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Refugee Integration and Employment Service

This page explains what the Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES) is and when we expect it to start operating.

The RIES will be available to anyone over the age of 18 who has been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection following a claim handled by one of our asylum teams in the regions. The RIES will provide a standard level of service to new refugees wherever they are living at the time their status is granted.

It builds on the success of Sunrise, our pilot integraton service for newly granted refugees that was set up in 2005. Sunrise offered each refugee a personal caseworker to help achieve integration goals. The RIES was developed as a result of ongoing evaluation of Sunrise, lessons learned from the Time Together mentoring project and responses to a public consultation in 2006 (PDF 32K opens in new window). It aims to combine the best of the earlier programmes while also putting a sharper focus on employment.

The RIES will offer a 12-month service to each person granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. This will have three complementary elements:

  • an advice and support service offering help in addressing initial critical needs such as housing, education and access to benefits;
  • an employment advice service to help the person enter long-term employment at the earliest opportunity; and
  • a mentoring service offering the person an opportunity to be matched with a mentor from the receiving community.

Within a few days of receiving refugee status or humanitarian protection, the person will be referred to a personal case manager who will develop an individual integration plan and help the person to meet urgent needs. Each person will also receive dedicated support to help overcome barriers to employment, so that more refugees can secure long-term employment.

We expect that at least 30% of refugees who accept help from the RIES will find work within 12 months of receiving their status. The mentoring service will help to put refugees in touch with a mentor who will both offer friendship and work with that person on a one-to-one basis, sharing knowledge and experience.

We have awarded contracts to deliver the RIES in 12 regions, as shown below. The service will start operating on 1 October 2008.

East of England: British Refugee Council

East Midlands: Metropolitan Support Trust

London: British Refugee Council

North East: North of England Refugee Service

North West: Refugee Action

Northern Ireland: Multi Cultural Resource Centre (Bryson)

Scotland: Scottish Refugee Council

South East: Refugee Action

South West: Refugee Action

Wales: Welsh Refugee Council

West Midlands: British Refugee Council

Yorkshire and Humberside: Leeds City Council

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