While migration has occurred during almost every period of history for a wide variety of social, political and economic reasons, the number of forcibly displaced people has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the UN Refugee Agency, 68.5 million people were displaced as of the end of 2017, that’s more than the entire population of the UK forced from their homes and often denied access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement.
Organisations which work in this area offer a range of supports and services to those arriving in the UK. Some help people adjusting to their new living situation through the provision of education or legal services, while others strive to boost integration of new arrivals into their local community.
In recent years there has been a proliferation of leading innovators who are harnessing technology to empower displaced people. Techfugees is a global network of members of the tech community who are determined to leverage their skills and connections to find solutions to the problems refugees face.
Others organisations take a more hands-on approach. Bread & Roses is a social enterprise which aims to help refugee women flourish through floristry. Their programmes provide emotional and practical support by developing participants' English language skills, knowledge of the UK labour market, and perhaps most importantly, their confidence.
We've compiled a list of the key UK-based organisations who work to support refugees and/or migrants:
You'll find further inspiring articles and interviews on those working to support refugees and migrants here.