Our GC Employment's Refugee Employability Programme (REP) provides tailored support to refugees who are looking to gain meaningful employment and to help them settle into life across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Colleagues from the team have held a series of coffee mornings for service users over the past couple of months. They've been an opportunity for service users to get to know each other and the team, hear case studies from our GC colleagues with similar backgrounds, and chat about future aspirations.
The coffee mornings have also helped service users integrate into their local community and also supported them in finding roles that suit their relevant experience and aspirations.
The REP team have been working really hard to put the coffee mornings together, creating a schedule, gathering the colleague case studies from colleagues with a lived experience, and also providing light refreshments. These wouldn't have happened without the support and dedication of Kate Liddle, Naveed Ahmed and the team's employment advisors.
Teresa Samuels, Operations Manager for the REP explains why these session have been so important:
"A large part of the refugee contract is to enable and support service users to integrate into their local communities. We have now run several coffee mornings for service users to discuss their own experiences and to meet people in their local area - the feedback has been fantastic with service users supporting each other and making new connections".
Our Service Managers on the programme shared what they've learned and thanked the team for supporting them:
"The coffee mornings have been really good. We have come across some interesting stories from the service user, their experience coming into the country and what they have had to go through. The feedback received from them has been positive, they really appreciate the work the advisors are doing for them."
Naveed Ahmed, Service Manager - REP
"The coffee mornings have been a success. It has been nice to see colleagues' confidence develop as they deliver presentations during the mornings. We are taking a short break due to Ramadan, but getting ready for 'afternoon tea' in April and on the lookout for host premises. As spring approaches, we plan to have short walks in local parks, weather dependant of course..."
Kate Liddle, Service Manager - REP
Service users who attended the coffee mornings told us:
“I really enjoyed the coffee morning session, it was very informative and it was nice to hear other people's experiences and their journey. The presence of the Employer Engagement Team was also very helpful.“
“I was very happy and really enjoyed the coffee morning. I also stayed behind to talk to another attendee, as well as Alex from the Employer Engagement Team to discuss jobs.“
You can find out more about REP here.
