The national Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme provides resettlement opportunities for people from the Middle East and North Africa who have been affected by the conflict in Syria. This includes men, women and children at risk, survivors of torture and violence, and those in urgent need of medical care who can’t be treated effectively in the region. 

In April 2016, we began working with Lambeth Council, who had made a local commitment to house 20 families as part of a pilot resettlement scheme, setting up our Refugee Resettlement Service.

Since then, we’ve been supported 48 refugee families to live in the UK, expanding our service to Waltham Forest and Lewisham. We supported ten families to resettle in Lewisham before the scheme ended there. 

We work with local community partners to provide a range of practical assistance, from helping taking children to school to arranging hospital and GP visits, setting up bank accounts, language support and accessing benefits.

Our Resettlement team - made up of bilingual support workers - work with the families from the day they arrive in the UK, linking them up to services and providing housing support and language lessons, so they can lead fulfilling lives in the UK. 

I have hope for the future. I want a home, to have a family, to finish my masters. I want to help other refugees.

Rashna fled Aleppo in 2014. After living in a refugee camp in Jordon for over three years, and spending her time volunteering to help others in her situation, she finally came to London. 

Read Rashna's story