Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Welcome Programme: Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Year 2 (2022/2023) grant schemes: successful organisations
Updated 25 October 2022
Applies to England
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List of successful grant recipients across the voluntary, community, and social enterprise year 2 grant schemes including information regarding the services available and links to the Strategic Migration Partnership Welcome Hubs.
Hate crime reporting service
Organisation: Protection Approaches
Amount: £299,556.00
Project summary
On Your Side is a support and reporting service for East and Southeast Asian Communities, or those perceived to be from East and Southeast Asian communities, who experience racism and/or any forms of hate. The service includes a 24/7 freephone helpline available in East and Southeast Asian languages including Cantonese, Mandarin Japanese, Tagalog, and Indonesian; a website with reporting forms and resources; and ongoing community-based support delivered by trained casework advocates On Your side has community members at the centre. That means anyone can feel safe using the. Unless somebody is in danger, we will never pass on anything we have been told to anybody else without permission from the service user. On your Side is being delivered by 15 charity and non-profit organisations including 13 East and Southeast Asian led organisations with decades of experience supporting victims of hate crime as well as East and Southeast Asian Communities.
Contact information
Call free on 0808 801 0393 or visit on your side to complete an online form or use webchat.
National scheme
The 5 organisations listed below are delivering the national VCSE grant scheme across the UK.
Organisation: Barnardo’s
Amount: £300,000.00
Project summary
Barnardo’s is the UK’s largest children’s charity. Every year Barnardo’s help over 300,000 children, young people and their families. Barnardo’s run services in all four UK nations which range from help for young people, counselling and therapeutic support, and advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers.
Boloh is a national helpline offering support to Hong Kong British Nationals residing in the UK, run by Barnardo’s. The Helpline provides advice on a wide range of issues e.g., housing, employment, education, accessing health services, etc. Barnardo’s can provide practical support such as food vouchers, devices, sim cards, internet access, toys and more. The service is available for all BN(O) holders including young people, parents and adults. Helpline Advisors and trained therapists/counsellors deliver support in English and Cantonese. In addition, the Helpline offers a monthly informal online conversation Club and group therapy. The Helpline is available via freephone, email or webchat (Monday-Saturday). Professionals can make direct referrals via our website.
Contact information
Email: boloh.helpline@barnardos.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 151 2605
The Helpline is open Monday – Friday (10am-8pm), and Saturday (10-3pm)
Organisation: British Future/ Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers
Amount: £145,000.00
Project summary
The Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers is an independent, non-profit umbrella group for all those who care about the integration of new arrivals from Hong Kong. The Committee holds a monthly virtual forum for welcoming organisations to share updates, challenges and best practice. It also brings organisations together for an annual conference. Following the publication of its first research report, the research team are now exploring three key topics in depth: location, employment, and education. An open-source survey on these topics will shortly be opened to all BN(O)s currently in the UK. The Communications team are working alongside partner organisations to share more widely the work of welcome in the media and online, including by gathering case studies, photography and video and holding events. Further seminars will enhance communications skills among welcoming organisations and build a network of communicators on Hong Kong welcoming work. You can learn more about the Welcoming Committee’s work by visiting our website, Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers, where you can join our mailing list.
Contact information
info@welcomehk.org
media@welcomehk.org
Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers
Organisation: Hongkongers in Britain (HKB)
Amount: £294,875.00
Project summary
Hongkongers in Britain have worked with 7 other national and regional VCSE organisations to continue a community project, Mission PERM, to provide UK-wide support for BN(O) integration in line with the four UK government national objectives of welcoming Hongkongers. The project’s strategic focus is on key pillars of integration during the initial settlement:
1) Encouraging Participation in local community life
2) Facilitating Employment:
3) Building community Relationships
4) Safeguarding Mental health/wellbeing
Contact information
hongkongersinbritain@protonmail.com
Mission Perm
Organisation: Migrant Helpline
Amount: £186,312.00
Project summary
At Migrant Help, a dedicated team of client advisers are available to help with a range of support options to assist BN(O)s with gaining employment and accessing education and training. Migrant Help can support with skills assessment, career guidance, CV writing, interview skills, understanding the UK work culture, self-employment or business training in the UK. Migrant Help offer tailored support specific to individuals needs and can support every step of the way, across the UK delivered virtually, or in person where practical.
Where needed, Migrant Help will use the high-quality translation services of Clear Voice, to ensure clients are supported in their own language and fully understand the support, options and services available to them.
