Parliamentary Reception at the House of Commons

On Wednesday 11 December, ACH hosted a Parliamentary Reception at the House of Commons, by invitation from Rt Hon Kerry McCarthy MP and Rt Hon Paulette Hamilton MP.

“At ACH, our work shows that investing in tailored, holistic support to refugees and migrants lays a firm foundation which enables them to find sustainable work and contribute to their communities”, Fuad Mahamed, CEO. The reception evidenced this by showcasing the successes of some of our clients, demonstrating how investing in service delivery can transform lives and strengthen communities.

Participants witnessed powerful examples of how co-produced employment initiatives make a real impact on refugees’ lives. We heard from two brothers from Sudan, Khalid and Mazin, who came to the UK in January 2024 without conversational English. They described how taking English courses at ACH, and later participating in our joint training with Bristol Waste led to them securing jobs there just four months after arriving in the UK.

Daud, who came to the UK from Afghanistan, offered an inspiring account of his success. Since engaging in ACH’s employment, language and numeracy support, he has made great strides in his career. Recently, he graduated with a Master’s degree - on the same day his son graduated with a Bachelor’s! With the support of our partnership with Brunelcare, Daud now works as Procurement Officer with the company. He gave an impassioned call for continued collaboration to build a brighter future for all.

A testimony to the efficacy of holistic integration support was provided by Meriam, who recounted her remarkable journey with ACH since arriving from Ethiopia. Initially joining ACH as a tenant, our tailored housing and integration assistance helped her to establish a firm foundation. With training and business support, she then built a successful catering business - Ababo's Cuisine. She is now selling delicious Ethiopian food in her own café in Easton Community Centre, Bristol.

The event also featured expert insights from partners who do incredible work to support refugees on their integration journeys. University of Oxford's Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) shared findings from their Welcoming Futures project, stating the urgent need for strategically targeted funding for effective welcoming and integration of migrants and refugees. The vital importance of lived experience input in the design and delivery of services was highlighted by Migrant Help. Their work shows that refugees themselves must play an active role in shaping the services they need. The International Rescue Committee made the case for increasing programmes that support refugees to find sustainable work, including to continue the support currently provided by the Refugee Employment Programme, the funding of which is due to end in June 2025.

ACH echoed the call from over 300 UK organisations as we urged the government to lift the ban on people seeking asylum taking paid employment.

Kerry McCarthy and Paulette Hamilton reflected on their experiences of supporting organisations in their constituencies to deliver effective integration services.

The event highlighted that refugees and migrants bring a wealth of skills and talents and are eager to participate and contribute to their communities. Partnership working and tailored services are key to unlocking their full potential, which in turn helps drive local economies and foster growth. Investing in refugee integration benefits everyone. It strengthens communities, boosts the economy, and enables refugees to thrive as independent contributors. The event made it clear that continuing to invest in integration services is not only the right thing to do—it’s a smart economic strategy for a more inclusive and prosperous future.