The social housing provider is calling on employers to better tailor their recruitment strategies to refugees and migrants, giving them a chance to thrive.
Known as ‘The Welcome Pledge’, the scheme is set to be launched this spring and co-produced with employers across the Southwest. ACH, a Bristol-based social housing provider, aims to align the pledge with the regional Good Employment Charter and living Wage Foundation.
‘By developing The Welcome Pledge, we are highlighting an extremely important message – refugees and migrants are people with potential, not deficit,’ Fuad Mahamed, CEO of ACH said. ‘Providing equitable employment for refugees and migrants empowers them to not just exist within the community but thrive and contribute. For some, this involves continuing the careers they started back in their home countries, while for others, this means embarking on new career paths.’
Plans for the new scheme were first proposed in December 2024 at a parliamentary reception in the House of Commons – an event that shared powerful examples of the positive outcomes co-produced employment initiatives can have on refugees’ lives. One story included two brothers called Khalid and Mazin who came to the UK from Sudan last January unable to speak conversational English.
The two brothers detailed how taking English courses at ACH and later participating in its joint training programme with Bristol Waste Company, led them to securing jobs with the company just four months after arriving in the UK.
‘Investing in refugee integration benefits everyone,’ Fuad continued. ‘It strengthens communities, boosts the economy and enables refugees to thrive as independent contributors
‘Reviewing and enhancing recruitment and selection processes is not just the right thing to do – it is a smart economic strategy for a more inclusive and prosperous future.’
Photo by Ra Dragon via UnSplash
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