Integrate Coventry

The exciting New Project is here!

The aim of the project is to help to integrate refugees and other third country nationals to rebuild their lives in safety, becoming fully self-sufficient and establish themselves within the wider community of Coventry.

This will be achieved by providing them with English Language education, information advice and guidance; individualised, one to one help to remove barriers to progression e.g. housing and benefits advice; self-development interventions; fun activities which help clients to make new friends with people outside of their communities; therapy; opportunities to visit new places and find out more about their new home; access to employment and volunteering; cultural projects/activities and arts and cultural engagement opportunities which have the potential to deepen their relationship and understanding of their City.

The project has two pathways for clients. Clients may change pathways if their support needs change:

Pathway 1 will see the client allocated a caseworker who will support the client over a period of time addressing issues and concerns they experience, educating along the way to ensure they are able to deal with these issues themselves going forward. We will cover all areas of concern, which can vary from benefit maximisation, employment, counselling, and social inclusion. We will work with other agencies where needed to get the best outcomes for our clients. Specialist provision s are provided for women and unaccompanied minors. Clients will also be guided through the enrichment activities on offer by their caseworker.

Pathway 2 of the Project is for clients who do not require one to one support and they wll be able to sign up to the different activities that we have on offer in our enrichment programme. This includes ESOL classes, friendship and hobby groups, volunteering placements and an arts and culture programme.

Integrate Coventry is a partnership led by Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, with Foleshill Woman’s Training, VAC, Coventry City of Culture and the Belgrade Theatre.

VAC’s Volunteering programme

We are passionate about volunteering and our part of the programme, is to support refugees and others with leave to remain to take part in volunteering. This helps with gaining confidence and skills alongside developing their awareness of UK values and practices in a way that is supportive, as well as recognising their agency and the positive differences they can make to the community of Coventry.

We run two sets of training, one for people with leave to remain, and the other to support and enable voluntary organisations to understand the needs of refugees as volunteers.

See Upcoming Events and Training Dates

Successful project ends with film celebrating volunteering!

A heart-warming, uplifting film from Jay Langdell.

Interested in strengthening individual aspirations and the wider community of Coventry, through the third sector? Finding out how you can support people to participate in community life? ... Then this film is for you!

The Film highlights the work of Your Future Your Integration, and its successor project Integrate Coventry which is starting now.

WATCH Journey Through Volunteering