The ground-breaking Refugee and UNISON Learning Project piloted by UNISON Scotland has received top marks from the project's funders - the Home Office.

A five star rating compiled to assess the worth of the project, is the best that can be achieved and indicates the value placed in our work by the Home Office.

'The project achieved beacon status and excelled at meeting all the indicators' says the report.

The project - managed by project worker Elaine Rae - planned to recruit and retrain 16 refugees into work with Scottish public service employers, providing them with UNISON mentors for a training and work experience programme that will help get them into employment.

Twelve are in placements and have a high level of support which suggests a good chance of achieving their aims.

Elaine said, "This is tremendous news. The project has been difficult at times, but very worthwhile; to get this commendation together with the further funding secured from the Home Office - means that we can use this as a shining example of how to smooth the path into work and challenge assumptions that UNISON members may have about refugees".

The project has secured an extension of funding for a year, so that Elaine can write the project up as a model for other trade unions to use. It is planned to promote this at a conference in London next year.

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