It is difficult to access employment or volunteering opportunities for refugees, and the current economic climate has turned the difficult into the almost impossible.

In spite of this, BRASS is working very hard to combat this adverse situation. We have run an Employment Helpdesk for some months now, and are working closely with other organisations, not least Bolton Council’s “The Workshop” to try and improve chances for refugees.

Sylvie, our Coordinator and Employment Adviser, has obtained access to many employment opportunities, mainly in the Public and Voluntary sectors, and has identified the main barriers to gaining meaningful and sustainable employment for refugees.

Firstly, the English language is a formidable barrier for many refugees, and BRASS is already taking steps to provide more classes designed to fast-track spoken and written English skills, while at the same time using these classes to enhance social skills and local knowledge. This is a way of complementing the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes run by Bolton Community College. We are also aware that by teaching English as it is spoken here in Bolton, employers, particularly in the private sector, are likely to be more positive in their attitude to employing refugees.

IT skills are another potential barrier. We teach basic IT skills in order to enable refugees to access information, learning opportunities and even jobs. BRASS also enables refugees Internet access free of charge for those who find it beneficial.

Our Employment Helpdesk assists in other ways too. We will advise and assist refugees in filling out job application forms, preparing and writing CV’s and even demonstrating interview techniques and providing practice through mock interviews. It should be recognised that not all refugees have any knowledge at all about the way jobs are advertised, applied for and how to fill in successful application forms.

BRASS, in trying to keep up with the current economic climate, has applied for significant funding in order to improve the service we are already offering. If these funding bids are successful, we will be in a position to employ staff or volunteers, hold more jobs fairs and generally maximise employment opportunities for refugees living in Bolton. Through additional funding from one of those applied for, BRASS has already been able to improve and increase the service provided on all employment related matters, which will mean that when the employment situation improves, our refugees will be primed and ready to successfully apply for good, sustainable jobs in Bolton.

In order to fast-track refugees through the process, BRASS offers all those signed up to the Employment Helpdesk scheme the opportunity to work with a one-to-one mentor, who will guide them through the process.

There are volunteering opportunities for anyone wishing to help us on the Employment Helpdesk! If you, or anyone you know could spare a few hours per week assisting on this project as a helpdesk assistant or a mentor, please fill in and send to BRASS our Volunteer Application Form.