A space for sharing knowledge, ideas and experience, for and about Refugee Professionals
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Economic case of Statutory Body universal employment services for new refugees.
Transitions' support for the economic case for re-instating Statutory Body Universal Employment services for new refugees.
We would like to see the reinstatement (they were closed in 2010) of publicly funded, quality employment advice services in this country for all new refugees and we are actively engaged in collaboratively seeking to see that happen.
We believe it is wrong in principle and also economically inefficient not to provide such statutory services to a group of people who are so clearly disadvantaged in the labour market and who have the right to work and settle here. It is clear that current mainstream statutory employment services are not serving the needs of refugees.
Transitions is working in this gap in statutory body provision in an extremely difficult economic and political climate and would welcome the opportunity to provide quality, not-for-profit partnership employment services for statutory bodies, in collaboration with other refugee supporting organisations.
Friday, 4 July 2014
Learning, Research and Documentation Intern
Job Description
Job Title: Learning, Research and Documentation Intern
Place of Work: London.
Band: F
Reports to: Research Manager
Travel: Some travel may be required – but minimal over sabbatical period
Budget Responsibility: None
Introduction
The Programme Support Unit (PSU) is a key unit within the International Programmes Department (IPD) that focuses on programmatic excellence, effectiveness, learning, research and development. This post relates to the global programme of learning managed by the unit and the post holder will manage capacity development on learning, documentation and research. The post holder will work closely with other members of the PSU, with regional teams in IPD, Country Programmes (CPs) and other WaterAid Departments such as the Communications Team.
Purpose
The purpose of this role is to champion learning and documentation throughout WaterAid’s programmes, particularly in relation to WaterAid’s principles and thematic areas of work. This involves building capacity on learning, documentation and research; and leading learning initiatives on WaterAid’s programme principles. The role is essential to PSU’s role in assuring programme quality and effectiveness in our work and in the wider WASH sector through building capacity of WASH professionals.
This role involves training, facilitation, and providing opportunities for cross-regional and peer to peer learning; as well as the development of supporting tools and guidelines. The role is both proactive in promoting learning initiatives, and responsive to requests for support from CPs and regional teams. The post requires close collaboration with other members of PSU and IPD, other WaterAid Departments, and external organisations to bring in relevant expertise where necessary,
During the contract period the intern will be accountable for the following:
Support Programme Learning projects
1. Work closely with regional teams and country programmes to develop and manage capacity building on learning, documentation and research in dynamic and innovative ways
2. Work closely with other departments to ensure activities on learning, documentation, communication, dissemination, research and PME are coordinated (including support on webinars, preparation of papers etc).
Manage skills and awareness development needed to mainstream the core principles and themes
3. Support the implementation of the sustainablity training as per the workplan. This will include webinar support, training preparation and coordination in collaboration with the Quality Programmes team.
4. Support the implementation of the Partnerships training
5. Facilitate cross-country and cross-regional learning thematic areas.
Drive forward the development of WaterAid’s research agenda
6. In conjunction with the Research Manager, develop, promote and manage a coordinated approach to research globally
7. In conjunction with the Research Manager promote the delivery of high quality WASH research that informs practice and/or policy
8. Work with relevant partner organisations, external research experts, institutions, academics to ensure WaterAid’s research is well-informed and of high quality
Manage documentation and dissemination of evidence
9. Advise and support CPs to produce high quality documentation to promote learning from programmes internally and externally
10. Advise CPs on dissemination of evidence internally and externally to promote learning
11. Promote internal opportunities and mechanisms such as webinars for dissemination of evidence at global scales
Management of Knowledge Management Systems
12. Develop and manage coordinated knowledge management systems for IPD such as webinars, the PSU learning series, Intranet sites
13. Promote, monitor and ensure the use of knowledge management systems by all staff at all levels, including support to the development of content for the international website
Networking and Collaboration
14. Ensure strong networking and collaboration with key stakeholders internally and externally to embed WaterAid’s evidence and learning in the WASH sector and beyond
Travel:
15. This role may require travel to support regional and country learning and documentation.
Person specification
Essential
1. Degree level education (or equivalent) (including here if you wish it to be in any specific discipline(s).
2. Sound knowledge of WASH issues in developing countries, or other relevant sector
3. Proven track record of effectively facilitating trainings and/or learning and/or capacity development
4. Solid operational experience of capacity development within an organisation in an empowering way.
5. Ability to synthesise information and analyse its relevance for different functions.
6. Ability to work effectively with a range of people, organisations and cultures and at all levels.
7. An excellent communicator, able to produce high quality and accessible reports. (Good command of English – written and verbal)
8. A team player, able to work collaboratively, responsibly and under pressure
9. A commitment to WaterAid values and a working style that reflects these.
Desirable
1. Taught Masters in a relevant subject.
2. Ability to speak, read and write French and/or Portuguese.
3. Solid operational experience of remote management and cross cultural working, with resource poor countries.
4. Experience organising workshops and influencing events
Job Title: Learning, Research and Documentation Intern
Place of Work: London.