Contact information
Teresa Snowden 07485388286
Halimah Abbas 07485388027
Nahida Ahmed 07815694990
Hong Kong Welcome Programme Migrant Help
Organisation: Welcome Churches (UKHK)
Amount: £312,000.00
Project summary
UKHK provides social, child, youth and wellbeing assistance to new arrivals from Hong Kong across the UK. Socially, the Welcome Course and Friendship Festivals are good opportunities for newly-arrived Hongkongers to learn about British life and culture, have fun and make friends. For Hong Kong children, a Welcome Magazine has been produced and is available to welcome them and provide information on services and resources they can access. For HK teenagers, a video platform and youth resource will help them engage, explore their community and make friends. Our wellbeing video will enable Hongkongers having a difficult time to look after themselves.
Contact information
Regional scheme
The 36 organisations listed below by region are delivering the regional VCSE grant scheme across England only.
East of England
Organisation: Citizens Advice St Albans District (CASTAD)
Amount: £25,950.00
Project summary
CASTAD is providing information and support to help BN(O) settle in Hertfordshire through:
-Individual advice sessions on areas such as housing, employment and education.
-An up-to-date webpage with links to both national and local resources.
-Connections with local organisations who can offer relevant services and support.
Contact information
All methods of contact are listed through the link below
Contact Citizens Advice St Albans
Citizens Advice St Albans Hong Kong Welcome
Organisation: Colchester Life in the UK CIC
Amount: £30,000.00
Project summary
Hong Kong Welcome Hub in Essex was set up by Colchester Life in the UK in February 2022, following the opening of the Hong Kong BN(O) visa route in early 2021.
We aim to offer help and support to the BN(O) status holders to successfully integrate in their new communities. Different activities and courses have been organised regularly to provide professional advice on housing, education, employment, healthcare and more.
We provide one-on-one career planning consultations to let the BN(O)s understand the characteristics of the local job market and get on the right career path with ease. Our Befriending programme is designed for the BN(O)s to build up supportive and lifelong friendships with locals.
We also work collaboratively with local charity organizations and companies to provide volunteering opportunities to the BN(O)s. We are now cooperating with a local cafe to create working opportunities for the BN(O)s, which help them immerse themselves in local culture and a real working environment.
Contact information
07310943689
kwkittycliuk@gmail.com
Hong Kong Welcome Hub in Essex Facebook page
Organisation: Community Action Dacorum
Amount: £20,120.00
Project summary
We offer ESOL classes face to face and on-line.
Know Your Town.
IT skills around Web Design, Marketing, Advanced Excel and Spreadsheets as well as Basic Computing classes.
Family classes.
Cultural Visits organised.
SOG’s and Chatter Tables.
Volunteering opportunities.
IAG and Health and Wellbeing classes.
Contact information
Learning@communityactiondacorum.org.uk
01442 253935
Creative Learning
Organisation: Bowthorpe Road Methodist Church
Amount: £18,000.00
Project summary
Monthly gathering in Cantonese
Sport fun days - badminton, football, etc.
Volunteer group -serving the community
Contact information
Pastor Stephen Lau
Whatsapp: +447936737859
Organisation: Peterborough Asylum and Refugee Community Association (PARCA)
Amount: £24,056.64
Project summary
1. Enabling all new arrivals to fully contribute both economically and socially, enriching our society.
2. Able to mix confidently with people, positive contribution to the UK and the areas in which they settle.
3. Providing support to both resident communities and BN(O) able to settle into their new communities.
Contact information
Moez Nathu:moez@parcaltd.org
Donald McLarty: bno.manager@parcaltd.org
East Midlands
Organisation: St Nicholas Church, Nottingham
Amount: £18,000.00
Project summary
We will:
Build on our successful delivery of our Phase 1 project, increasing participation by:
- Social activities integrated with the host church - picnics, bowling, museum visits, event excursions
- Welcome Courses – these will include healthcare, taxation, law, democracy and British civil life
- English Language Classes
- Business networking & employability training
Contact information
Alex Granados (refugee worker) - alex@stnics.org
Tango Chan (project worker) tango@stnics.org
David Hepworth (Operations Manager) dave@stnics.org
Organisation: Transform Training Ltd
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Emotional education based community support, integrated youth group, job and employment support, community celebration events.
