#EqualTees by Sona Circle
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Katy Cottrell, Sona Circle As coronavirus swept across the UK many business sectors were hit extremely hard. The resulting increase in unemployment has been felt across the country, and especially in major cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham. One group of individuals that has felt the impact the most has been refugees […]
Our Sangha: Mindfulness in Life and in Business
Reading Time: 4 minutes By Katie McAdam, Sona Circle After gaining a well-regarded role as an analyst at J.P Morgan, Amr Sabbah seemed to have it all. With a proud family, a secure income and a successful career, Sabbah was satisfied with his life. Following his first year at the global finance giant, Sabbah’s initial contentment faded […]
Business Grants to Support Companies Hiring Refugees
Reading Time: 2 minutes By Zoe Allen, Sona Circle Hiring Refugees: Funding for Your Business Having discovered the benefits of hiring refugees, you might be interested in exploring some avenues that could provide extra funding for a new hire. For training schemes, like apprenticeships, there is government funding available, and you may also be able to […]
7 Effects of COVID-19 on Refugee Employment
Reading Time: 4 minutes By Zoe Allen, Sona Circle Refugees already face an extensive range of barriers when looking for work in the UK, from low proficiency in English to lack of social connections and difficulty accessing services, to outright discrimination. This leads to the rate of unemployment being four times higher than the UK average for […]
Quick Guide to Apprenticeship Funding for Businesses
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Zoe Allen, Sona Circle In the UK, the government provides a huge amount of funding and incentives for businesses to encourage them to hire apprentices. For larger businesses, this includes the apprenticeship levy scheme. If your business if not yet taking advantage of this, then read on to learn more about the […]
Lift the Ban Campaign: A Campaign Lobbying for Asylum Seekers’ Right to Work in the UK
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Katie McAdam, Sona Circle After seeking protection in their host country, asylum seekers must face an arduous journey to gain refugee status and the right to paid work in the UK. Unable to access the services and freedoms enjoyed by refugees, asylum seekers are in an uncomfortable limbo. As of March 2020, […]
A Guide to Apprenticeships for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Zoe Allen, Sona Circle What are apprenticeships? Apprenticeships are training programmes designed to prepare you for a career in a particular trade or profession. Importantly, they include practical, on-the-job training, and you are paid whilst you complete your apprenticeship. Apprentices also have to spend at least 20% of their time (i.e. usually […]
Transferring International Qualifications to the UK: A Guide for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Reading Time: 5 minutes by Zoe Allen, Sona Circle Why Do I Need to Transfer my Qualifications? As a refugee, if you worked in a career you loved and enjoyed in your home country, you would probably love to continue practising it in the UK. However, you need to know whether your qualifications would be accepted as […]
5 Key Benefits to Hiring Refugees
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Zoe Allen, Sona Circle Hiring refugees in your small business or start-up has a whole host of benefits that simply don’t get enough attention. Without a wide range of skills and talent, a business runs the risk of stagnating. Hiring refugee interns to access a highly motivated and diverse talent pipeline is […]