Consonant

Who we are

Consonant (formerly Migrants Resource Centre and Asylum Aid) has worked for over 30 years to help migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers overcome the barriers that prevent them from fully participating in British society. In this time, we have helped tens of thousands of people secure protection in the UK, regularise their immigration status, learn English, and find work. We have helped people who are stateless and have other nationality issues secure more certain future.

At Consonant, our roots are in the migrant communities that we serve. Our services are delivered by a wide range of skilled and dedicated volunteers who come from all over the world. And most of our staff are themselves migrants or the children of migrants. Many started as service users or volunteers before joining the staff, and therefore understand the challenges our clients face. We are proud to see ourselves as a migrant-led organisation. But we also see ourselves as an integral part of the British communities in which we live. While our first mandate is to support migrants to integrate into British society, we know that integration must be a two-way process. And for this reason, we reach out to use our skills and time to support all members of the community in need, whether they are migrants or not. And we work closely with organisations representing other members of the community to address shared challenges.

Our Vision

Consonant has a vision of a British society that is inclusive and free of prejudice; that celebrates the diversity of its population; and that supports the rights of all people to enjoy freedom from persecution, danger and oppression.

Our Mission

Consonant’s mission is to enable people of diverse origins to make the UK their home; and to enrich British society by building community through mutual respect and partnerships.

What We Do

Consonant supports migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to settle, integrate, and build new lives in the UK. We will help migrants and their families to truly prosper by enabling them to:

• Overcome the barriers that hold them back
• Develop the skills they need to build positive new lives, and
• Transform their communities and society to work for all who live here