Resettlement Employability Project

If you are a guest, migrant or refugee looking to rebuild your life and integrate into the local community, Hastings Borough Council's Resettlement Employability Project is here to help.

The council’s Resettlement Employability Project team can offer you support to find employment, upskilling or secure housing in the private housing sector.

As a council, we work alongside Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA), People Matter, The Links Project, the foodbank, Palladium, The Refugee Buddy Project, and Sanctuary to deliver REP.

Who is the Resettlement Employability Project for?

The East Sussex Resettlement Employability Project is here to help if you:

• are over 18 years old
• are living in East Sussex
• have permission to stay and you arrived through one of these routes:

• Asylum request with Right to Work
• Refugee Permission to Stay, leave to remain, or Leave to Enter
• Community Sponsorship Scheme
• Mandate Resettlement Scheme
• Refugee Family Reunion (and your sponsoring refugee is eligible for support from Home Office REP), Dependant Visa holder
• UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS)
• Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
• Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP
• Ukraine Scheme.

How can the Resettlement Employability Project help me?

The Resettlement Employability Project is program designed to support refugees, migrants, and guests with gaining the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to secure employment and become self-sufficient. 

The project can help you with:

• job training
• language courses
• networking opportunities
• education support
• signposting to local government services
• advice on benefits
• advice on housing
• (ENIC) overseas qualifications translation
• employment support, which includes support to address barriers and to take positive steps to sustainable work, building knowledge and confidence, CV writing and understanding the job market in the UK, getting ready to apply for work, preparing for an interview, settling in to work and succeeding, and understanding and preparing for self-employment.

Will the Resettlement Employability Project help me find a job?

Yes, REP provides job placement support and assists you in accessing job opportunities. We may work with local employers or connect you with job fairs to increase your chances of finding suitable employment. 

How long does the Resettlement Employability Project last?

The support from the project lasts as long as you need it, until you are integrated into the community, whether that is securing work, or any other resettlement needs.

Can you help improve my English?

Learning the English language is an important part of employability and becoming fully integrated into the local community. The project may offer language classes to improve your language skills and improve your communication abilities. This is done through the support of our partner organisations that offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualifications such as East Sussex College or local charities.

How do I contact the REP team to access support? 

You can refer yourself or someone you are supporting by completing our online referral form. 

You can also be referred by: 

• Hastings Voluntary Action
• the foodbank
• The Refugee Buddy Project
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

East Sussex 'Support into Work' project 

Hastings Borough Council's Resettlement Employability Project (REP) is part of the East Sussex 'Support into Work' project.

Since November 2022, the East Sussex 'Support into Work' project has been assisting guests, refugees, and migrants to help them integrate into the local community.

The project is overseen by East Sussex County Council's ESTAR team and funded by the government. It is delivered by three main partners, Hastings Borough Council's Refugee Employability Project (REP), Sussex Community Development Association and People Matter.

These partners collaborate with local government teams, voluntary and community organisations and volunteers to deliver the project.

The Support into Work (SiW) teams enable displaced individuals to access the essential services they need to rebuild their lives, such as housing, employment, education, and healthcare.