Empowering refugees through work, training and mentoring
Any professional baker will tell you that making bread is simple, it just involves skill and expertise to make the perfect loaf. At Breadwinners, we too like to keep things simple yet skilful. With this philosophy in mind, we deliver three employability programmes to empower refugees and young people seeking asylum.
So what are the key ingredients to our programmes? In the same way that all our bread starts with a sourdough starter, all our programmes start with work or work experience. Without great flour, our bread can’t get very far, and without our training workshops, our programmes would be missing something essential too. Then comes the water, which brings the bread dough together. Like water, mentoring completes the programmes and allows our young people to thrive.
Here’s a breakdown of all our three programmes and how you can get involved
The Risers Programme
The programme supports young people seeking asylum to gain UK work experience. Over 8 weeks, our young people work as Market Stall Assistants, developing their customer service and communication skills. They also attend weekly employability training sessions including CV writing and interview skills, and receive 1:1 support from a mentor.
The programme is designed to enable our young people to gain transferable skills, grow their networks, improve their wellbeing, and be better prepared to gain employment when they receive refugee status.
“The experience gave me more confidence because I’ve seen that I can do things that I didn’t think I could do.”
The Breadwinners Programme
Our 6-month paid work programme provides refugees with their first job in the UK. They gain managerial experience by running our weekend market stalls.
Like our Risers, they are paired with a mentor to support them to find future employment opportunities. Regular training sessions support our Breadwinners to develop transferable skills that will enable them to thrive both in and out of the workplace.
“I got managerial and customer service experience. This gave me more confidence and really helped me during a job interview, which I then got!”
The Proofers Programme
Born out of Covid-19, this 3-month programme up-skills refugees who have graduated from our Breadwinners Programme to become online sales representatives. They gain further customer service experience and IT skills through running our online bread delivery and wholesale services.
Participants are provided with laptops and headsets and are supported with regular training and 1:1 mentoring, so they can use the experience to progress into further employment.
“I now feel more comfortable and confidence talking to people on the phone. Being part of Breadwinners had improved my mental health and wellbeing.”