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 […]
Frozen Present: A Story of Resilience of Refugees in Malaysia
Reading Time: 2 minutes By Chiara Fabbro, Sona Circle Contributor (Insta: @Chi.fabb) Zhara, Malika and Hussain are three young siblings. They live in a small flat in a 15 storey building in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They are Hazara and come from Afghanistan, but they had to flee their home country as Hazara people are […]
4 Ways to Support Refugees in your Community
Reading Time: 3 minutes By Aanya Bhandari, Sona Circle Migration isn’t easy. Accepting change isn’t easy. Starting a new life isn’t easy. Refugees face a wide range of challenges when it comes to integration and acceptance within their communities. It is no secret that xenophobia and racism are two of the most pertinent issues that plague societies […]
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 […]
Refugees in Business and Entrepreneurship
Reading Time: 3 minutes by Katy Cottrell, Sona Circle Historically, refugees have had great success in business and entrepreneurship around the world. From Michael Marks, a Jewish refugee who became the co-founder of Marks and Spencers in 1884, to Jan Koum who fled to the United States from Kiev and later became the co-founder and CEO of […]
Germany’s Progressive Approach to Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Reading Time: 3 minutes by David Cregan, Sona Circle To understand Germany’s current policy on refugees and asylum seekers, you need to revisit the post Second World War period, 1945-1960. This 15 year period transformed a destroyed West Germany into its current economic powerhouse that we know today. There was a significant movement of refugees back to […]
Refugees Impact on the Tech Industry
Reading Time: 3 minutes by Katie McAdam, Sona Circle In the 21st century, technology is present in all facets of our lives. The tech industry has become one of the most lucrative sectors in our economy and is home to some of the world’s most successful firms. From Silicon Valley to bedroom studios, refugees have and continue to […]
Are Refugees and Asylum Seekers’ Allowed to Work in the UK?
Reading Time: 3 minutes by Katy Cottrell, Sona Circle The terms ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’ are often confused by many people and have incorrectly been used interchangeably. Though to many people, these terms may seem like they mean the same thing, there are important distinctions between refugees and asylum seekers which have implications for their legal right […]
Global Connectivity and Today’s Refugees
Reading Time: 3 minutes by Katy Cottrell, Sona Circle In the past, refugees have often been perceived as isolated individuals, struggling to become fully integrated and to understand the culture of their host country. Although refugees still face various barriers to integration, globalisation and developments in technology have given refugees more agency to integrate themselves into new […]