United Kingdom

Techfugees is an impact driven global organisation nurturing a sustainable ecosystem of tech solutions supporting the inclusion of displaced people.

Techfugees exists to empower displaced persons whilst supporting tech innovations designed by, with and for them.

A skills profiling tool that can support skills mapping initiatives. This project aimed at facilitating better integration of Syrian refugees resettled to the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Romania. The project involved pre-departure skill profiling, post-arrival integration support and information sharing with host communities to support mutual learning and exchange.

The D4C initiative is funded by the IOM Development Fund and capitalizes on the dynamic link between diaspora communities and their home countries to enhance responses to climate change. It strategically focuses on priority sectors in four countries: Moldova, Bangladesh, Ghana, and Jamaica. These countries are all significantly affected by the negative impacts of climate change, and the challenges they face require immediate action from a variety of stakeholders.

The UK is home to some of the largest diaspora communities worldwide and to help leverage this untapped potential, IOM UK launches the Diaspora for Climate Action (D4C) project.The project will enable diaspora members to build connections with key stakeholders in Bangladesh, Jamaica, Ghana and Albania that can help them achieve more effective and coordinated climate action, and greater and longer-lasting impacts on climate-vulnerable populations.

The European Alternatives to Detention Network (EATDN) is a group of NGOs that aims to end immigration detention in Europe. Established in 2017, it brings together civil society organisations implementing case management-based ATD (alternatives to detention) pilots in seven European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Poland and the UK) in partnership with regional-level and international organisations.

Joint-funded by the UK Home Office and Department for International Development, and led by the Government Communication Service International, the ‘Not for Sale’ campaign had three objectives:

The UK Safety, Support and Solutions programme aims to protect migrants from harm. Migrant journeys, particularly via the Central Mediterranean Route, are extremely perilous, with migrants facing risks of violence, exploitation and abuse. This programme provides critical humanitarian and protection support to migrants at key junctures along the route. Assistance is offered to migrants in transit and upon return, with a particular focus on victims of trafficking, unaccompanied children, and migrants in very vulnerable situations.

This campaign shared stories in video format of British public figures talking about their refugee heritage (or, “refugenes”) with pride. The purpose of the campaign was to show how past refugees have become part of the fabric of British society in the present day. In addition to circulating videos of public figures, the campaign included a call to action inviting members of the general public to share stories from their own family trees about finding safety in the UK as a refugee. 

The Great Get Together, an initiative of the Jo Cox Foundation in the United Kingdom, brings people together through community events as varied as street parties, community lunches, and holiday celebrations. While not specific to migration, the initiative focuses on building connections by celebrating what communities have in common. Surveys conducted after the inaugural Great Get Together in 2017 showed that 78% of people “felt more hopeful about Britain” after participating.

In the UK, there are workshops for young migrants to teach skills such as campaigning on key issues: