We translate lived experience into policy change.
Afro Innovation Group (AIG) works with communities, partners, and decision-makers to shape fairer systems locally and internationally. We use evidence from frontline delivery, community insight, and strategic partnerships to influence policies and practices that affect refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and other underserved communities.
OUR ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
Our policy work focuses on practical changes that improve safety, access, and long-term inclusion.
We prioritise evidence-based advocacy in areas where communities face persistent structural barriers.
Priority areas:
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Health equity and access (including trauma-informed and culturally competent provision)
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Housing, welfare, and destitution prevention
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Safeguarding, exploitation, and anti-trafficking approaches
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Women and girls’ safety and empowerment (including GBV prevention and recovery pathways)
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Integration, legal literacy, and civic participation
What we are asking decision-makers to do
We support stakeholders with clear, actionable recommendations. Our policy asks are designed to be implementable within existing systems, with realistic pathways for accountability.
Invest in community-led and culturally competent provision
Ensure commissioning and funding models enable trusted grassroots organisations to deliver prevention, early help, and recovery services.
HOW WE WORK
Our approach combines evidence, partnership, and practical solutions.
Evidence-led policy support: briefings, consultation responses, and submissions grounded in frontline insight.
Co-produced solutions: community-led design, culturally competent engagement, and trauma-informed learning.
Partnership influence: coalition-building with local and national organisations to amplify impact.
From advocacy to implementation:
supporting pilots, practice improvements, and system change plans.
PARTNERSHIPS AND COALITION WORK
We collaborate to strengthen policy influence and implementation.
AIG works with civil society partners, community groups, and institutions to align advocacy priorities, share evidence, and advance practical reforms.
We engage with parliamentary processes by contributing evidence, briefings and lived-experience insight to inform debates and inquiries on migration, inclusion and social justice.
We collaborate on community-engaged research, student placements and knowledge exchange, bridging academic insight with grassroots practice.
We work together on research, evaluation and public engagement activities that elevate migrant voices and strengthen evidence-informed community practice.
Through AIG-DRC, we deliver and coordinate community-led initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including agriculture, livelihoods and capacity-building, enabling transnational learning and impact.
We partner with NHS services to support access to healthcare, improve health equity and co-develop culturally competent, community-led wellbeing approaches.
We worked with Migrant Voice on research examining the impacts of the UK’s digital-only immigration system on migrants’ ability to prove status and access rights. The study surfaced lived experiences of stress, exclusion and barriers linked to digitalisation and policy design.
NIHR ARC East Midlands supported research exploring health inequalities affecting migrant communities, including infectious disease screening and multimorbidity. Their funding enabled evidence-based, community-informed insights to inform more equitable health service design.
In collaboration with the University of Warwick, AIG contributed community insight to research on digital immigration systems and migrant exclusion. The partnership ensured lived experience informed academic analysis and public policy debate.
AIG partnered with CEHR on participatory research exploring migrant multimorbidity and access to healthcare. The project used community discussion groups to identify service gaps and priorities for more responsive, culturally appropriate care.
Together with Sciences Po, we contributed to international research exploring the intersection of migration, labour and local reception policies in fast-fashion cities. AIG provided local knowledge to help map Leicester’s role as both a sanctuary city and a site of migrant labour concentration.
ENGAGE WITH US
Choose Your Pathway ↓
For Policymakers and Public Bodies
Book a briefing, request evidence, or arrange a visit to hear directly from communities.
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For Funders and Trusts
Support advocacy-to-impact work, evidence gathering & community-led monitoring & learning.
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For Partners and Networks
Co-author a briefing, coordinate responses, and build shared policy campaigns.
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For Media and Researchers
Request a spokesperson, access key messages, or discuss collaboration.
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Policy and advocacy enquiries
Use the form below to request a briefing, propose collaboration or discuss funding. Or contact us directly:
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Email: leicester1@afroinno.org
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Phone: 0116 208 1341
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Address: Floor 6, 60 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FB