Band: F
Reports to: Research Manager
Travel: Some travel may be required – but minimal over sabbatical period
Budget Responsibility: None
Introduction
The Programme Support Unit (PSU) is a key unit within the International Programmes Department (IPD) that focuses on programmatic excellence, effectiveness, learning, research and development. This post relates to the global programme of learning managed by the unit and the post holder will manage capacity development on learning, documentation and research. The post holder will work closely with other members of the PSU, with regional teams in IPD, Country Programmes (CPs) and other WaterAid Departments such as the Communications Team.
Purpose
The purpose of this role is to champion learning and documentation throughout WaterAid’s programmes, particularly in relation to WaterAid’s principles and thematic areas of work. This involves building capacity on learning, documentation and research; and leading learning initiatives on WaterAid’s programme principles. The role is essential to PSU’s role in assuring programme quality and effectiveness in our work and in the wider WASH sector through building capacity of WASH professionals.
This role involves training, facilitation, and providing opportunities for cross-regional and peer to peer learning; as well as the development of supporting tools and guidelines. The role is both proactive in promoting learning initiatives, and responsive to requests for support from CPs and regional teams. The post requires close collaboration with other members of PSU and IPD, other WaterAid Departments, and external organisations to bring in relevant expertise where necessary,
During the contract period the intern will be accountable for the following:
Support Programme Learning projects
1. Work closely with regional teams and country programmes to develop and manage capacity building on learning, documentation and research in dynamic and innovative ways
2. Work closely with other departments to ensure activities on learning, documentation, communication, dissemination, research and PME are coordinated (including support on webinars, preparation of papers etc).
Manage skills and awareness development needed to mainstream the core principles and themes
3. Support the implementation of the sustainablity training as per the workplan. This will include webinar support, training preparation and coordination in collaboration with the Quality Programmes team.
4. Support the implementation of the Partnerships training
5. Facilitate cross-country and cross-regional learning thematic areas.
Drive forward the development of WaterAid’s research agenda
6. In conjunction with the Research Manager, develop, promote and manage a coordinated approach to research globally
7. In conjunction with the Research Manager promote the delivery of high quality WASH research that informs practice and/or policy
8. Work with relevant partner organisations, external research experts, institutions, academics to ensure WaterAid’s research is well-informed and of high quality
Manage documentation and dissemination of evidence
9. Advise and support CPs to produce high quality documentation to promote learning from programmes internally and externally
10. Advise CPs on dissemination of evidence internally and externally to promote learning
11. Promote internal opportunities and mechanisms such as webinars for dissemination of evidence at global scales
Management of Knowledge Management Systems
12. Develop and manage coordinated knowledge management systems for IPD such as webinars, the PSU learning series, Intranet sites
13. Promote, monitor and ensure the use of knowledge management systems by all staff at all levels, including support to the development of content for the international website
Networking and Collaboration
14. Ensure strong networking and collaboration with key stakeholders internally and externally to embed WaterAid’s evidence and learning in the WASH sector and beyond
Travel:
15. This role may require travel to support regional and country learning and documentation.
Person specification
Essential
1. Degree level education (or equivalent) (including here if you wish it to be in any specific discipline(s).
2. Sound knowledge of WASH issues in developing countries, or other relevant sector
3. Proven track record of effectively facilitating trainings and/or learning and/or capacity development
4. Solid operational experience of capacity development within an organisation in an empowering way.
5. Ability to synthesise information and analyse its relevance for different functions.
6. Ability to work effectively with a range of people, organisations and cultures and at all levels.
7. An excellent communicator, able to produce high quality and accessible reports. (Good command of English – written and verbal)