Contact information
Charlotte Bell – Head of Programmes, Transform Training
Charlotte.b@transformtraining.org.uk
Transform Training
London
Organisation: FaithAction (Part of LifeLine Community Projects)
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Café Connect is an opportunity to: practise conversational English; learn about the culture, history and systems in the UK; find out about sources of support and information; and to make friends, meeting Hong Kongers and other members of your local community in a fun, friendly environment.
Contact information
Organisation: Good Neighbour Church England
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Good Neighbour Church England helps HongKong BN(O)s on social and professional integration in settling the UK, including career workshops and English classes, as well as a range of children’s services. We also provide whole person and well-being development classes, for instance, mindfulness workshops and face-to-face advising.
Contact information
hkersbnoprogram@gmail.com
Good Neighbour Church England
Organisation: Groundwork London
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
IMPACT supports BN(O)s with English language sessions, community activity workshops and employment advice. We offer both group and one-to-one sessions, in-person and online. Our classes are informal, friendly and are a welcoming space for BN(O)s new to London.
Contact information
impactlondon@groundwork.org.uk
Groundwork Impact London
Organisation: Hackney Chinese Community Services
Amount: £28,418.00
Project summary
Hackney Chinese Community Services is a centre serving the East and South East Asian community in wellbeing and access to public services. Our regular services include: general advice, lunch club, table tennis club, lion dance club, mah jong class, karaoke, exercise etc.
HCCS provides advice and information support to recently arrived Hongkongers in making London as their new home. We assist Hongkongers to access a range of services such as housing, education, employment, employment, NI, social services, policing etc.
We promote formation of Hongkongers organizations and act as a bridge to connect Hongkonger individuals and organizations with the local community and voluntary sector.
Contact information
info@hackneychinese.org.uk
0208 986 6171, or
28-32 Ellingfort Road, London E8 3PA
Organisation: HKG International
Amount: £35,000.00
Project summary
Moon and Star Companionship programme is a buddy programme matches Hongkongers in the UK with Hongkongers who are coming to the UK with BNO visa. Individuals with over six months UK living experience will be paired up with newcomers and guide them through the first three months of their arrivals.
Contact information
Organisation: Hong Kong Business Hub
Amount: £25,000.00
Project summary
Hong Kong Business Hub will launch a series of programmes to assist BN(O) entrepreneurs to unleash their professional potential, including an online business-focus resource library with useful business templates, 2 in-depth training courses focusing on food and beverage and e-commerce industries, one-on-one mentoring programme and business networking events.
Contact information
info@hkbusinesshub.net
Hong Kong Business Hub
Organisation: Islington Chinese Association
Amount: £39,091.00
Project summary
ICA’s Welcome Hongkongers programme focuses on providing Induction, promoting Cohesion and facilitating Adaptation. Advice services, classes and activities are offered to help Hongkongers enhance language and communication skills, understanding of local communities and cultures, skills and knowledge for job seeking and adaptation to the new environment.
Contact information
Monday - Friday 10am - 6pm
21 Hatchard Road, London, N19 4NG, UK
+44 20 7263 5986
Whatsapp (text only): +44 7724 828778
info@islingtonchinese.com
Islington Chinese
Welcome Hongkongers
Organisation: Light Foundations
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Anglia ESOL English Qualifications and Employability Programme provide Basic English to an advanced level incorporating training in Employability/ Business skills development aimed at combatting unemployment and aiding the BN(O)s to settle well in the UK. We offer weekly classes and integration meetings to allow for socialising and mental health support.
Contact information
info@lightfoundations.org
02034 094380
Light Foundations
Organisation: Meridian Wellbeing
Amount: £39,600.00
Project summary
Supporting BN(O) newcomers to integrate, reduce isolation, and support their mental health and immigration needs via the provision of: monthly Welcome Parties with ‘Life in the UK’ talks, Mental health support, 1-2-1 assessment, Advice & advocacy services, ESOL classes, Employability training, Functional skill learning, Volunteer buddy match, Psycho-social activities.
Contact information
HK-BNO@meridianwellbeing.com
020 7613 1008
The Meritage Centre, London, NW4 4JT
Meridian Wellbeing BNO welcoming
Organisation: Renaisi
Amount: £32,789.70
Project summary
Hongkongers Employment Support
Participants are supported with their social and professional integration into UK society. They receive: professional 1:1 coaching; online and employer-led group workshops on key aspects of job searching; English conversation club; signposting to organisations for additional support; and final action plan detailing next steps in their journey to restart their careers in the UK
Contact information
Rebecca Spruce; r.spruce@renaisi.com
07525 598492
Hongkongers Employment Support
Organisation: Volunteer Centre Sutton
Amount: £35,341.00
Project summary
Integrating Sutton aims to assist and ease the integration of new Residents to the London Borough of Sutton. We provide advice, support and opportunities to engage in new activities, introductions to local services, meet new people, volunteer and have matched buddies to build confidence and skills.
