The Resettlement Project at Nottingham Refugee Forum provides holistic, long-term support to families who have come to Nottingham through UK government resettlement schemes, including the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP).
Working in close partnership with Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils, the project supports families for three to five years depending on which scheme they are on, initially providing intensive help with essential needs such as housing, benefits, healthcare and education, before supporting longer-term integration through English-language learning, employability skills and opportunities to develop individual goals and interests. The overall aim is to help resettled families become independent, build connections within their communities and successfully establish their lives in the UK.
What we provide…
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A warm welcome to our new arrivals either at Birmingham Airport for UKRS arrivals or at their new accommodation for ARP clients
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A welcome meal, culturally appropriate grocery shop and a tour and safety guide of the new accommodation upon arrival for new clients.
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A welcome booklet/guide and clear expectations for support from the outset with our client agreement.
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1:1 intensive and holistic casework support for new arrivals, ensuring that they have access to benefits, healthcare, housing and education.
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Links to our in-house employability team to support our clients into education, training, volunteering and work.
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Client-focused support plans with regular reviews to ensure Resettlement goals are being met, and barriers are recognised and reduced to develop independence and confidence.
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Referral to 2 years of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for all adults on the project who require it with Belong Nottingham.
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Advocacy for clients and referral to external organisations to support on specific needs.
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Lower intensity “drop-in” service for clients who have developed independence and confidence to bridge between 1:1 casework and independence upon exiting the project.
The overall aim of the project is to empower families to become independent and integrate into UK society, whilst remaining cultural identity.
UKRS
The Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) was launched by the UK government in 2014 and expanded a year later, with the aim of resettling 20,000 of the most vulnerable individuals and families affected by the Syrian conflict in five years. These individuals and families had been identified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), based on criteria including serious medical conditions, survivors of torture and violence, and women and children at risk. The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) was subsequently launched in 2021 as a continuation of the VPRS, however the eligibility criteria have expanded to accept vulnerable refugees globally. Currently, we support families from Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria, Somalia, DR Congo, Cameroon, Palestine, Eritrea, and Sudan.
ARP
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme was launched by the UK government in April 2021 to relocate and resettle current and former Locally Employed Staff (LES) that worked directly with the British Armed forces, the British Embassy and aided British operations in Afghanistan. The scheme was developed to resettle individuals who were considered most at risk from threat to life when US and UK troops withdrew from the country in September 2021.
Subsequently, the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) was introduced in January 2022 to support individuals who assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech, and the rule of law and was extended to vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk.
In July 2025, the ARAP and ACRS schemes were closed and merged into one resettlement scheme, The Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP). Whilst we still support individuals and families on the closed schemes, we now only receive referrals from the ARP Resettlement Scheme.
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Clients supported over the past year (221 F, 213 M)
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New cases in the last year – 89 individuals
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Clients progressed from intensive casework to Drop-In support
“I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for everything you have done for me and my family throughout our time with the Resettlement Project. Your kindness, professionalism, patience, and support have made a real difference to us.”
Resettlement Client
We routinely organise social events for resettled families with an aim to increase their integration, orientation and social network.
Over the last year, families and children participated in various events organised by our team. These events included family community days and activities in our community garden as well as a range of summer activities including bowling, art and craft sessions and swimming,.
“We left Afghanistan under strange and critical circumstances. When we first arrived in the UK, we felt vulnerable, scared, and isolated as we didn’t know anyone or weren’t even familiar with the culture, customs, and system of the country. At first, my wife and children felt very isolated and struggled with their new life in Nottingham. But looking back at our resettlement journey since July 2021, I am so proud of our accomplishments and what we have achieved as a family. My children are well-settled. They have made friends in school. They speak English fluently. My wife has learned so much. She is learning English and is so happy to attend her ESOL classes and enjoys the sewing course where she has made a lot of friends. You (caseworker) are like our relative because you have been part of our journey since we first arrived in the UK. We are happy with you and Nottingham Refugee Forum”.
Resettlement Client – ARAP Scheme