8. A team player, able to work collaboratively, responsibly and under pressure
9. A commitment to WaterAid values and a working style that reflects these.
Desirable
1. Taught Masters in a relevant subject.
2. Ability to speak, read and write French and/or Portuguese.
3. Solid operational experience of remote management and cross cultural working, with resource poor countries.
4. Experience organising workshops and influencing events
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Great job outcomes since 2012 workshop on Situational Judgement Tests for early career refugee professionals
July 2014 Job outcomes summary for candidates who participate in the Situational Judgement Test and Telephone interviews Workshop Thursday September 25th 2012
FH Financial Services Employed Statistician, Kings College London
DD Financial Services Employed Analyst by FDM (Graduate schemeD)
MH Electrical Engineer Employed Electrical Engineer, Uxbridge FE College
DP Electrical Engineer Employed Electrical Engineer, Sky
HT Civil Engineer Jobseeking
ZH Electrical Engineer Employed as Electrical Engineer, Leeds, E & Hauser
PK Accountant Employed Accountant, Leeds Housing Association
SA Civil Engineer Employed Civil Engineer,Crossrail Graduate Scheme)
TK Internet Computing On internship with Crossrail, Data Analyst
Transitions trainer: Sheila Heard, manager Guest speaker: Simon Foley, CUT-E
Thursday, 12 June 2014
Guest blog: Kibreab Kidane, Auditor candidate of Transitions talking about Transitions services
Kibreab K Ftaw
MSc in Audit Management and Consultancy
A Refugee Professional from Eritrea
Transitions Support
When I arrived in UK as a refugee I find it difficult to integrate and associate myself with UK culture. Coming from a small country in East Africa, Eritrea, it took me some time to get to know the people and their cultures including how they live, talk and how they see a refugee population. In addition coming from a highly respected and a well-paid job, it was extremely difficult to adopt myself to the situation of being job less, home- less, and when looking back home of being forced to leave your country for reasons of persecution.
Though I have been introduced to a charity organisation who deals with refugee issues and have helped me little on how I can integrate myself to the society, it was not easy as I had to restart my life from scratch and the help they have offered me was very little. Not only that I had also to sort out housing, getting financial assistance, and trying hard to find a professional job.
Coming from a developing country where every graduate is allocated a job by government office; writing a CV, job applications and covering letters has been the most difficult part of my job search. The job Centre –Plus has not been helpful to assist you in your job search, other than that many employers don’t understand what refugee status is. The recruiting agencies are not even aware of the skills and knowledge that refugee professionals have or can contribute to the UK society.
As I mentioned earlier it was enormously difficult particularly to me to be forced to move out of my country for reasons of persecution. It was difficult to swallow it and to get adapted to the situation, and to start a new life. However, when I came to know Sheila, the Manager of Transition UK I got a chance to attend several job related workshops where I came to understand how I can prepare a CV, a covering letter and a person specification tuned to the need of employers; where it helped me to become more familiar with UK business culture. Not only that through Transition UK; I got an Internal Audit Intern-ship job with London Community Cred it Union for four months where I proved myself to be a professional Internal Auditor. Following my four months internship it is now almost two years since I have been offered a full time Internal Audit Job.
Through the un reserved efforts of Transition UK; refugee professionals have got recognition and acceptance among employers for they came to understand that refugees are not people without skills and talents. They managed also to break the bad impression that refugees are here for economic benefit while they are people with profession who can contribute greatly to the UK society.
Kibreab K Ftal
MSc in Audit Management and Consultancy
A Refugee Professional from Eritrea
Transitions Support
When I arrived in UK as a refugee I find it difficult to integrate and associate myself with UK culture. Coming from a small country in East Africa, Eritrea, it took me some time to get to know the people and their cultures including how they live, talk and how they see a refugee population. In addition coming from a highly respected and a well-paid job, it was extremely difficult to adopt myself to the situation of being job less, home- less, and when looking back home of being forced to leave your country for reasons of persecution.
Though I have been introduced to a charity organisation who deals with refugee issues and have helped me little on how I can integrate myself to the society, it was not easy as I had to restart my life from scratch and the help they have offered me was very little. Not only that I had also to sort out housing, getting financial assistance, and trying hard to find a professional job.
Coming from a developing country where every graduate is allocated a job by government office; writing a CV, job applications and covering letters has been the most difficult part of my job search. The job Centre –Plus has not been helpful to assist you in your job search, other than that many employers don’t understand what refugee status is. The recruiting agencies are not even aware of the skills and knowledge that refugee professionals have or can contribute to the UK society.
As I mentioned earlier it was enormously difficult particularly to me to be forced to move out of my country for reasons of persecution. It was difficult to swallow it and to get adapted to the situation, and to start a new life. However, when I came to know Sheila, the Manager of Transition UK I got a chance to attend several job related workshops where I came to understand how I can prepare a CV, a covering letter and a person specification tuned to the need of employers; where it helped me to become more familiar with UK business culture. Not only that through Transition UK; I got an Internal Audit Intern-ship job with London Community Cred it Union for four months where I proved myself to be a professional Internal Auditor. Following my four months internship it is now almost two years since I have been offered a full time Internal Audit Job.
