Plymouth selected as pilot area for refugee funding
Plymouth has been selected as a pilot area to bid for funding which will better enable refugees to integrate within the local community.
The Refugee Transitions Outcomes Fund is funded by the Treasury and the Department for Culture Media and Sport Life Chances Fund and is co-sponsored by the Home Office and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The aim of the initiative is to seek to provide better outcomes for refugees to improve access to employment, housing, develop digital skills and support wellbeing.
As one of only six areas to be selected across the UK, this is an exciting opportunity for Plymouth to be able to showcase the pioneering work already being done by local refugee support services to improve support for refugees across the UK.
If successful in the bid it will enable statutory and voluntary sector service providers to give intensive support to refugees to help them tackle the barriers and challenges they face to self-sufficiency.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet member for Housing and Cooperative Development, said: "Plymouth is a welcoming city and an official City of Sanctuary and so I'm delighted that we have been chosen for funding to make a difference to people who have fled their homelands.
"Some refugees arrive in our city with no more than the clothes on their back and so to be able to help them with all the things they need to start building a life here is really is life affirming."
The Home Office have also announced that the UK Resettlement Scheme will continue.
This scheme was due to start in April 2020 to resettle 5,000 more people after successful completion of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme, however due to the global pandemic this has been on hold.
The Council has already committed to welcome a further 60 people under this scheme.