Contact information
frennieip@vcsutton.org.uk
Oliviablythe@vcsutton.org.uk
Volunteer Centre Sutton
North East
Organisation: Citizens Advice Newcastle
Amount: £20,000.00
Project summary
Citizen Advice Newcastle strives for a society free from poverty, injustice and inequality our Hong Kong Welcome Service advisers can provide free, independent and confidential advice on a range of issues that people from Hong Kong may come across when settling in the UK.
Contact information
Hong Kong Welcome Service helpline 01913003512
hongkongsupport@newcastlecab.org.uk
Citizens Advice Newcastle
Face to face drop in service Monday to Friday 10.00 am – 12.00 pm 4th Floor Newcastle City Library, Charles Avison Building, 33 New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AX
North West
Organisation: Cheshire, Halton & Warrington Race & Equality Centre
Amount: £39,734.00
Project summary
CHAWREC aims to support Hong Kong BNO to integrate into the area by providing opportunities for socialisation and one to one support to access key services, including employment, health, education, language etc. We cover local authority areas of: Cheshire West & Chester, Warrington, Cheshire East, Halton.
Contact information
Lionel Lee – Lionel@chawrec.org.uk, 07501 801 984
Lydia Tsang – Lydia@chawrec.org.uk, 07919 417 274
CHAWREC
Organisation: Hong Kong Business Hub
Amount: £25,000.00
Project summary
Hong Kong Business Hub will launch a series of programmes to assist BN(O) entrepreneurs to unleash their professional potential, including an online business-focus resource library with useful business templates, 2 in-depth training courses focusing on food and beverage and e-commerce industries, one-on-one mentoring programme and business networking events.
Contact information
info@hkbusinesshub.net
Hong Kong Business Hub
Organisation: Wai Yin Society
Amount: £39,963.00
Project summary
Our project will support participants to take part in social integration activities meeting the many different faith and ethnic groups that live in Greater Manchester, to learn about UK culture through our employment and volunteering courses, as well as receiving befriending support, and advice and signposting from Cantonese speaking staff.
Contact information
0161 833 0377
gahmei_cheng@waiyin.org.uk
Wai Yin Society
South East
Organisation: City Life Church Southampton
Amount: £36,750.00
Project summary
We will provide regular advice sessions in partnership with Citizens Advice Southampton. More information will be available on our bespoke regional website: Hong Kong welcome A Cantonese-speaking outreach worker will run Friendship Festivals, Welcome meals and local trips. Conversational English opportunities and a Welcome Courses will run regularly.
Contact information
elaine@citylife.org.uk
Hong Kong welcome
Organisation: Coffee and Craft
Amount: £36,994.00
Project summary
Coffee and Craft is a community group under Wycliffe Baptist Church, and has run community-based projects over the last 20 years. Aligning with the UKHK national programme, Coffee and Craft provides social, professional, and educational assistance to new arrivals from Hong Kong in Reading and its surrounding area.
Contact information
Kathryn Deacon - Community Facilitator
Office@coffeeandcraft1.org.uk
Organisation: Diversity Resource International
Amount: £37,800.00
Project summary
One-on-one sessions with a Bilingual Advocate to tackle the unique challenges facing these individuals, disseminate important information, and introduce available resources. Workshops on Business & Employment, CV writing, Health & Safety, Banking, Hong Kong Immigrant success stories, Tax, Pension, National Insurance, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Facilitating Peer Support Groups.
Contact information
07443420785
chilingchan@hotmail.co.uk
Organisation: Citizens Advice in North & West Kent
Amount: £28,240.00
Project summary
CANWK are supporting Hong Kong BN(O) status holders settle and access support services in Kent. We are primarily focusing on delivering social and integration events. Additionally, we will make our free advice, including our specialist immigration, debt, benefits, housing and employment advice more accessible to the Hong Kong community.
