Migrant Resource Centre

 Migrants Resource Centre has worked for over 30 years to help migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers overcome the barriers that prevent them from fully participating in British society. In this time, we have helped tens of thousands of people secure protection in the UK, regularise their immigration status, learn English, and find work. They have helped people who are stateless and have other nationality issues secure more certain future.

MRC roots are in the migrant communities that they serve. Their services are delivered by a wide range of skilled and dedicated volunteers who come from all over the world. And most of their staff are themselves migrants or the children of migrants. Many started as service users or volunteers before joining the staff, and therefore understand the challenges our clients face. MRC are proud to see themselves as a migrant-led organisation. But they also see themselves as an integral part of the British communities in which they live. While their first mandate is to support migrants to integrate into British society,they know that integration must be a two-way process. And for this reason, they reach out to use their skills and time to support all members of the community in need, whether they are migrants or not. And they work closely with organisations representing other members of the community to address shared challenges.

Year(s): 30 years

Target group(s): Asylum seekers Children seeking asylum Refugees Victims of trafficking Stateless people Those who have suffered domestic violence and relationship breakdown in the UK and fear return to their country of origin or residence Refused asylum seekers who want

Website: www.migrantresourcecentre.org.uk

Methodology

MRC will support migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to settle, integrate, and build new lives in the UK. They will help migrants and their families to truly prosper by enabling them to:

  • Overcome the barriers that hold them back
  • Develop the skills they need to build positive new lives, and
  • Transform their communities and society to work for all who live here

Type of product

Courses and Workshops

Career Advice

Small Business Advice

Immigration Advice 

Asylum Advice

Health Advice

General Advice

Brief description of the product / outcome / method

Courses and Workshops

English Classes

MRC offer a range of English classes including beginner, intermediate and IELTS.  English language classes are for for speakers of other languages, designed for those whose first language is something other than English. The aim of these classes is to help learners to develop their skills and confidence in reading, writing, listening and speaking English.

To attend our classes, people must first register and be referred by your adviser.

Computer Classes

MRC organise mixed level computer classes with tailored learning for individuals, from beginner to upper – intermediate level. Learn keyboard skills, online search, MS Office, social media and/or online marketing in a supportive environment.

Job Search Support Group

MRC's job search support group will help people understand the labour market in the UK, online job search techniques and write CVs and cover letters.
MRC also offer, as part of the National Careers Service, one-to-one advice sessions on learning, training and employment.


Career Advice

 MRCs specialist advisors will tailor support around individual needs and help offerevery step of the way. Some of the ways their advisors will help  include:

Explore different career options

Understand the job and sector you want

Analyse your strengths and weaknesses

Find courses and activities to develop the right skills and experience

Discover new job opportunities

Produce a CV that stands out

Write a winning cover letter

Develop interview skills and techniques

Build confidence

 

Small Business Advice

 MRC offers series of services designed to support migrant entrepreneurs start and g grow their business. Workshops are offered on starting a business, financial management, sales & marketing, and other topics. And migrant business owners can be paired with experienced mentors from the business community.

Immigration Advice

MRC can help individuals:

Obtain a visa

Obtain travel documents

Become a British citizen

Access public services

Find safety from persecution

Asylum Advice

  • Representation in asylum appeals

  • Represent victims of trafficking

  • Represent children, including unaccompanied asylum seeking children

  • Represent gay men and women

  • Represent destitute asylum seekers with further submissions

  • Represent victims of domestic violence

 Services include:

  • Asylum claims and appeals, including further representations after their initial claim or appeal has been unsuccessful

  • Applications and appeals on behalf of asylum seeking children who are seeking to extend their permission to remain in the UK

  • Applications and appeals on behalf of clients who are in fear or unable to return to their country of origin and are seeking to regularise their immigration status in the UK

  • Applications for family reunion when a person has been recognised as a refugee or granted humanitarian protection

  • Applications for bail or challenges to the lawfulness of detention to secure release or damages for people held in prison

  • Applications for emergency injunctions to prevent existing clients being forcibly removed

  • Applications for existing clients who require help to obtain travel documentation or naturalise as British citizens

  • Health Advice

The Health Inclusion and Wellbeing Project at the Migrants Resource Centre aims to reduce isolation, improve quality of life and provide help and support to users who are having difficulty accessing health services or health-related information.

 MRC can help you to access a range of health services in your area. We provide information on how to find and to register with your local family doctor (GP) and dentist, as well as what to do in an emergency. We can advise you on what services the National Health Service (NHS) provides and what services and medicines are available free of charge to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. We can also help you to understand your rights and entitlements to healthcare and how to make a complaint about a treatment or service you have use

MRC assist clients with a number of issues including: Benefits, Debts and Money Advice, Employment, Housing and Homeless, Health and Community Care.

Impact on target groups / Transferability potential

Small Buisness Advice

MRC is a partner in Google’s Digital Garage project, a multi-million-pound initiative to help 200,000 British businesses learn digital skills and grow faster. The programme helps companies develop their digital presence – from attracting visitors to their website or social media page, to growing their customer base and increasing sales.

MRC also partners with miHUB, the UK’s first co-working space and business hub dedicated to supporting migrant entrepreneurs. miHUB hosts networking events, small business fairs and training workshops. Their Migrant Business Accelerator (MBA) program is a business training programme for migrants who want to start or grow their businesses. During 16 workshops over 6 months MBA provides participants with a network of fantastic entrepreneurs who are ambitious and keen to help each other grow their businesses. Participants trade 7% of equity in exchange for being in the programme.

Promoter of the initiative

Name of organization / individual: Migrant Resource Centre

Country: United Kingdom

Website: www.migrantresourcecentre.org.uk

Contacts: General enquiries (020) 7354 9631 info@migrants.org.uk / Advice line (020) 7354 9264 advice@migrants.org.uk

Good practices Events