October 2022
Launch of Healing in Art programme in partnership with Making Space Safe
September 2022
Start of social work student placement further strengthening partnership with Oxford Brookes University.
August 2022
Successful Accreditation and Validation of ‘Rehumanising People in Extreme States: An Introduction” level 7 module in partnership with Oxford Brookes University
July 2022
Launch of Community Health Champions Programme in partnership with Oxford City Council
June 2022
Refugee Resource is commended for our excellent and highly regarded approach to working with volunteers in the OCVA Volunteer Celebration Awards
April 2022
Start of training for Ukraine hosts welcome programme
February 2022
Won Big Ideas Grant for Citizens Advice provision
January 2022
National Lottery Evaluation
November 2021
“Nature, Journeys” exhibition by Refugee Resource women held at Modern Art Oxford
September 2021
Jacqueline Adusei appointed Interim CEO of Refugee Resource
September 2021
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Following a successful trial period the Refugee Football Group started running on a weekly basis. It runs in partnership with Asylum Welcome and Oxford United in the Community.
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Refugee Resource starts to deliver training on trauma to professionals as part of Oxfordshire Children’s Safeguarding board training provision.
July 2021
We secured new three-year funding from the Bromley Trust, as well as funding from Oxfordshire Community Foundation to launch a family therapy project within our counselling programme.
June 2021
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We partnered with local photographer Philippa James to launch the ‘We Cannot Walk Alone’ portrait photography exhibition at the Old Fire Station for Refugee Week. The exhibition was featured on ITV Meridian.
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Refugee Resource partnered with Maymessy cookery school to run the cookery social enterprise programme for women
March 2021
We secured new funding from A B Charitable Trust and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
July 2020
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We hosted an online training webinar for frontline staff and volunteers around Supporting Distressed Clients.
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Refugee Resource participated in the Oxford Human Rights Festival sitting on expert panel and contributing towards an exhibition.
June 2020
We hosted the ‘Imagine Oxford’ online webinar to mark Refugee Week, where we shared insights from our staff, volunteers, clients and supporters about refugee experiences in Oxfordshire.
April 2020
We recruited a new role to support the entire RR team following several years of growth, a Finance and Administration Manager, supported by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus CIO.
March 2020
We began circulating information about the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple languages, quickly transitioning services to be delivered remotely in order to protect staff, clients and volunteers and working closely with other local agencies to support the needs of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.
October 2019
We celebrated our 20th anniversary, which included publicity on BBC Radio Oxford, 15 runners taking part in the Oxford Half Marathon and a fundraising concert in partnership with the Radcliffe Orchestra at the JR Hospital, Oxford.
September 2019
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Launch of young men’s activity research programme in partnership with Asylum Welcome, EMBS, Film Oxford and other local partners
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The Women's Service created a campaign and film around Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) following a series of workshops between April 2018 and September 2019, covering topics such as the physical and mental health impacts of FGM, accessing medical and community support, safeguarding, partnership working between communities and professionals, and advocacy and campaigning.
April 2019
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We launched our social enterprise initiative, offering training and consultancy to other agencies working with complex trauma and how to effectively support refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.
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Across 2018-19 Refugee Resource reported supporting over 350 clients from across 43 nationalities.
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2 year funding obtained from Oxfordshire County Council for unaccompanied asylum seeking children mentoring and counselling.
February 2019
4-year funding secured from the National Lottery Community Fund to support with core and project costs.
August 2018
3 year funding from Children in Need secured to continue our in-school counselling service.
April 2018
New 3 year funding secured from Comic Relief to start a new mental health project with young men, and continue the football group and counselling work with this group. Also received funding for 2 years from Oxford City Council for our Mentoring and Volunteering service.
January 2018
New Service Development and Delivery Manager appointed to oversee our front-line services.
August 2017
Funding secured from Oxfordshire Community Foundation Step Change Fund to extend our in-school counselling project beyond the successful pilot to become an established part of our counselling service.
May 2017
Our Approved Provider Service (APS) quality mark was renewed through the Mentoring and Befriending specialists at the NCVO.
January 2017
Belinda Coote appointed our new Chair of Trustees.
December 2016
Launch of our in-school counselling pilot project with Oxford Spires Academy, delivered by a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist.
August 2016
New Partnership Development Manger appointed to support our fundraising, marketing and communications.
July 2016
New Social Inclusion Service launches, providing advice and advocacy support to our clients.
March 2016
Successful 3 year funding secured from the Big Lottery for counselling and mentoring services, from Henry Smith towards core costs and from the Rayne Foundation for two years for our counselling and outreach work with young people.
August 2015
Kate Hood took over as Chief Executive Officer.
February 2015
Dr Antony Kingsley stepped down as Director.
November 2014
Shortlisted for the Oxfordshire Charity of the Year Awards. A new service for men was piloted and a football club was formed.
October 2014
Commencement of a pilot project in partnership with the Police and Crime Commission to undertake counselling for victims of crime many of whom are refugees.
