The Regional Development Team (RDT) works with organisations across the UK to help promote the successful integration of refugees in the UK and build capacity within areas of dispersal to support their needs.
Our main activities include:
- Information and advice: providing information, signposting and advice to assist the development of voluntary and community organisations working with refugees, including refugee community organisations (RCOs)
- Networking: Assisting local, regional and national networks of refugee organisations to build the capacity of member organisations
- Integration: Contributing to the development of national and regional refugee integration strategies and ensuring that mainstream government policies and programmes involve refugees and promote integration
- QASRO: Supporting the use of quality systems as a tool for strengthening refugee organisations and improving their services
The team includes the Regional Development Manager and Quality Project Co-ordinator based in London, Regional Development Advisors based in Birmingham, Ipswich, Leeds and Newcastle, and a Support Worker for the Voluntary Sector Refugee Network – East of England, also based in Ipswich.
Information and advice
Regional Development Advisors regularly disseminate information via email, post and newsletters to over 450 organisations in four regions. Organisations are kept up-to-date on policy changes, government programmes, training opportunities, events, funding and new resources that can help them develop their organisations and services to refugees.
We also advise voluntary and community organisations or signpost to other sources of support. Refugee organisations can contact advisors for help on issues such as governance, management, finance, volunteers or fundraising. Advisors will provide assistance or signpost to another organisation who can assist.
Networking
Networks enable refugee organisations to share information and experience, develop joint initiatives and projects, facilitate access to training, organise events and establish links with statutory organisations, councils and bodies responsible for planning, policy and service development. The Regional Development Team provides support for local, regional and national networks, and can advise on setting up new networks.
Refugee Week events are often organised by local networks and committees. We provide year-round support to these groups, assisting them with planning, organisation, publicity and fundraising.
We also hold an annual networking event specifically for voluntary and community organisations working with refugees outside London. Speakers, workshops, displays and discussions focus on strengthening frontline organisations, especially refugee-led groups. It is a chance for frontline organisations to share experiences and ideas with each other, as well as strengthen partnerships with larger organisations who can help them in their work.
Integration
The Regional Development Team promotes refugee integration through co-operation with key bodies such as the Home Office, regional asylum and refugee consortia, government offices in the regions, regional development agencies, regional assemblies and regional voluntary sector forums. Wherever possible, we assist refugee-led and other frontline organisations to participate directly in consultations and stakeholder forums. We have contributed substantially to regional integration strategies and Integration Matters, the national refugee integration strategy. The main focus of this work is the development of an effective refugee community development strategy.
Many mainstream government programmes have the potential to promote refugee integration, and we work to realise this potential. The Regional Development Team is contributing to the implementation of ChangeUp, the government’s programme to develop better infrastructure for the voluntary and community sector. By participating in national and regional projects, we are working to ensure that ChangeUp improves the development support and infrastructure available to refugee organisations, especially RCOs.
