Refugee Action Kingston

What Refugee Action Kingston does

Refugee Action Kingston (RAK) is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1176768) founded in 1991 and headquartered in Kingston Upon Thames, providing wraparound support services for refugees and asylum seekers in the Kingston borough and the wider South West London catchment (Richmond, Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth for legal services). The organisation serves approximately 1,500-2,000 clients annually through an integrated portfolio of programmes: a Legal Advice Service accredited by the Immigration Advice Authority up to Level 3, Welfare Advice, Counselling and Wellbeing (trauma-informed), a Community Hub delivering English classes, social activities, and weekly hot meals for 100+ attendees, a Learning Centre with ESOL classes, a Job Hub offering employment coaching and a Free Recruitment Service linking employers with refugee candidates, and the Bright Futures Programme for children and young people. A Hardship Fund provides direct emergency financial assistance. Services are free of charge and delivered via weekly drop-in sessions, appointment-based casework, and community hub activities, with multilingual coverage spanning Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, Korean, Kurdish, Mandarin, Tamil, Sinhalese, and Vietnamese.

The charity is led by Director Bassam Mahfouz, with Louise Bloom as Community Hub Manager and Shamil Sharshek in fundraising, supported by a board of trustees (currently recruiting a volunteer Chair). Headcount stands at 29 staff, supplemented by a large volunteer base of ESOL-qualified teachers, qualified counsellors, job coaches, and community guides. RAK's revenue model is fully donation-based, with no commercial fees charged to clients; funding is diversified across individual donations (monthly direct debits, payroll giving, one-off gifts), trust and foundation grants (National Lottery Community Fund, Albert Hunt Trust, Groundwork London, Aviva Community Fund), corporate partnerships (eBay, Regeneron, Swire and others providing financial and in-kind support), and legacy gifts. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on referrals from local authorities (Royal Borough of Kingston), partner organisations (Citizens Advice Kingston, Migrant Help, KCAH), word-of-mouth, and outreach across digital channels (website, newsletter, social media, Worldwide FM radio show). The 2023-2028 Strategy and 2024/25 annual report indicate a deliberate progression from informal volunteer effort toward formalised programme infrastructure, anchored by the National Lottery-funded Community Hub formalisation in March 2024.

Name

Refugee Action Kingston

Legal name

Refugee Action Kingston

Website

https://refugeeactionkingston.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Refugee Action Kingston is a UK charity founded in 1991 delivering free legal, welfare, counselling, ESOL, employment, and youth services to refugees and asylum seekers in Kingston and South West London, serving roughly 1,500-2,000 clients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and Asylum Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (62411), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Asylum seeker assistance
• Immigration legal advice
• ESOL language teaching
• Community integration programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston Upon Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Regular monthly donations via direct debit and one-off donations from individuals. Also includes Payroll Giving (GAYE) for tax-efficient giving.
2. Trust and Foundation Grants: Funding from charitable trusts including The National Lottery Community Fund, The Albert Hunt Trust, and others.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Financial contributions and in-kind donations from corporate partners including technology devices, clothing, and volunteering time.
4. Legacy Gifts: Include Refugee Action Kingston in estate planning through residuary, pecuniary, or specific legacies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Refugee Action Kingston is a registered charity delivering free, wraparound support services to refugees and asylum seekers in Kingston and South West London. Its core offering includes immigration legal advice (IAA-accredited to Level 3), welfare advice, counselling and wellbeing support, ESOL classes, a Community Hub providing social activities and meals, employment support through the Job Hub, and a Bright Futures programme for children and young people.

