Employment and Employability Advice
We provide bespoke employment and skills training services ranging from CV writing, cover letters, interview skills, IT skills, computing and help with job search. This can range from securing an apprenticeship and employability skills to general work preparation.
We can also assist your career planning by helping you to identify your interests and abilities. We also offer coaching whilst you are on a work placement or starting out in a new job.
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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.
Advocacy and Signposting
We are passionate advocates in support of our service users across a broad range of issues including human rights, civil rights, social justice and equality legislation.
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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.
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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
Our immigration support service works closely with OISC-accredited legal advisers to support our service users. 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). We 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.
Disabilities Services
Our Disabilities Services encompass a range of support initiatives aimed at collaborating with various NHS groups as part of multi-agency policy designing and support efforts. We are committed to enhancing access to services for vulnerable individuals with disabilities, ensuring they receive proper support and assistance. Additionally, we provide guidance in accessing benefits to alleviate financial burdens and improve overall well-being.
Community Outreach
Our Outreach Service is dedicated to connecting with communities and providing essential support across Leicester city and county. Through various initiatives, we aim to foster relationships and empower individuals to contribute meaningfully to our shared goals. We conduct around 80 outreach sessions annually, reaching out to small groups to showcase our work and encourage community involvement. Our efforts extend beyond presentations as we actively organise interactive workshops and provide targeted information to address specific needs and concerns.
By promoting dialogue and collaboration, we strive to build strong relationships within our communities and make a lasting impact. Whether through online platforms or face-to-face interactions, our Outreach Service remains dedicated to creating positive change in the lives of those we serve.
Housing/Homelessness
We team up with a range of partners and organisations, such as local authorities and charities specifically focused on aiding homeless and rough-sleeping individuals and families. Through these collaborations, we ensure that our service users have access to the support they require to address their needs effectively.
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Our primary goal is to assist individuals in transitioning into secure and sustainable accommodation options, whether they be temporary or permanent. This involves working closely with our partners to navigate the complexities of housing arrangements and providing the necessary resources to establish stability in their lives. We advocate for our service users' rights and ensure they receive the assistance they need to secure emergency shelters or long-term housing solutions.
Women Empowerment Services
A key component of AIG’s work is to focus on the needs of women in our community by delivering a range of support, which we call “Women’s Empowerment Services”.
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We provide support groups and workshops for vulnerable women, those seeking employment and those who want to start their own businesses.
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Our aim is to build self-confidence so that women can be more assertive in whichever setting they want to operate.
Befriending Support
Our befriending scheme is at the heart of everything that we do. We offer and find, support for the most vulnerable individuals in our local community.
We help create friendships and attachments between vulnerable people, some of whom will be victims of modern slavery, human trafficking, domestic violence and abuse. Others will have been affected by county lines and gang violence, radicalisation and other socially corrosive factors.
Collaborative Partnerships
AIG believes in the power of partnership and collaboration. We work with several East Midlands universities (e.g. De Montfort University, Leicester University and Nottingham Trent University) and local colleges (e.g. Leicester College) to provide Work Placement for Students and Work Experience for secondary school pupils.
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.