Through the un reserved efforts of Transition UK; refugee professionals have got recognition and acceptance among employers for they came to understand that refugees are not people without skills and talents. They managed also to break the bad impression that refugees are here for economic benefit while they are people with profession who can contribute greatly to the UK society.
Kibreab K Ftal
Friday, 30 May 2014
Refugee skills in the UK jobs market
Seeking employment through internship, work experience, staff volunteering or any method at all is a difficult and intimidating enough process for anybody. That's without having unfamiliar, or worse, already stigmatised terms like 'asylum seeker' and 'conditional refugee status' attached to you in any way. It seems that what these terms actually mean, and their true purpose of protecting refugees from bias is overshadowed by what employers think they mean; that refugees have some kind of 'risk factor' attached, and that employing one would be, at best, a way of ticking their CSR box for 'diversity' and at worst, an act of charity.
Whether or not new terms would actually help, however, is a different matter. It's true that there is limited widespread misunderstanding of, for instance, the difference between 'asylum seekers' and 'refugees', and it's also true that because of this, both have decidedly negative connotations in the job market, but it seems likely this is a symptom rather than a cause of the problem. Simplifying or changing the terms for shiny new ones would ultimately be futile, without seeing to the problem of how they became tarnished in the first place. The real problem it seems is simple unconscious bias, caused by the inherent suspicion we have in this country towards migrants of any sort. Just looking at the success of UKIP in the recent European elections will confirm this suspicion's prevalence in anybody's mind.
Whatever the cause of the UK job market's inhospitable attitude to refugee professionals, the problem is there, and it's never going to completely go, either. However, it seems to me that the work done by Transitions and social enterprises like it is admirable, and what's more, invaluable. Not a charity but a business, Transitions proves that business and social responsibility are completely compatible, on any scale, from small enterprises to the largest multinationals, and not only that, but of mutual benefit. By employing more refugee professionals, businesses not only reach their targets for diversity management and responsible procurement, but would also benefit from a wealth of experience and qualifications which many refugee professionals can bring to the table, if they are simply given the chance.
You can find the full article at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/221274199/FRIENDS-GAZETTE-April-edition
by Sophie Shao, guest blogger
by Sophie Shao, guest blogger
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Summary of Transitions services delivered to end of 2013
Transitions London C.I.C. Summary of services delivered
January – December 2013
CONTENTS
Directors’
Report
Our Vision
and Objectives
Corporate
clients and supporters
The Team
The history
of Transitions
Achievements:
2013 & 2011-2013
The
future
Directors’ Report
Our first thanks go to our 75 candidates since 2011 for the
patience, calmness and determination demonstrated while moving through a kaleidoscope
of tripwires before finding skilled employment.
33 of those professionals found skilled work. We want to increase that figure next year. Our candidates are highly skilled engineers,
international development and finance professionals. On average, refugees are
more highly skilled than the UK national average and the 70% longterm
unemployment figure is simply not efficient or acceptable in a sophisticated
western labour market, in our view. We know it is very frustrating, in the
absence of any statutory services for refugees to assist them with orientation
and in a market that is mostly unaware even of their existence as a highly
marginalised group in the labour market.
So thank you and congratulations to all our candidates for their efforts
and successes.
Thank you also to our growing number of corporate clients,
in engineering, international development and finance. They include, as
fee-paying or sponsoring clients, Crossrail, KPMG , London Community Credit
Union, National Grid, the IET and the Royal Academy of Engineering and as
intern hosts, they include Circle Housing, Crossrail, Kew Gardens research,
RedR Humanitarian Relief agency & VSO. Our candidates have also succeeded
in finding jobs directly, with our support, with organisations including the
BBC, Bechtel, the Financial Ombudsman, Oxfam in Jordan and VirginMedia.
It has been a challenging year, with the often-heard
message from corporates of ‘ Sorry, we have plenty of applicants and don’t need
your service’ and ‘Sorry, our internships are only for students’. From our
research this year, it seems that CSR and diversity management very rarely
connects with levelling the playing field for hiring professionals with refugee
background. However, our multi-stakeholder pathway is gradually attracting clients
who are using more creative ways of finding talent to benefit their corporate objectives.
Thank you to all the organisations who
have connected with us so far and we look forward to providing more services in
the future.
