Resettlement Schemes in North Yorkshire

This webpage has been set up for North Yorkshire employers, to support them to match their employment opportunities with the skills of refugees in the County who are seeking work. Employers bordering the County of North Yorkshire may also find it of benefit. The overall aim is to increase employment of refugees in North Yorkshire, whilst also helping local employers to fill vacant roles.

The Refugee Employability Project was set up to assist with the resettlement of Syrian refugees in North Yorkshire and all new arrivals are now supported under the United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme (UKRS). More information on the scheme can be found here Resettlement (publishing.service.gov.uk)

In addition, the Council now support circa 28 Afghan families in the County. The Afghan families are being supported through either the Afghan Relocations & Assistance Policy (ARAP) or, the Afghan Citizens Relocation Scheme (ACRS). Further information can be found here;

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy: further information on eligibility criteria, offer details and how to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Afghan citizens resettlement scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

These resettlement scheme are funded by the Home Office. The Council oversees the resettlement programme locally and works with a range of organisations to put in place service provision aimed at ensuring that the refugees can lead independent lives once in North Yorkshire.

The Refugee Employability Project in North Yorkshire is led by experienced careers professionals who work in the Resourcing Solutions Team at the Council. The primary aim of the Employability Advisers is to support Syrians (UKRS), and Afghans (ARAP/ACRS), into meaningful and sustainable employment and, through this, help them move towards full integration and independence. This also includes the provision of relevant training to validate existing skills and also to provide additional skills and training.

We would stress that all Refugees who are supported under these projects have the right to work in the UK and this can be validated through the new ‘Share Code’ process on the GOV.UK website:

Prove your right to work to an employer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

View a job applicant's right to work details - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Why employ refugees?

There are a wide variety of reasons why you, as an employer, might consider employing refugees. Some of these are;

• To diversify your workforce
• Access new talent and skilled, dedicated workers
• Increase workforce communication
• Address skill or staffing shortages within your organisation
• Support an individual to re-build their life in North Yorkshire

The refugees we support come from various areas of employment to include but not limited to market traders, shop assistants, planning executives, legal professionals, security guards, close protection officers, interpreters, teachers, doctors, and surgeons. They all have a wealth of transferable skills that could add value to your organisation and are aware that they may need to update qualifications or find a new career while they take time to settle into a new way of life. If you think one of these refugees may be able to fill one of your vacancies, or you are interested in offering work experience, then please contact Julie Tasker, Employability Advisor, 07967380499 Julie.Tasker@northyorks.gov.uk