A COLCHESTER company is working on a new partnership to improve support for refugee men and families settling in the UK.
African Families in the UK (AFiUK) and Colchester-based Community360 (C360) have joined forces to deliver earlier, culturally informed guidance as part of the Common Purpose Integration and Insight Programme.
Central to the collaboration is AFiUK’s Community Ambassadors scheme, which provides frontline support in navigating services and understanding life in the UK.
Dr Rachel Walton, co-founder of AFiUK, said: "The Community Ambassadors model is a trusted and culturally competent front door that enables earlier engagement, clearer understanding of rights and responsibilities in the UK, and more effective navigation of statutory and support services."
Community360’s contribution will centre on strategic oversight, governance, monitoring, evaluation, and the development of a national‑ready insight pipeline.
Cristina Huddleston, chief executive of Community360, said: "AFiUK’s Ambassador model brings a level of cultural competence and community trust that is rarely seen at scale.
"Integration works best when it is community-driven and system-supported, and this collaboration embodies exactly that balance."
The approach is designed to improve community-level engagement while influencing wider integration services across the UK.
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The programme also aims to build family stability during resettlement through early relational support, guidance on UK law and safeguarding, and culturally grounded family tools.
Community Ambassadors will consistently capture emerging needs, barriers, and risks, with C360 transforming this intelligence into quarterly learning briefs and implementable system recommendations.
Dr Walton said: "Together, we are shaping a model where community voice, lived experience, and strategic delivery work hand in hand to create safer, more confident and more connected communities."
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