Upbeat Communities

Who we are

Upbeat Communities is a Christian charity that exists to help refugees settle and rebuild their lives in the UK. One of the best resources a refugee can have to help them settle in their new home is a good social network. With this aim, we want to help connect refugees into community. Our name reflects our vision to see thriving communities where refugees can make a positive contribution.

Our organisational values, lived out by our staff and volunteers, are:

We work to WELCOME. We create COMMUNITY. We are inspired to act with INTEGRITY.  We exist to EMPOWER. We are committed to CREATIVITY. We run on RELATIONSHIPS. We are proud to be PROFESSIONAL. We have COMPASSION at our core.

Upbeat Communities' Christian ethos was the driving force behind the charity’s formation and is the basis for the values. Many of our team are Christians but we are eager to build a team that is representative of the diverse nationalities, faiths, and life experiences of the communities we work with.

Our culture and values

Upbeat Communities was founded in response to the needs of refugees arriving in the UK and the stories they shared of their lives and their journeys. Through building relationships with those from refugee communities we were able to identify their needs and the best ways to respond.

One of the best resources a refugee can have to help them settle in their new home is a good social network. Relationships and connectedness can help overcome the many challenges faced by those seeking refuge. With this aim, we want to help connect refugees into community.

Our name reflects our vision to see thriving, positive communities where refugees can contribute and make the most of opportunities.

We greet new arrivals with our Welcome Boxes befriending project. We offer free English classes and community activities to help refugees (adults and children) integrate. We empower refugees to rebuild their lives through Host Derby (temporary accommodation), mentoring (careers guidance) and the UK Refugee Resettlement Scheme, which local authorities contract us to deliver. We also empower the local community through awareness raising.