Sheila Heard,
Managing Director, Justin Brett, Quality Standards and Evaluations director,
Martin James, Financial Controls and Planning director,
Our Vision and Objectives
OVERALL VISION
To provide socially responsible recruitment related services,
with particular reference to highly skilled refugee candidates living
in London
SPECIFIC AIMS In
brief:
· Skilled Jobs
· Visibility and
influence for candidates
· Influencing
decision making in the labour market relating to job-seeking highly skilled
refugees
· Building a
sustainable social enterprise business
Corporate clients and supporters
Thank you to all our corporate clients and to all organisations
who have participated in the Stakeholder Advisory Network seminars and
research. Click on these links to see
who they are and read what they say about Transitions and about good practice
on themes including internships, recruitment practice, corporate social
responsibility & representation of
refugee engineers and international development professionals in the UK labour
market.
The Team
Transitions now has three directors. We welcomed Martin
James as the new Financial Control and Planning director during the year. We
had the support of three interns during the year, who were paid an allowance
and provided coaching & market research assistance. Also 2 volunteers, one
as administration assistant and one in marketing. The advisory panel has grown to 6 people.
They offer voluntary advice, according to their skillset. Please see this link
for information. http://www.transitions-london.co.uk/index.php/teamtransitions
The history of Transitions
Transitions began in 2010 as a pilot social enterprise
with 6 candidates, with the objective of building a sustainable employment-focussed
social enterprise service to multiple stakeholders including candidates, employers, other agencies,
professional bodies & statutory bodies. In 2010 the national refugee integration &
employment service (RIES) had been closed and most refugee agencies were
experiencing other major funding cuts. Transitions’ directors had over 20
years’ joint experience of providing employment services to highly skilled
refugees and felt that the skills of these candidates are such that there
should be a niche social enterprise recruitment market opening, for the benefit
of the whole market.
Achievements: 2013 & 2011-2013
Here are some key statistics: Jan 2011 – end November 2013
44% professional job
outcomes (33 of 75 1-1 candidates)
42 internships with
targetted orientation services
71% of interns found
skilled jobs – ie 30 out of 42 interns
227 applications for
registration with Transitions
87 engineers have
applied
2013
23 new 1-1 candidates.
8 workshops delivered and 2
Advisory Network seminars http://www.transitions-london.co.uk/index.php/advisory-network-thanks
22 candidates (some from
2011/2012) found jobs (13 professional,
9 transitional)
9 of those who found
professional jobs had completed internships (70% of 13)
10 internships (all
3-6 months) (8 by Transitions, 2 by candidates)
20 Graduate scheme &
other jobsearch peer coaching partnerships brokered.
The future
We are preparing for a busy 2014, with a set of targets to
achieve! The service has been tested, stakeholder analysis carried out and we
are planning to deliver more quality, niche services, particularly in
engineering and also in the
international development and finance sectors. As well as earned income generation, we are
preparing a funding bid to add to Transitions’ staffing capacity.
Here are our services, which we will continue to
deliver in 2014 http://www.transitions-london.co.uk/docs/Transitions-positive-action-&-CSR-internships-and-employment-services-Autumn-2013.pdf
Saturday, 23 November 2013
November 2013 update on Transitions London CIC
November 2013
Testimonials
• Transitions is moving into a third stage. From set-up (2011), to developing an income-generating pathway model, to the current stage of capitalizing on the established network of clients & champions, sector-wide networks, alumni employed candidates and advice network. Circle 3 Consultancy, September 2013 http://www.transitions-london.co.uk/docs/Transitions Advisory Network seminar notes and recommendations 190913.pdf
• Transitions is held in high regard by its stakeholders and seen as a socially responsible and much-needed service. It helps a marginalised group of people to access employment in the UK and also helps employers to recruit people with specialist skills, a good work ethic, great qualifications and sought-after experience. Poached Creative Stakeholder Analysis for Transitions 2012
• Testimonials, November 2013
• http://www.transitions-london.co.uk/index.php/testimonials
Services
Internships.
Information and advice to employers & other stakeholders
Recruitment of experienced and early career graduate engineers, international development professionals and finance professionals
Some of the outcomes Jan 2011 – end October 2013
45% professional job outcomes (31 of 74 1-1 candidates)
40 internships with targetted orientation services
75% of interns found skilled jobs – ie 30 out of 40 interns
225 applications for registration with Transitions
85 engineers have applied
2013
22 candidates found jobs (13 professional, 9 transitional)
8 internships (all 3-6 months)
Candidates available:
22 for internships (mostly engineers)
13 for graduate schemes (mostly engineers)
16 for experienced hire (mostly engineers and international development)
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