Supporting individuals who have arrived as part of the Syrian and Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme to integrate into UK society. 

What is the Syrian Resettlement Programme (SRP)?

Working in Partnership with Migration Yorkshire and the Refugee Council, the Syrian Resettlement Programme (SRP) provides support to Syrian and Vulnerable persons during their first five years of re-settlement in the UK. It offers them a holistic package of support to facilitate integration, encompassing the following five areas:
Language Fluency
Education & Training
Employment Support
Health, Wellbeing & Independence
Community Engagement

What role does RETAS play in the Syrian Resettlement Programme?

The Syrian Resettlement Programme at RETAS supports vulnerable Syrian families to resettle in the Leeds area.

Support that RETAS provides includes:
  • ESOL classes to support with learning English
  • Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on education and employment matters
  • Organised activities to facilitate integration into the local community and combat social isolation
  • Support to access volunteering opportunities and local community activities

Harpreet Kaur Facilitating a Sewing Class.

How do we run this project?

  1. Refugee Council bring the new families to RETAS where they are welcomed, registered and assessed for English language levels
  2. Once allocated to an English class, they have a one-to-one appointment with an adviser working on the project to create an action plan with regards to their education, training, employment and integration needs and aspirations 
  3. Advisers work closely with service users in collaboration with the Refugee Council in order to meet service user needs and support them to achieve their goals 
  4. At the end of every year, an adviser carries out an assessment with the service user to reflect on their achievements and challenges throughout the year and revisit their goals in order to adapt their action plan accordingly

SRP Employability Skills Training

Our primary goal at RETAS is to empower our clients. We're doing it in a few different ways:
  • We teach our clients the most effective job search strategies, how to construct professional CVs, how to send speculative letters / make speculative calls and write cover letters and how to conduct effective interviews while preparing them for the UK job market.
  • We assist our clients in obtaining suitable job experience and providing relevant work references.
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  • We believe in them, and in the capacity of all of our clients to flourish and live meaningful lives.
  • We motivate our clients by treating them with honesty, respect, and as  individuals with valuable talents and abilities.
  • We are always researching which skills are in demand so we can train our clients or connect them with external vocational trainings that allows our clients to get relevant and appropriate experiences that will help them find work.
  • When necessary, we assist our clients in obtaining licenses such as (SIA) licenses.
  • Our employment program is about getting clients into  jobs and helping them face any challenges along the way.

​ESOL Sewing Class

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​The ESOL Sewing Class is designed for refugees who are seeking to develop their English language and their employability skills. The main aim of establishing the ESOL for Sewing Class is to create a positive atmosphere to support our clients’ wellbeing. In addition, it is to encourage them to build their confidence in employability to start their journey to work.

​Class Outcomes:
  • · To increase English vocabulary.
  • · To develop speaking skills.
  • · To understand sewing strategy.
  • · To learn customer service skills.
  • · To understand how to establish a sewing business.
  • · To build confidence to be independent.
  • · To be able to set goals.
  • · To raise self- esteem.
  • · To be able to design and make children’s clothes.

​Employability with driving theory

​Employability with driving theory support is an interactive course designed to support refugees and asylum seekers who are not proficient in the English language. The aim is to develop our client's employability skills and their English language. 
The course has been designed with clients' future prospects in mind, for example, Many of our clients have identified their job goals as being; delivery drivers, taxi drivers and many other driving related professions.  We created a course that focused on bringing our clients that one step closer to their overall goals.

The course looks at improving clients understanding of driving within the UK, rules and regulations and overall supplements their own individual learning. Furthermore, the course looks at increasing knowledge around effective job search techniques within the UK, supports clients with CV construction and develops their Interview skills.  

​Resettlement Programme Exit Pathways

​RETAS offers different exit pathways for resettlement refugees who have come to the end of the 5 years support.  The process of resettlement is not time bound and the pace of integration varies with each individual.  As such, RETAS is keen to allow refugees to benefit from its wider service provision until they feel ready to live independently. 

Upon ‘graduating’ from the resettlement program, clients can be assisted to access the following support pathways based on their exit interviews.
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Throughout the year, we also organise a number of practical trips, workshops and activities to support with our five focus areas. Recent trips and activities have included: family trip to the museum, a walk in Otley, library trips, a talk with a dietician around healthy eating, workshops on relaxation techniques, volunteering and job seeking skills 

Want to find out more or get in touch about this work?

please contact the RETAS Office or email RETAS Operations & Development manager
fidelis@retasleeds.co.uk