Breaking Barriers

Calling all businesses committed to making a difference 📣 At Breaking Barriers, we are incredibly fortunate to have a strong and dedicated #BusinessBehindRefugees movement, that is united to improve the lives of refugees in the UK through meaningful employment. We're proud to launch our film which highlights the aims of Business Behind Refugees, as well as our partners in action and what it means to be a part of the movement 🎥 Our Business Behind Refugee partners are from a range of different sectors who are supporting refugees into meaningful employment through skill-building volunteering and recruitment pathways 💙 Watch the film and help us share it far and wide. There is so much potential for businesses to get involved! 👉 Find out more on our website: https://loom.ly/L7AeKzk

We love our partners. We have a particular soft spot for those who not only stick with us through all the ups and down that come with a growing charity, but who also encourage us to innovate and try new things! One of those partners is BNY. It's been a fantastic five-year whirlwind of a partnership, involving funding, masterclasses, mentoring, panel events, networking for refugees, courses, and lots and lots of employee volunteering. They supported our expansion to Manchester, ran job fairs, and piloted new initiatives such as speed mentoring. Don't just take our word for it. The incredible Robin Savchuk has written a guest blog for us, outlining everything that's happened, plus top tips for other businesses who want to support refugees. Have a read here 👉 https://loom.ly/KHCjkNA #BusinessBehindRefugees

When Michelle arrived in the UK from Hong Kong, she brought with her valuable work experience and a strong desire to continue her career. However, like many newcomers in the UK, she needed support to navigate the job market. With the help of her Employment adviser, Rebecca, Michelle enrolled in our Employment Foundations course, where she built on her existing skills and steadily grew her confidence. This led to valuable work experience, which opened the door to even more opportunities. Today, Michelle has secured a job she loves and is thriving in her new role 💙 “Breaking Barriers gave me the chance to try, to see what I’m good at. It’s important to know who you are and what boundaries you might have at work. Once you have one form of UK work experience, it’s so much easier to get a second and a third.” 👉 Read more about Michelle’s story and the impact employment support has had for her: https://loom.ly/LxKTdCg

Ever wondered what it's like to be CEO of a refugee charity for a year? Here are some reflections from Ciara Devlin, our CEO, who has steered us through a challenging but exciting year. It's the perfect time to reflect as we launch our impact report. Our favourite stat is that we supported the highest number of refugees in our history (1,247 people) which led to 709 employment, education, training & volunteering outcomes! We can't do this alone. A HUGE thank you must go to our 34 corporate partners, 135 volunteers, and the strong network of organisations who refer people to us for employment support. In return, many of these organisations support our clients with vital issues such as housing, mental health, or legal support. It feels good to be able to celebrate some achievements, especially after a year that was personally and professionally challenging for many of us. To all of you who have supported us, supported refugees and displaced people, and stood up against racism - thank you. We are looking forward to another year that will inevitably have challenges, but we know will also be filled with hope, celebration and successes! If you want to dig deeper into our year, the report is available here: https://loom.ly/nIWJPfw

In today’s job market, having strong digital skills is crucial for accessing opportunities. Digital skills is a phrase that gets thrown around often, but what does it mean for refugees who want to access meaningful employment? Most roles require a basic understanding of online tools and platforms, as do most recruitment processes - whether it's joining a Zoom interview, filling out online applications, or sending emails. Which is why it is so important to address this skills gap. In celebration of #GetOnlineWeek, a national campaign by Good Things Foundation aimed at promoting digital inclusion, we are excited to host a special 'Conversation Café' class for our clients this afternoon💙 This class will support individuals with navigating the digital world and will cover topics such as: ⭐ Where to look for jobs online ⭐ How to create a LinkedIn profile ⭐ How to stay safe online ⭐ Getting connected at your local library 👉 What digital skills do you think are most important for refugees to succeed in today's job market?

We're #Hiring: Partnerships Manager! 💙 Are you passionate about making a real impact while building meaningful corporate partnerships? Join our team! As our Partnerships Manager, you will play a crucial role in driving our mission to support refugees into employment by: ✨ Leading top-notch account management across a diverse portfolio of corporate partners. ✨ Launching and nurturing impactful, bespoke partnerships. ✨ Maximising income through fundraising, skilled volunteering, and job placements for our clients. We’re looking for someone experienced in managing corporate partnerships and building strong relationships at all levels. If you have a talent for identifying growth opportunities, we’d love to hear from you! 👉 To find out more and apply: https://loom.ly/sXbBEfI #PartnershipsManager

