EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Emerging findings for the Refugee Employment Strategy

Emerging findings for the Refugee Employment Strategy

Introduction

The research draws together recent studies undertaken as part of a review of the service delivered to Jobcentre Plus customers, particularly refugees with needs in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), in order to inform the development of the Government’s Refugee Employment Strategy.

Description

This report:

reviews the key policy influences impacting on refugee employment in Britain, focusing on integration policy, the potential untapped workforce and the national curriculum;
provides a synopsis of four pieces of recent research relating to refugee employment: providing interpreter and translation services to jobseekers, research on basic employability training, full-time education and training, and ESOL provision, an evaluation of the intensive work-focused ESOL for refugees and Haringey refugee pilot - refugee integration for career opportunities (RIFCO);
presents a profile of ESOL customers. Looks at: the referral and assessment process for ESOL customers initiated by jobcentre staff, ESOL provision and outcomes for ESOL customers;
makes recommendations.

Background information

The “Working to Rebuild Lives: a preliminary report towards a refugee employment strategy” (September 2003) recognised that a holistic view across Government departments needs to be adopted to tackle refugee unemployment. The purpose of this research was to inform the final strategy of how this might be achieved in practice.

Methodology

The study reviews the key policy influences and then provides a synopsis of four pieces of research. It gives a profile of the ESOL customer, referral and assessment processes, ESOL provision, outcomes, conclusions and recommendations.

Conclusions

The review of research confirmed that the Jobcentre has a crucial role to play in providing a service for ESOL customers. The research found that this service is needed from the first point of contact at the Jobcentre, and is needed for some time while customers 'find their feet' and settle into their new life.

Contact info

Department for Work and Pensions
Phone: +44 20 7712 2171

Publication date

01/09/2004

Researcher

Jenny Steels and Jude England, ECOTEC Research and Consulting Limited

Links

Department for Work and Pensions ECOTEC Research and Consulting

Emerging findings for the Refugee Employment Strategy: a synthesis report to the Department for Work and Pensions (PDF, Eng, 477KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Integration of social groups

Keywords

Refugees