The organisation

Education Action International works with war torn communities across Africa and the Middle East to rebuild their lives through education. It works with local communities and professionals to maintain schools during conflict, to rebuild education systems after conflict and to train teachers. Education Action International also provides education, training and employment advice to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, and works with schoolchildren to widen their understanding of the issues facing these people.

The programme

The pilot project aims to help refugees who are professional teachers in their own country to re-qualify in the UK. 20 UK teachers will be trained to mentor 20 refugees in London through imparting their understanding of the UK education system and how to seek a teaching post within it. Refugee teachers will also have full access to Education Action International’s information, advice and guidance service, and there is a possibility of short-term work placement in a school. The aim is to help refugee teachers develop the confidence, knowledge and support to develop their long-term prospects and future careers within the UK teaching profession.

How it fulfilled our aims as an organisation

The programme falls within our education sector of interest and the work complements our own Rayne Initiative, Rayne Fellowships for Refugees. By helping teachers to improve their quality of life and integrate into UK society, Education Action International is seeking to reduce exclusion. The mentoring relationship between UK teacher and refugee teacher will provide each with an insight into one another’s lives, helping to enlarge sympathies. If the pilot is a success, there is potential that the project will be rolled out more widely, with a possibility of levering mainstream funding.

How we helped
The Foundation has contributed £17,750 towards the total project cost of £42,450.

“There is a whole raft of teaching and support roles in education where they could contribute. But for a refugee teacher the whole process of finding their way through the system is about as unfriendly as it is possible to be. Many of these teachers have been here for some years but less has been done for them than for any other refugee professionals such as doctors and nurses… We urgently need to tackle the problem or we shall lose their skills altogether. That would be a terrible waste.”
Stephen Jones, Co-chair, Refugee Teachers Task Force, Guardian, 23rd November.