Employment

Ensuring that refugees in the UK are able to access appropriate, fulfilling, paid employment or self-employment.

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News Spotlight!

REN is proud to have delivered its 5th Refugee Jobs Fair supporting refugees in Leeds to gain access to meaningful employment, hosted in partnership with Migration Yorkshire, DWP and EY. We were excited to have been joined by over 230 attendees, including refugees, employers and support organisations.

The event was held at the Leeds Civic Hall which acted as a great space to bring together local authorities, employers and associated support networks to refugees. There was a great sense of community for all involved, and a great opportunity for refugees to building networks in their local area. 88% of attendees were able to speak to an employer in their field of interest and 74% of attendees expect to apply for at least one job at the employers present at the event*.

We will be hosting our next Refugee Jobs Fair in Cardiff on 28 February 2024 – keep your eyes peeled for more info coming soon!

*based on results from 69 attendees

The Refugee Employment Network (REN) brings together non-profits, local authorities and businesses to ensure refugees in the UK have access to paid work or self-employment opportunities. Founded in 2019, our organisation is the only national membership network in the UK exclusively focused on creating better opportunities for refugees across the whole country.

Our Vision
Teamwork

We know refugee employment is the biggest factor in the successful integration of refugees in the UK, yet refugee unemployment rates are estimated at three times above the national average – up to 80% in some regions and refugee underemployment and labour exploitation are also significant issues. The general lack of delivery and coordinated support from national employment services means that refugees coming to the UK with qualifications, skills and work experience are often not recognised and valued in the labour market.

REN’s purpose is to strengthen the ecosystem of support services for refugees across the UK to help remove the financial, cultural and social barriers that prevent them from accessing more employment opportunities and adding social and economic value to society. We are honoured to collaborate closely with 350+ member organisations who work with refugees directly, and ensure their efforts are strong, effective and coordinated through the following activities:

  1. Facilitate connections between employers and local, regional and national service providers;
  2. Share best practice of refugee employment and retention, and provide general guidance for our members to create and attain standards for meaningful and long-lasting refugee employment; and
  3. Leverage resources and seek financial support to fund meaningful job creation and employment support programmes for refugees.

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