Contact information
Organisation: Oxfordshire Chinese Community & Advice Centre
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Our project provides:
1) Advice/information and talks to access services
2) Certificated training courses to improve employability
3) Survival English, workshops on “Life in the UK” and “Adapting to UK Life” to promote integration
4) Peer support groups and community activities to foster mutual support and promote good mental health
Contact information
admin@occac.org.uk
07771 630466
Oxfordshire Chinese Community & Advice Centre
South West
Organisation: Groundwork South
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
IMPACT is a project by Groundwork South which supports refugees and non-EU migrants to settle into life in Bristol and surrounding areas. We offer a holistic programme of activities focussing on three key strands: language, employment, and culture.
Contact information
impactbristol@groundwork.org.uk or call/text/WhatsApp; Asia (07736 132 450) or Muna (07702 532 767)
Organisation: St Sidwells Centre
Amount: £22,977.00
Project summary
Support for HK BN(O)s in Exeter and Devon with English; employability; volunteering opportunities; social integration and other support.
Contact information
St. Sidwells Centre / 01392 666 222 / christine@stsidwells.org.uk / naomi@stsidwells.org.uk
West Midlands
Organisation: Chinese Community Centre Birmingham (CCC-B)
Amount: £34,719.00
Project summary
Social integration through walks and group buddying
Access to advice & services through IAG Service and buddying
Contact information
Tel: 0121 685 8510 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday
Bauhinia Birmingham WhatsApp group - +44 7846 885683
Organisation: FaithAction (Part of LifeLine Community Projects)
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Café Connect is an opportunity to: practise conversational English; learn about the culture, history and systems in the UK; find out about sources of support and information; and to make friends, meeting Hong Kongers and other members of your local community in a fun, friendly environment.
Contact information
Organisation: Good Neighbour Church England
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
To suit the neediness of the summer holiday, we focused on children’s services in social integration during July and August. We organised different interest lessons, such as football, drawing, badminton, hip-hop and playtime groups. We also started other social integration lessons including stretching as wellbeing, welcome courses and homeless outreaching services.
Contact information
brumbno.gnce@gmail.com
Good Neighbour Church England
Organisation: Positive Youth Foundation (PYF)
Amount: £11,682.00
Project summary
The aim is to provide a structured programme that offers practical information and support on life in the UK for newly arrived groups under the BNO Scheme, The programme for Hong Kong arrivals will mirror the programme we deliver for UKRS arrivals.
Main activities
The programme will provide 3 ‘hub’ sessions a week for 40 weeks that offer a range of activities, including:
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Induction sessions delivered in a friendly and accessible way that cover a range of relevant topics about life in the UK.
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Support and activity sessions that encourage language learning, conversation, and an opportunity to ask questions about English that they may have picked up at school.
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Homework support – for example practice delivering presentations for school.
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Employment support for older young people – preparing a CV, interview practice etc.
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Opportunities to take part in a wider youth club activity where young people meet their peers and make new friends.
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Establish community support/ family liaison role which will act as connector with parents/ community, and encourage more new arrivals to join our sessions, plus provide support for parents.
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Offer community sports activities for young people and (separately) parents through Moat House Community Centre once a week.
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Offer ESOL and functional skills classes to newly arrived BNO’s who have not yet been given school/ College places
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Offer enrichment activities to schools who have high percentage of new BNO students
Contact information
Info@positiveyouthfoundation.org
02476 158550
Yorkshire and Humber
Organisation: FaithAction (Part of LifeLine Community Projects)
Amount: £40,000.00
Project summary
Café Connect is an opportunity to: practise conversational English; learn about the culture, history and systems in the UK; find out about sources of support and information; and to make friends, meeting Hong Kongers and other members of your local community in a fun, friendly environment.
Contact information
Organisation: Health for All (Leeds)
Amount: £19,750.00
Project summary
You can simply provide the key themes of support your project provides if you would find this easier, e.g. Mental health, social integration, professional integration, employability, education, access to advice and services.
We aim to enable BN(O) migrants to fully integrate into UK society socially and economically and access the right services to support their settlement. Our project allows them to blend with people of all backgrounds, offering a range of activities, including English conversation classes, trips, job search, housing and enterprise support.
Contact information
Vikrant Bhatia - Senior Manager, Health for All
Vikrant.bhatia@healthforall.org.uk
Balwinder Kaur - Co-Ordinator
07590182627
Balwinder.kaur@healthforall.org.uk
Organisation: Sheffield Chinese Christian Church
Amount: £18,000.00
Project summary
SCCC helps new HK BN(O) arrivals in Yorkshire and Humber to settle into life in the UK. Help and activities are open to all Hongkongers, including individuals who are not Christian believers. Our project focuses on social integration and access to local advice and services.
Contact information