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Manchester > community development
Our community development team work in the following areas: Advice Development; Employment; Health and Wellbeing; Community Cohesion; and General Voluntary Sector Capacity Building.
Last year we held a very successful one-day conference called "Building Lives" about development work, which was attended by development workers from across the NorthWest.
Employment: This is considered to be the mainstay of integration work. Activities in this area have included briefings for employers, working with Jobcentreplus, Northwest Development Agency, Northwest Regional Assembly and LSC, research and the establishment of Horizons, aproject that assists volunteers and refugees into volunteering.
Employment Research: Refugee Action Manchester was funded by NorthWest Development Agency to produce a qualitative piece of research on the employment prospects of refugees. A meeting was held with NWDA and Northwest Consortium-East where a launch event was planned. This launch will bring together decision-makers across the region to plan an employment strategy for refugees.
Bolton Apprenticeship Scheme: Set up by Refugee Action to provide 6 month apprenticeships in youth work and advice for refugees. It is due shortly to start advertising for apprentices.
General Voluntary Sector Capacity Building: As the leading refugee voluntary organisation in the Northwest we are contacted by many groups asking for information and help with development of refugee projects. Where resources allow we offer assistance and keep in touch through Greater Manchester Refugee Smartgroup, an email network which includes over 100 organisations.