Without the right social, financial, legal and cultural support services, many people struggle to access legal services, find adequate social and emotional support and integrate into their local communities.
Islamic Relief are providing crucial support to empower these populations to ensure that men, women and children from refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant backgrounds can lead independent, happy, safe and fulfilling lives here in the UK.
Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre
Empowering minority communities is at the heart of all of our work at Islamic Relief. Our partnership with Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC) is another critical means of ensuring that vulnerable minorities get the care and support they need.
We’re supporting CRMC in their latest partnership with West Midlands Police and Fire Services and Coventry City Council which strives to help people from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) communities in and around Coventry who are out of work.
Offering first-hand information and work experience in a variety of roles, their project enables participants to:
- Undertake a 12-week work experience placement in job roles within local public services
- Get involved in tasks such as: analysing and monitoring data, making telephone calls to victims of crime, undertaking questionnaires in the community, helping the running of the office and supporting staff at local libraries
- Take part in induction sessions to familiarise themselves with the local Public Sector including visiting a fire station and learning about how the local council supports the community
- Attend training workshops in a range of areas including emergency first aid and conflict management
As a result of the programme and inclusive one-to-one dedicated mentoring sessions, we’re helping members of the BAMER communities in and around Coventry to in find work and gaining further qualifications to improve their future professional and economic prospects.
For single mothers such as Kesandu* who had arrived in the UK to escape family abuse but was abandoned by her partner 10 years later, the opportunities provided by CRMC have been invaluable. With two children, no paternal support and struggling with depression, Kesandu was supported by CRMC with her accommodation and visa problems and later became a volunteer at the centre before being granted leave to remain.
Having later joined the Public Services Employability Programme, in addition to attending mentoring sessions, Kesandu has gained work experience, increased in confidence and further developed her communication skills after working with vulnerable clients. In fact, following the programme, Kesandu was later offered a temporary job at CRMC’s partner centre and following several interviews, has identified areas for skill development.
At a later stage, Kesandu was then offered further employment for nine months to cover maternity leave and an increase in working hours. Kesandu enjoys working in reception for CRMC and feels that her life is back on track. She is now looking forward to being involved in a range of continuing professional development (CPD) courses as part of her current role – including a training course to become a health champion at CRMC. This is in addition to maintaining the role of first aider, following the training course she received in first aid during the initial CRMC itself. Masha’Allah – such great success!
Alhamdulillah, programmes such as these are invaluable in helping people to develop in self-esteem, gain crucial experience and enable men and women such as Kesandu to build a more prosperous professional future, insha’Allah!
*Name has been changed to protect the individual’s identity
Find out more
Islamic Relief works with a range of partners to support refugees here in the UK. Find out more about our other UK progammes below: