RISE Project

The Refugees into Sustainable Employment project was set up in 2003. It arose from the Northumbria Churches Training Consortium [NCTC] in Newcastle upon Tyne which closed in December 2007. However, RISE was an independent project with its own management systems and sources of funding and is now in the Walker area of the city and under the umbrella of the St Anthony of Padua Community [but without affiliation to any faith].

The Project is based around providing the participants, all with refugee status, a 26 week employment opportunity. A minimum wage is guaranteed and paid by the RISE project. The placement enables refugees to gain experience of the UK job market and working culture. The Project earns money through contract agreements, for example with New Deal for Communities Scheme, and Job Centre Plus as well as other funders; it also does some education work for employers.

Although initially employers had some concerns about the refugees’ legal status, they were motivated to support the project for a number of reasons including: social concern, skill shortage, personal interest, cultural benefit and diversity. The Project is pro-active in approaching enterprises, large or small in private and public sectors, to take the refugees on placement. RISE covers the whole of Tyne and Wear, at the moment they have placements in Gateshead, Durham, Sunderland, Jarrow and several in Newcastle itself.

Overall, the RISE Project is a successful and enterprising initiative. Currently there is a 77% success rate into permanent employment. It is measurably providing a useful and meaningful service to the refugee communities around the Tyne and Wear area. The project is also proving to be a learning experience for employers and the related infrastructure organisations such as Guidance Services and Job and Employment agencies. The success of the project is evidenced by secured funding for five years, from both statutory and charitable sources, and holds the Learning and Skills Beacon status from the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA)

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