Last week Refugee Week shone a light on the experiences, contributions and resilience of people seeking sanctuary in the UK. As we reflect on last week, it feels like an appropriate time to look back on the City & Guilds Foundation’s long-standing commitment to supporting refugees and asylum seekers into skills, employment and training and the impact our funding has had through our charity partners.
Over the five years to 2025, the Foundation invested over £316,000 through its Displaced People Fund, supporting organisations working to remove barriers to employment and create pathways into work. That investment has positively impacted almost 600 individuals and generated an estimated £4.26 million in social value – a return of £13.46 for every £1 invested.
Through targeted social investment and specialist partnerships, the Foundation has helped refugees and asylum seekers access high-quality training, gain recognised qualifications and develop the skills, confidence and professional networks needed to secure sustainable employment. The Fund supports organisations that combine future-focused vocational training with tailored support and direct employer engagement, ensuring that individuals are not only equipped with skills but are connected to real opportunities.
Driving wider change
The impact extends beyond individuals. Funded organisations report strengthened organisational capacity, changes in employer recruitment practices and the development of training programmes aligned to labour market needs and skills shortages. Individuals consistently report increased confidence, improved employability and a greater awareness of opportunities available to them, helping them rebuild their lives, contribute to local communities and participate fully in the economy.
The Fund has also become a catalyst for innovation in refugee and migrant skills provision, influencing how employers engage with displaced talent and how training programmes are designed to accelerate progression into sustainable work.
Supporting refugee-led solutions
One organisation supported by the Foundation is the Launchpad Collective, a refugee-led organisation working with employers to create safe, inclusive and accessible workplaces. Through Foundation funding, the Collective developed a free interactive learning module designed to help employers confidently recruit, support and retain employees from refugee backgrounds.
In 2025 alone, Launchpad Collective supported 571 clients, including 163 people receiving personalised one-to-one support. The programme helped 40 people secure employment, enabled 71 individuals to enrol in further education or vocational training, and supported 14 people to access scholarships and bursaries.
By placing people with lived experience at the heart of programme design and delivery, the Collective is helping employers better understand the value that refugee talent can bring to the workplace.
Rebuilding professional careers
The Foundation has also invested directly in supporting displaced professionals through a £25,000 bursary fund for the CIPD Trust’s Rebuilding Futures mentoring programme. Since 2023, 50 individuals have received bursaries, professional membership and mentoring support designed to help them re-establish their careers in the UK.
Among them is Hamza, a civil and structural engineer from Afghanistan. After arriving in the UK, Hamza faced many of the challenges experienced by skilled refugees, including a lack of UK work experience, limited professional networks and difficulties translating overseas experience into local employment opportunities.
Through mentoring and employer introductions provided by the CIPD Trust, Hamza gained valuable insight into the UK construction sector, secured professional references and developed a stronger understanding of local industry practices. He has since secured his first UK role as a Construction Project Manager.
Hamza’s story demonstrates how relatively small interventions can unlock significant potential, helping talented individuals restart careers and contribute their skills to the UK economy.
Why this work matters
While these stories demonstrate what is possible, they also highlight the scale of the challenge. There are almost 550,000 refugees living in the UK, with many more waiting for decisions on their asylum applications. During this period, most asylum seekers are unable to work, creating significant employment gaps and delaying opportunities to build skills, confidence and financial independence.
Even after gaining refugee status, many face barriers including the non-recognition of overseas qualifications, a lack of UK work experience and limited access to professional networks.
At a time when hostility and division towards refugees have become increasingly visible, the Foundation believes that skills remain one of the most powerful tools for creating opportunity, fostering inclusion and strengthening communities. Refugees bring valuable experience, qualifications, resilience and ambition. Yet too often their talents remain underutilised.
Looking ahead
The social return achieved through the Displaced People Fund demonstrates that investing in people facing barriers to work delivers benefits not only for individuals but for employers, communities and the wider economy.
Supporting refugees and asylum seekers remains an important part of our work. By continuing to invest in skills, training and pathways into employment, we can help more people realise their potential while addressing skills shortages, supporting social mobility and building a more inclusive and productive society.