July 2014
Refugee Resource joined a Thames Valley wide consortium to deliver counselling services (initially in Oxfordshire) with the intention of expanding across Thames Valley.
February 2014
We were accredited to mentoring and befriending foundation
October 2013
Incorporating vulnerable migrants into our constitution as one of our key beneficiaries
February 2013
Successful 3 year funding from Big Lottery and Comic Relief to continue the work giving stability to Refugee Resource
October 2012
Dr Antony Kingsley took the Directorship with Amanda leading the Business Development Programme. Ray Fishbourne was appointed as the Chair of Trustees.
May 2011
We began working in partnership with Reading Refugee Support Group with the aim of delivering services across the Thames Valley region.
January 2011
We started to deliver specialist training services to transfer our skills in working with refugees and asylum seekers to wider migrants.
November 2010
We won Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action’s 2010 Award for ‘Best practice in the use of volunteers’ for our Mentoring and Coaching service and the organisation was shortlisted for the Oxfordshire Charity of the Year Award.
August 2010
Our database records show that we have now worked with over 1000 clients since our beginnings. We will be delighted to provide more details about the long lasting impact of what our clients have achieved with our support.
February 2010
Our women’s group celebrated their 5th anniversary with a festive event, involving music, dance and testimonies of women.
June 2009
We held an open day to celebrate the organisation’s 10th anniversary.
April 2009
Our mentoring service was awarded ‘Approved Provider Status’ by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation. This is a national standard for mentoring and befriending.
January 2009
We secured a further three years’ funding from the Big Lottery Fund for the counselling work, and to expand both the mentoring service and the women’s service.
May 2008
Moved to larger premises at the Old Music Hall on the Cowley Road.
September 2006
The Counselling and Therapeutic Service won the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s 2006 Award for Excellence in the Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy.
April 2006
A long term evaluation of the counselling and therapeutic work was published.
January 2006
We secured three years’ funding from the Big Lottery Fund for the counselling work and to set up a new mentoring service. We also secured funding from Comic Relief for a Women’s Counsellor and Women’s Project Coordinator.
September 2005
We began a six-month project to improve the presentation of refugees and asylum seekers in the media. This included training refugees and asylum seekers and those working with them in interviewing skills and writing news releases.
November 2004
As a result of the employment services being used far less by women than by men, Refugee Resource held a consultation with refugee women to find out what support they wanted. As a result, the women’s group was set up.
September 2004
Refugee Resource won a National Information Forum ‘Getting the message across’ national award for the first edition of Asylum Seekers and Refugees – Directory of Services in Oxfordshire.
From April 2004
The employment service was funded jointly by Jobcentre Plus and the European Social Fund.
December 2003
The European Social Fund contract for Access First ended. Of 72 people enrolled, 64% secured jobs. Independent evaluators of the Access First Employment and Training project identified it as one of the most successful projects they had evaluated.
August 2003
Refugee Resource was registered as a charity by the Charities Commission.
April 2003
Refugee Resource was set up as a charitable company limited by guarantee in October 2002. The Trustees transferred the assets and liabilities held under the charitable trust into the company limited by guarantee and since April 2003 the organisation’s activities have been conducted through the company limited by guarantee.
July 2002
In response to requests from refugee doctors, Refugee Resource helped to set up the Oxford Refugee Health Professionals Support Project.
January 2002
The Oxford Refugee Support Project changed its name to Refugee Resource.
November 2001
We were successful in a bid to the European Social Fund, in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council’s Community English School, to extend Access First to offer a work preparation course, including work placements with local employers.
August 2001
Three years’ funding was secured from the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund for a counselling and therapeutic service for young refugees and asylum seekers, and a training and consultancy service for service providers.
March 2001
East Oxford Action agreed to fund the first year of a training and employment project. ORSP initiated setting up the Oxfordshire Refugee and Asylum Seeker Training, Education and Employment Partnership (ORASTEEP), and the Access First Employment and Training Project was launched on World Refugee Day in June 2001. Refugee interviewers were employed to survey the skills, experience and aspirations of refugees and asylum seekers living in Oxfordshire.
2000
In consultations, refugee and asylum seeking men, women and young people said that as well as therapeutic support they also needed help to access work and training opportunities.
October 1999
The Oxford Refugee Support Project (ORSP) was constituted as a charitable trust.
Early 1999
Amanda started a therapeutic gardening project with a small number of asylum seekers.
1997
Amanda Webb-Johnson started discussions with statutory and voluntary organisations about how best to meet the mental health needs of local refugees and asylum seekers.
January 2020
Launch of women’s food-sharing project in partnership with Mutual Aid and Oxford City Council feeding providing over 700 meals to vulnerable groups during the Covid19 epidemic
Call: 01865 403280 | Email: info@refugeeresource.org
To relieve distress, improve well-being and facilitate the integration of refugees and asylum seekers in Oxfordshire, by providing psychological, social and practical support.
