Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants

What Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants does

The Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants is a London-based registered charity (Charity Commission No. 1135205; Companies House No. 07076199) and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1997 to support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants displaced from their countries of origin. It operates a hybrid service model anchored at 16-18 Cross Street, Islington (N1 2BG), with in-person centre days on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays offering English classes, yoga, choir, dance, art, casework appointments and a shared community space, supplemented by online classes and activities running throughout the week.

Its core products are Centre Days (in-person gatherings), one-to-one Support Packages/casework (advocacy across housing, healthcare, education and legal support), Educational Classes (1,260 classes delivered with 11,300 attendances), and Financial Hardship Grants (2,400+ disbursements to 92 people). It is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (registration N202200008), enabling it to provide regulated immigration advice, and operates with an 18-person paid staff team, approximately 40 volunteers, and a 9-trustee board. The Centre served over 220 community members in the most recent reporting period, with an average client stay of around four years.

The business model is non-commercial: services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and revenue derives from charitable donations, fundraising campaigns (including a Big Give Small Charity Week campaign that raised £11,909), and unnamed corporate or grant partnerships. The Centre has launched a 2025-2028 three-year strategy alongside three new trustee appointments in September 2025, and has expanded its partnership ecosystem across cultural, legal, employability and hospitality organisations in London.

Name

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants

Legal name

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants

Website

https://islingtoncentre.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants is a London-based registered charity that provides free English classes, casework, financial hardship grants, and community programmes to over 220 refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants from its Islington centre and online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Migrant Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (624210), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Migrant community programs
• Asylum seeker assistance
• ESOL English classes
• Charity casework advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: As a registered charity (No. 1135205), the centre relies on donations, fundraising campaigns, and potentially corporate partnerships for funding. The organisation ran a Big Give Small Charity Week campaign raising £11,909.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Core offering

The Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants provides holistic support to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in London through in-person Centre Days offering classes, casework appointments, lunch and community space; one-to-one Support Packages (casework) covering housing, healthcare, education, and legal needs; Educational Classes including ESOL English, yoga, choir, dance and art; and Financial Hardship Grants providing emergency funds for food and essentials.

Product overview

Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants operates as a single integrated charitable service rather than a software platform. The organization provides a holistic ecosystem of support services for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants: Centre Days (in-person gatherings with classes, activities, and community space), one-to-one Support Packages/Casework (advocacy for housing, healthcare, education, legal support), Educational Classes (ESOL English, yoga, choir, dance, art), and Financial Hardship Grants. The Centre serves a community of over 220 people with an average client stay of four years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Centre Days
• Support Packages (Casework)
• Educational Classes
• Financial Hardship Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• 75 people avoided street-sleeping and had safe housing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Squire Patton BoggscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated a Legal Empowerment Programme bringing together public legal education sessions that help demystify the law in practical, accessible ways for the refugee and migrant community.
• BPP Social ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Squire Patton Boggs to coordinate the Legal Empowerment Programme for the community.
• British Museum Community PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed interactive sessions at English classes themed around Treasures, bringing artefacts from the museum's handling collection to engage community with history and culture.
• Islington South LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the community monthly to participate in the Reading Ahead literacy programme challenging participants to read six things in six months.
• Clarion Futures DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered free LinkedIn and Professional Profile Workshop helping refugees build profiles that get noticed by employers.
• Bread and RosesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to deliver floristry training sessions for the community.
• ArachneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDelivering free LinkedIn and Professional Profile Workshop to help job seekers build professional profiles.
• Three Phone ShopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation for AI for Beginners workshop helping refugees and asylum seekers understand letters, fill in forms, write emails, and learn UK systems.
• EC LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free English classes in Islington for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.
• The Coffee BeanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free barista and English classes in Islington.
• Quentin Blake Centre for IllustrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers free art workshops for adult refugees, migrants and asylum seekers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IslingtonCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/islington-centre-for-refugees-and-migrants
• Instagraminstagram.com/islingtoncentre

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants