What we offer

Our programmes and services are designed to help individuals lead independent lives in South West London. We take pride in our comprehensive range of practical and holistic services.

Our services are divided into the following areas:

  • Legal advice

  • Welfare advice

  • Counselling and wellbeing

  • Learning centre

  • Employment support

  • Other community activities

Scroll below to understand more about how each service runs.

Legal advice

Our legal team offer free information and advice for people seeking asylum and those with refugee status based in Kingston, Richmond, Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth.

Our friendly and expert legal advisors are accredited by the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) and Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) up to Level 3.

What we can help with:

Immigration advice on areas such as:

  • Asylum

  • Family reunion

  • Fresh claims for asylum

  • Indefinite leave to remain

  • eVisa applications *deadline: 1st June 2025*

Welfare advice

Our team of highly dedicated welfare advisors assist with access to state and other types of support to ensure a person’s basic needs are met.

The welfare advice service covers a wide range of areas. Whether it’s navigating the healthcare system, accessing housing or enrolling in school, we’re able to support people to become active members in the community.

What we can help with:

  • Housing and accommodation

  • Financial support

  • Healthcare

  • Enrolling in education

  • Further community support

Counselling and wellbeing

Our Counselling and wellbeing service is designed to address the holistic needs of individuals who may struggle with pre-, mid- or post-migration trauma and other mental health issues.

This includes:

  • Individual counselling, either in-person or virtually (via video or telephone)  

  • Wellbeing workshops

Individual counselling

Our team of qualified counsellors work to a humanistic framework, which focuses on the individual's unique experience, emotions, and personal growth.

It places great importance on the inherent worth and potential of every person, fostering a non-judgmental and empathic environment. Our approach is grounded in the belief that everyone has the capacity for self-discovery and positive change. Our counsellors are trained in trauma-informed practice.

Wellbeing workshops

We also run a variety of group programmes designed to help support an individual’s emotional and wellbeing needs, such as:

  • Sleep and mindfulness

  • Women’s health

  • Outdoor gym trips

  • Weekly ‘walk and talk'

  • Men’s football

  • Art classes

  • Yoga, cycling and running events 

Help outside of office hours

If you’re concerned about your mental health, you should tell your GP (doctor) as they are the best people to help you.

If it’s an emergency, telephone the emergency services on 999 or visit your local hospital.

If you want to talk to someone about how you’re feeling , you can call The Samaritans at any time for free on 116 123.

Kingston Talking Therapies is a local service available to use.

Employment support

We offer employment support through our job hub, where clients can access careers advice, guidance and work opportunities (paid and voluntary) to those looking to build or rebuild a career here in Kingston.

Our job coaches are highly experienced and can help people when they come to make decisions about a future career, providing support and advice throughout the process.

We also offer training, education and volunteering opportunities that can help increase employability.

What we can help with:

  • General information on how to navigate the UK job market

  • Advice on resuming a career or on a career change

  • Help with defining a set of attainable employment goals

  • Employability skills, such as:

    • Identifying available roles

    • Applying for employment

    • CV and cover letter writing

    • Presentation and interview skills

  • Practical support in identifying and applying for education, training, and volunteering

If you’re a business interested in using our free recruitment service to find skilled employees or volunteers for your organisation, head to Become a Partner for further details.

We are currently looking for volunteer Job hub coaches to join our mission. Apply here.

Community hub

The Community hub is dedicated to helping people to navigate the refugee experience.

We provide English language teaching, friendship and holistic support to refugees and asylum seekers in Kingston through a comprehensive programme of activity centred around hobbies, sport, the arts and creativity.

We run sessions throughout the week, including:

  • Walk and talk

  • Art classes

  • Sewing classes, facilitated by RBKares

  • Yoga

  • Meditation workshops

  • English classes

This wraparound support addresses not only practical challenges around communication but also nurtures emotional wellbeing and social integration.

We extend our gratitude to Kingston community support groups who help us to provide a wide range of activities that have a huge positive impact on wellbeing.

Learning Centre

Our English classes are run out of the community hub.

Our ESOL-qualified volunteer and staff teachers offer classes that cater to a wide range of levels, whether someone’s starting from scratch or looking to improve their fluency. We run separate English classes for adults and children.

We encourage those interested in learning English to also get involved with the community hub activities, as we run many activities that provide further opportunity to practice the language in a sociable environment.

For adults

English classes for adults range from informal, conversational practice such as Walk and Talk, to more structured classroom sessions that focus on everything from foundational language to more advanced knowledge.

English learning for adults is run as drop-in sessions, so you don’t need to sign up to individual classes. However, you must be registered with RAK to attend.

For children

Our Bright Futures programme is comprised of three weekly sessions to cater to the needs of children and young adults, who are either in or entering the education system. 

ESOL-qualified volunteer and staff teachers run two clubs, After-School Club and Supplementary School.

We also organise positive educational experiences, days out, local visits and celebrations. In 2024, these included a family trip to Hampton Court, a nature day in Richmond Park, tennis coaching and a summer tea party, theatre visits and a trip to the bowling alley!

We support parents to engage with their children’s schools and get involved with their children’s learning. We require the parents' attendance for primary-age children attending the After-School Club.

Thanks to our partnership with Keep Kids Connected, we may be able to provide children with a laptop where needed.

Bright Futures After-School Club

Teachers, peer mentors and volunteer tutors offer group and 1-2-1 help with homework and academic support in English and in maths and science. This class is for young people aged between 5-16 years old.

We also work with community partners to offer extra-curricular activities in music, art and sport.

Parents take part in their own English lessons and are helped to become familiar with the British school system: what’s taught, how it's taught, and the transition to secondary school or college.

Bright Futures Supplementary School

A weekly or twice-weekly session for children and young people waiting for a school or college place.

Teachers, peer mentors and volunteer tutors support students through the admissions process and work to prepare them for the start of their school or college career in the UK.