business services, IT and telecoms professionals to gain paid UK professional experience so that they can return to the career they worked in prior to being forced to flee. To reach this goal, they offer a specialist casework and placement service for refugee candidates and support employers to recruit inclusively and diversify.
Returner Project candidates all have a minimum level qualification of a bachelors’ degree, and have the ability and potential to help employers meet permanent and temporary recruitment needs. These candidates often struggle to compete against UK educated and experienced candidates through mainstream recruitment processes.
An example of their work is a HR placement secured:
“My skills in recruitment as a HR professional have been enhanced. My confidence has improved from working with the team and communicating professionally in English on a daily basis. I am very pleased to now have UK work experience.” HR Coordinator
“Traditionally, Refugee Action has had fairly healthy lived experience representation in frontline roles. This has been less easy to achieve in support roles. Offering a placement via R&M has helped us to fill a key support role which is really influential in helping to bring other refugees onboard.” HR manager, Refugee Action
This video explains more - https://vimeo.com/722485253/1664857da7