2024 Shortlist | Breaking Barriers

Breaking Barriers

Shortlist – People in Governance

About the Charity

Breaking Barriers exists to dismantle the barriers refugees face when seeking employment. These include long gaps on CVs caused by lengthy asylum processes, limited English and IT skills, racism, misplaced employer perceptions around hiring refugees, and difficulty getting overseas qualifications recognised. Its mission is to support refugees into meaningful employment with advice, experience and education. The charity works towards this by providing refugees with tailored, one-to-one employment advice and guidance delivered by a team of dedicated advisors, English and IT courses at a variety of levels, skills workshops, paid work placements, and permanent job opportunities provided in partnership with national and regional corporate partners across a variety of sectors. Breaking Barriers works across London, Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow to support more than 2,600 refugees from 100 countries.

Charity number: 1161901 |  Breaking-Barriers.co.uk
Employment and Workforce Training  |  England – London | 26-100 paid staff

What the Board Achieved

Breaking Barriers embodies a commitment to empowering refugees, facilitated by a board that harnesses diverse talents, holds itself accountable, and fosters engagement across the organisation.

The charity’s board comprises well-networked individuals with extensive charity, private, and refugee sector experience. Notably, 40% of trustees have lived experience, ensuring representation of those impacted by the charity’s work. The board leverages this expertise through quarterly meetings, participation in internal mentoring programs, and active involvement in strategic initiatives. Quarterly meetings are held alternately as remote and in-person meetings, with a budget set aside for reimbursing travel expenses and increasing accessibility. Recruitment efforts target professionals with specific skill sets, resulting in tailored governance structures that address organisational needs and amplify individual contributions. For example, during a board review in 2023, trustees identified a gap in knowledge of safeguarding and invested in an external talent agency and job board to recruit a trustee with the requisite experience to help the board develop new safeguarding policies for vulnerable adults and children.

The board subjects itself to independent Effectiveness Reviews every 18 months, evaluating performance, skill sets, and progress toward organisational goals. Biannual appraisals between the board and CEO foster accountability and alignment, while trustee term limits and compulsory safeguarding training ensure they are equipped with relevant skills and competencies. Regular engagement with staff and a Lived Experience Panel creates opportunities for continual feedback, enhancing transparency and responsiveness.Trustees also participate in one-to-one mentoring with staff members to provide more in-depth support according to their own expertise.

Breaking Barriers’ governance structure facilitates robust engagement and visibility across the organisation, utilising quarterly meetings with the Senior Leadership Team and sub-committees to ensure alignment and collaboration, while monthly reporting, staff forums, and anonymous feedback mechanisms promote transparency and inclusivity. Trustees undertake extensive induction training, participate in events,and prioritise stakeholder engagement.

The robust governance structures in place help drive improved impact in the following ways:

• Active involvement in sub-committees enables strategic planning and informed decision-making, guiding initiatives such as expansion efforts and financial resilience.
• Hosting events and fundraising initiatives amplifies organisational reach and generates additional income, fostering sustainability and growth.
• Direct engagement with staff and stakeholders ensures responsiveness to evolving needs and challenges, enhancing service delivery and enabling sustainable expansion.

Through these activities, the board cultivates a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation, positioning Breaking Barriers to continue empowering refugees and driving positive social change.

Why the Board Was Shortlisted

Breaking Barriers has developed a board where trustees are deeply focused on the strategic growth of the charity and committed to leveraging their own skills and experience toward improving impact. The Judges praised the board’s approach to centring lived experience – 40% of trustees claim similar experiences and backgrounds to the communities the charity is trying to reach and the Lived Experience Panel ensures the board is held accountable and kept informed on the best way to support their current service users. The entry articulated some of the policies and processes the board employs to remain accountable and focused on improvement, such as regular Effectiveness Reviews and engagement with the charity’s staff team through the Employee Forum and ongoing feedback surveys.