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This Refugee Week we’re highlighting the impact of work by community groups, charities and local government, including Framework, in Newark and Sherwood to support displaced families as they create new lives in Nottinghamshire.
The Newark and Sherwood Resettlement Partnership: Building Bridges to Independence
The Newark and Sherwood Resettlement Partnership was set up to provide the dedicated support that each refugee family needs to achieve future independence and brighter futures.
Having fled untold horror to arrive in the UK with few possessions and no support network, the needs of refugee families go far beyond a place to call home. They may need language support, a helping hand to ease integration into their new community and structured support to provide a pathway to employment.
The local council worked closely with a range of partners including Home Start, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum, the Furniture Project, Support for Syrian Refugees as well as Framework.
The partnership model was recognised across the East Midlands and nationally for its creativity, successful integration and empowerment of the local community to welcome and support the families. It received the ‘Highly Commended’ prize in the Transforming Lives category at the Municipal Journal Awards in 2019.
Rola and Emad’s Story
In 2017 Rola and Emad fled war torn Syria. After witnessing the horrors of violence and bombing they were keen to make a new start with their family. Watch their story below.
Fatima and Bahaa’s Story
Fatima, her husband Bahaa, and their three children arrived in the UK in 2018 from the war in Syria. Desperate to settle and build a better future for their family. Opportunity and Change, a programme funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, helped them to access training, develop their existing skills, and find paid employment.
When funding for the Opportunity and Change Programme ended this year, ongoing support was secured through the Gemini Trust to ensure the continuation of a Framework Employment Coach for refugee families from Syria and Afghanistan.
Compassion is more than just a feeling. It is a powerful force that drives action, collaboration and resilience.
Through the collaboration of charities, community groups, and local government, families like Rola and Emad, Fatima and Bahaa, have found hope and assistance in their journey towards stability and independence in the UK.
