Highland response to national resettlement and humanitarian programmes

At today’s (Wed 6 November 2024) Housing & Property Committee, Members noted the Council services partnership approach to national resettlement and humanitarian programmes delivery.

Housing & Property Committee Vice Chair, Cllr Sarah Atkin said: “The Highland Council has a strong track record in supporting refugees and displaced persons in recent years. The people who are now living across Highland are individuals and families supported because of national programmes which have determined they have a legal right to reside, work and claim statutory entitlements.

“The Council has a professional, compassionate and dedicated cross service team that in recent years has helped deliver three separate programmes which included Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) which enabled families from Syria to be resettled into properties provided by the Council, ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme to support Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDPs) who fled their homes due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and most recently the Afghan Relocation and Resettlement Programme (ARAP) to support the emergency evacuation of Afghans who had been employed by the UK Government in Afghanistan and assessed to be at high risk of imminent threat to life.

“All resettlement programmes are highly sensitive and complex in delivery and require a multi-agency partnership approach to provide the best level of transition for those being placed in Highland. We should all be proud of the incredible job the team has done.    

“Also, the people of Highland have shown enormous empathy and compassion which has been of great comfort to the people beginning new lives here.

“Today’s report highlights many wonderful milestones reached and it is very humbling to hear how those who lost so much have managed to build new lives.  I pay credit to these resilient and brave individuals and to those who continue to support them.”

The full report can be read here (Item 16).