Our services provide space for people to learn English in a supportive, nurturing environment.

Dagi has just turned 18 and explains how coming to the Refugee Council helped him.

“My name is Dagi, I’ve been coming to the Refugee Council since January. I get a lot of support when I come to the Refugee Council. I do ESOL classes, and also the youth club, and I get support with my immigration issues. I improved my English, I did some work experience, I learned about digital skills. They’re always helping me. Now my confidence is better, and also my communications skills.

People like me need people like you! When I came to this country I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know how to speak English very well. As a child, you need help, and they help you with a lot of things. My message is if you have a chance to help young refugees in the UK, please help us.

I’m at college. Right now I’m studying ESOL, and I’m taking an IT course. In the future I want to be a fashion designer and a photographer, that’s my dream.”

It’s not enough to simply find somewhere to stay. We want to make sure that refugees are in safe, secure housing and learning how to manage everything involved in renting a property, including:

• paying rent to their landlord on time
• paying bills on time
• contacting their landlord when a repair is needed
• dealing with any neighbour disputes

Over the past year, our Refugee Advice Project and Private Rental Scheme helped prevent homelessness and support people to integrate into the community in London. In 2023-2024, these services supported 201 people.

People who use our Refugee Advice Project and Private Rental Scheme are in the most vulnerable of circumstances.  Despite the huge barriers people face, our service helped to transform the experience of over a third of clients - who reported a 90% improvement in how they managed all the aspects of renting a home.

We also secured funding from the Greater London Authority to deliver the Private Rental Scheme across London. The scheme works with landlords to secure safe, affordable housing for refugees, providing the stability they need to rebuild their lives and contribute to their communities. This scheme will prevent further refugee homelessness in the North and South of the city.

Worryingly, this year has seen homelessness and destitution among newly recognised refugees in London grow significantly. We shared research from our services, in our Keys to the City 2024 report. This included recommendations for the next Mayor of London and for the Government on positive steps that could be taken.

Refugees often face huge challenges when trying to find jobs. Like with housing, we want refugees to find fulfilling careers that they enjoy and where they can realise their potential.

In the past year, our Refugee Services provided employment support to 566 people, and despite all the challenges faced, nearly a third went on to gain employment or went into further training.

Our employment programmes include working with like-minded partners such as Hull City Council and World Jewish Relief, and brilliant employers like IKEA, Starbucks and the NHS.

72% of our clients who came through resettlement programmes told us they had made progress towards their education and work goals.

Refugees have often fled conflict and undertaken dangerous journeys. These experiences can have a profound psychological effect and at the same time as people are trying to  rebuild their lives in a new country. It’s vital refugees have access to therapeutic support so they can begin to work through the trauma that they have experienced.

This year, our highly experienced, specialist teams were able to provide therapeutic support to nearly 300 refugees enabling them to come to terms with the complex trauma and loss that they have experienced.

This included dedicated group therapy for Ukrainians in London and South Yorkshire, specialist child and family therapy in South Yorkshire, and individual and group therapy in Lewisham.

We know that it’s not just enough to survive. We want refugees to thrive and find happiness in their new communities, living rewarding, connected lives.

In the last year, we have brought people together and enabled refugees to forge connections with their neighbours, share their skills, learn new ones and embrace their heritage.

Our projects range from craft and chat groups in Sheffield to hiking groups in Harrogate, from Women’s Wellbeing Groups in Lewisham to Seaside Trips to Scarborough.