Today marks the start of #GetOnlineWeek 🌐 From October 14th to 20th, we are proud to support Good Things Foundation in celebrating their 17th year of 'Get Online Week,' an initiative dedicated to addressing digital inclusion across the UK 💙. We know how important 'getting online' is for the people we support. Many of our clients face challenges accessing online services, job opportunities, and education. Thanks to the ongoing support and recent funding from The Good Things Foundation, our digital skills programs are helping to bridge that gap, so that our clients can gain the confidence and skills they need to thrive in today’s digital world. 👀 Stay tuned! We’ll be sharing our planned activity in support of Get Online Week. There’s still time to get involved, too! Organisations across the UK are hosting digital inclusion events. 👉 Explore the event's map to find activities near you: https://loom.ly/HYCVrpQ

Statement on the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East: Breaking Barriers works with many refugees who’ve been forced to flee their country due to war. We know the profound personal toll conflict has, even if you reach a place of safety. Grief for relatives and friends lost. Ongoing trauma from events experienced and reported. Physical and mental scars. Fear for those left behind. And, for refugees, these challenges are on top of trying to build a new life in an unfamiliar country. We are, therefore, deeply concerned about the devastating human impact of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Lebanon, and the resulting mass displacements of people. Nobody, wherever they live, whatever their nationality, religion, race or political perspective, should be violently forced to flee their home. This is a humanitarian disaster for a region already in crisis, and will inevitably have repercussions here in the UK as well. We stand united with each of our refugee clients who is personally affected by these events, whether through connections to Lebanon, Israel, Palestine or the wider region. We recognise the consequences this may have for their wellbeing, their families, and their capacity to engage fully with their employment journey. We also know that many of our staff members and volunteers are themselves wrestling with the impacts of this war and crises elsewhere. From Gaza and Yemen to Ukraine, from Sudan and Ethiopia to the DRC and Central Sahel, from Afghanistan to Myanmar to Haiti. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is overwhelming. Meanwhile, an estimated 1.2 million people – a quarter of the Lebanese population – have been displaced in recent weeks. We cannot rule out the possibility that this may, ultimately, increase the number of refugees in the UK, and demand for the services of Breaking Barriers and other organisations in our sector. At a time when EU funding to support refugees here has ended, and when a number of charitable trusts and foundations have temporarily paused all grant giving. Through all this, our mission remains to welcome refugees into meaningful employment with advice, experience and education. We sincerely hope that, one day, nobody will be compelled to leave their country and seek asylum, and there will be no need for our support. But, in the meantime, we’ll continue doing all we can to help refugees who, having faced the unimaginable, are determined to overcome so many barriers and build a new life in the UK. Thank you for your support.

🌟 Join our team as an Employment and Engagement Adviser🌟 Are you passionate about helping individuals overcome obstacles to employment? Are you skilled at building relationships and connecting people with opportunities? If so, we want to hear from you! 💙 We’re excited to announce a new position within our Services team! We’re #hiring for an Employment and Engagement Adviser to join us in either our #Birmingham or #Manchester office. In this role, you’ll collaborate with our dedicated team to support our clients in securing meaningful employment. Key responsibilities: - Build and nurture relationships with local employers to identify job opportunities. - Manage your own caseload of clients, providing personalised support through job searches and applications. - Coordinate mock interviews and practice sessions to prepare clients for success in their job applications. 👉 If this sounds like the role for you or someone you know, follow the link: https://loom.ly/sXbBEfI

With the support of our amazing business community and partners, we continue to make a difference in the lives of refugees ❤️ Here’s a look back at some of the incredible milestones we achieved last month: 👉 Making career moves in #Manchester On 11th September, we were thrilled to host a successful jobs fair in Manchester! This fantastic event was made possible through our fantastic partnerships with Northwestrsmp and BNY. Together, we brought 8 employers and over 40 attendees, including both our clients and new faces, to explore exciting career opportunities. What’s more, 8 of our clients received support through the drop in service on CV's and the finance sector, helping them take that extra step towards landing their next role 💙 👉 The power of collaborative partnerships IKEA , John Lewis Partnership, and Starbucks recently came together to join our Customer Service Employability Skills workshop, sharing tips and advice with refugees looking to start careers in customer service. Thanks to this pathway and our partners support, clients have already started to receive first job offers and work placements starting in October! Thank you to all of our partners, supporters, and the wider community who help make this impact possible. Together, we’re not only building careers but also stronger, more inclusive communities 💙 👉 Find out more about our partnerships and #BusinessBehindRefugees movement: https://loom.ly/EXsqAQQ