Nearly £400k awarded to help migrants settle and contribute
Harrow Council will be able to offer free courses, community care and English lessons to hundreds more new arrivals – thanks to a £400,000 award, announced today, from a government scheme designed to help migrants integrate in their new communities in the UK.
Harrow is one of only four London boroughs to win money from the Controlling Migration Fund.
Cllr Sachin Shah, Leader of Harrow Council, said:
“Harrow is proud to be one of the most diverse places in the country. We know that migrants can offer so much in the way of skills and cultural enrichment. To make the most of this, we need to ensure they have the opportunities to make a positive contribution to their communities and this fund will go a long way to making sure that happens.
“We’re going to fund a teacher to provide English lessons, which will help families integrate and increase their ability to contribute economically. That not only reduces their reliance on the council, but allows us to tap into the skills we need in the borough.
“The fund will also help us reach out to more host families, easing pressure on our housing stock. Make no mistake, this funding is about ensuring migrants continue to be a positive and welcome part of Harrow’s community.”
The Controlling Migration Fund (CMF) was launched last November and allows local authorities in England to bid for funding totalling £100million over four years from 2016/17 to 2019/20.
The range of support Harrow can now offer with its grant is as diverse as the community it is designed to help. As well as an outreach social worker, a social care assistant will be employed to help migrants learn some day-to-day skills like cooking. Harrow will also run good citizenship courses to aid integration and improve awareness of social norms, and health screening for new arrivals.
