AIG Services
AIG offers a wide range of services to meet the needs of refugees, migrants and the wider BAME community.
If you would like any further information about the services listed below, or if you need our help, please use our contact form to get in touch.
Employment and employability advice
We are especially keen to ensure refugees and migrants are able to use the skills and qualifications gained overseas at an appropriate level in the UK.
Education Support
We work with mature refugees and migrant students to support their out-of-school work including a team of volunteer tutors to help address a range of issues: language, ESOL, learning difficulties, mental health, dyslexia, cultural shock and more.
We support bright young migrants and asylum seekers without papers to help them achieve an Article 26 scholarship, which enables them to progress to university studies and cover full tutorial fees. We have a close working relationship with the University of Leicester and its University of Sanctuary Programme.
Advocacy and Signposting
We have successfully advocated for numerous cases to be overturned in court, such as decisions to suspend or sanction welfare benefit payments; immigration cases, including refusals, appeals and reunions; and the cancellation of debt orders.
Our signposting work means we can offer supported referrals to specialist agencies for support or to mutual self-help groups. We are networked across multiple groups, for example, those that are tackling child poverty, food banks or providing safe houses for domestic violence victims.
Immigration / Asylum / EU settlement / Refugee support
We work with those arriving in our city, county or country (or even before through family reunion support and resettlement programmes including for vulnerable Syrians). With engage with all those requiring support providing advisory, advocacy and research support work.
Where appropriate we make referrals to a wide range of partner charities who can provide additional support.
Once refugees attain their status, we help them to move into new homes, take up education or new employment opportunities, as well as providing assistance to reunite them with their families. We work very closely with the British Red Cross on this aspect of our service.
We also endeavour to ensure that refugees are not exploited by other services and receive fair and equal treatment in all areas of their lives.
Women Empowerment Services
We provide support groups and workshops for vulnerable women, those seeking employment and those that want to start their own businesses.
Our aim is to build self-confidence so that women can be more assertive in whichever setting they want to operate.
Community Outreach
In a usual year, we deliver approximately 80 outreach sessions throughout Leicester city and county, making presentations to small groups about our work and how people in local communities can connect with us and support our work.
Housing / Homelessness
Collaborative Partnerships
We also work in partnership with Voluntary Action Leicestershire to offer voluntary placements for adults within AIG where they can develop practical skills to help them prepare for work or future careers.