Our Work
Refugee Resettlement
Our Refugee Resettlement team provides support to refugees through Government-sponsored schemes.
The families supported are resettled in the Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, and Vale of White Horse Districts of Oxfordshire and are provided with a range of emotional and practical support to help them settle into everyday life.
Eight individuals who resettled in Oxfordshire under our service between spring 2021 and spring 2023 have, with our support, secured paid work this financial year.
This has taken them off the Universal Credit benefit cap, significantly improving their financial circumstances during the cost-of-living crisis. We also had several other individuals start to volunteer with a view to entering paid work.
"This year, our first client achieved monumental success: they now live independently in their own flat after successfully resolving their immigration status."
Two women from Afghan families were supported to finance sewing machines – enabling them to work towards selling clothes at a local market. The children have also taken significant steps to integrate by embracing their schools and showing dedication to their studies. One young person will begin studying for their GCSEs in September, while another has been accepted into university.
Our No Recourse to Public Funds service, delivered in partnership with Oxfordshire Homeless Movement, Aspire, Edge Housing and Asylum Welcome, supports individuals without access to benefits and housing.
The service provides accommodation for clients and helps them to recover from trauma whilst resolving their immigration status, enabling them to move into secure long-term housing. This year, our first client achieved monumental success: they now live independently in their own flat after successfully resolving their immigration status.
Case Study
Reda – Starting a new life
Seeking refuge from Syria, Reda arrived in England with his wife and three-year-old daughter and immediately began receiving support from our Refugee Resettlement team.
Reda was looking for help that could support his adjustment to living in the UK and wanted to find ways to learn English. After Reda enrolled on a course at a local college to learn the language, he spoke with his Support Worker, Isabelle, about becoming a barber. Isabelle introduced Reda to Nigel, a volunteer, and they discussed how to help Reda on his chosen career path.
When the two men met, they spoke about Reda's long-term goals, and Nigel supported Reda in approaching barbers across Oxford to find work experience; this encouraged Reda to develop both his language and interpersonal skills. The two men worked together to upskill Reda and build his confidence, and he completed six months of work experience at a local barber. Here, he developed his English by speaking to customers while observing and learning the trade.
This was just the start for Reda. He went on to secure a trainee role in an Oxford-based barber shop. Working four days a week and doing two to three haircuts a day, it's a busy time for him, but he's enjoying every day. Looking ahead, Reda wants to continue learning English and further develop his barbering skills so he can become a professional barber. His long-term ambition is to own a successful barber shop, ideally within the next four to five years.
After working with Reda, here's what Nigel had to say:
"It's very rewarding to me to see how far Reda has come, and it has been a pleasure working with him. He is intelligent, hardworking and has all the qualities he needs to succeed."