Product overview

Refugee Action Kingston operates as a single-charity organisation offering an integrated suite of support services for refugees and asylum seekers in South West London. The core portfolio centres on Legal Advice, Welfare Advice, Counselling and Wellbeing, and a Learning Centre providing ESOL classes. Supporting these are the Community Hub (providing social integration activities and meals), the Job Hub (employment support), and the Bright Futures Programme (supporting children and young people). A Hardship Fund provides emergency financial assistance. The services work together as a wrap-around support model designed to address both immediate needs and long-term integration, from arrival through to employment and community belonging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Advice Service Free immigration legal advice and information for asylum seekers and refugees, accredited by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) up to Level 3. Covers asylum, family reunion, fresh claims, indefinite leave to remain, and eVisa applications.
• Welfare Advice Service Assistance with accessing state and other support including housing, financial support, healthcare, education enrollment, and further community support.
• Counselling and Wellbeing Service Mental health support addressing holistic needs including PTSD and trauma, offering individual counselling (in-person or virtual) and wellbeing workshops including sleep/mindfulness, women's health, outdoor activities, and art classes.
• RAK Community Hub Central hub providing English language teaching, friendship and holistic support through hobbies, sport, arts and creativity. Includes Walk and Talk, sewing classes, yoga, meditation, English classes, and weekly meals for over 100 people.
• Learning Centre / ESOL Classes English language teaching for adults ranging from conversational practice to structured classroom sessions, and for children through Bright Futures programme. ESOL-qualified volunteer and staff teachers serve all levels.
• Employment Support / Job Hub Career management support including CV writing, interview skills, job search strategy, and connections to employers. Volunteer job coaches provide weekly in-person sessions in central Kingston.
• Bright Futures Programme Three weekly sessions for children and young people including After-School Club (ages 5-16) with homework support and Supplementary School for those awaiting school placement. Includes extra-curricular activities, family trips, and parent engagement.
• Hardship Fund Direct financial assistance to individuals in need who are often prevented from working or receiving benefits, distributed to address immediate challenges.
• Free Recruitment Service Job hub staffing service connecting employers with individuals who have refugee status, helping businesses access diverse talent.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 individuals helped annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kingston University (Department of Geography, Geology and the Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Dr. Peter Garside and geography students on The Abundance Project, creating a community-led map of important local spaces. Students facilitated workshops with RAK members at the Community Hub.
• The Rose Theatre (Kingston)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'The Boy at the Back of the Class' production collaboration. Rose Theatre offered free tickets to RAK clients, volunteers, and staff. Post-show discussions with young audiences and early rehearsal Q&A sessions with RAK clients.
• Friends of Bushy and Home ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided guided nature walks for RAK members, offering educational experiences about local wildlife, plants, and history while promoting mental health and wellbeing through green space engagement.
• Save the World ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity kitchen partner providing access to cooking facilities twice a week for people seeking asylum living in hotels, addressing food insecurity and social isolation.
• Surplus to Supper ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides surplus food donations that volunteer chefs use to prepare hot meals for over 100 people weekly at the Community Hub.
• Neighbourly AppminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership providing surplus food donations through their app platform for Community Hub meal programme.
• Connected KingstonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal shared database of community activities that RAK uses to direct clients to various events and opportunities available in the borough.
• RBKarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sewing classes and community activities at the Community Hub. Collaborates on supporting community integration.
• Dons Local Action GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide laptops to parents to support learning at home through the Keep Kids Connected programme.
• eBayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteers helped restore bikes for families, prepared goodie bags for young people, and volunteered at RAK events.
• RegeneronminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteers created backpacks for young people used during summer activities exploring Richmond Park and Kew Gardens.
• Royal Borough of Kingston (RBK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner providing support and collaboration in delivering services to refugees and asylum seekers in the borough.
• Kingston FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness partnership organization supporting local businesses and community initiatives in Kingston.
• Migrant HelpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for asylum seekers, with RAK directing people to their services for initial asylum claims.
• KCAH (Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides emergency housing support and drop-in services for those facing homelessness, runs drop-in at St Peter's Church Hall.
• Citizens Advice KingstonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for non-refugee/non-asylum seeker visa enquiries and citizenship matters.
• Achieving for ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner supporting children and families services.
• The Entrepreneurial Refugee NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting entrepreneurial refugees, potential collaboration on employment support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• City of Sanctuary: UK-wide network of local 'Cities of Sanctuary' supporting people seeking asylum through volunteer-led welcome, advocacy, and integration. Comparable mission and community-led model, but operates as a network rather than a direct service provider.
• British Red Cross: National humanitarian organisation running refugee support programmes including family reunion, emergency support, and integration. Comparable in delivering wraparound services to refugees across the UK, though as part of a much broader humanitarian portfolio.
• Refugee Council: One of the largest UK charities working with refugees and asylum seekers, providing advice, integration, and policy advocacy. Comparable to RAK in core service categories (legal advice, welfare support) but operating nationally rather than borough-level.
• Refugee Action: The UK's leading national charity for refugees and asylum seekers, providing advice, advocacy, and integration support. A direct mission-aligned incumbent operating at national scale, comparable in service breadth (advice, employment, integration) but vastly larger in geography and budget.

Direct peers

• Migrant Help: UK-wide charity providing advice and support to asylum seekers, including initial asylum claim support and dispersal accommodation assistance. A direct operational peer — RAK explicitly refers clients to Migrant Help for initial asylum claims, indicating service overlap and complementarity.
• South London Refugee Association: Charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers across South London with casework, advice, and integration activities. Direct peer by both geography (South London) and service model — providing casework, ESOL, and community support comparable to RAK.
• Asylum Welcome: Oxford-based charity providing support to asylum seekers, refugees, and detainees with advice, housing, and community programmes. Direct operational peer in service mix (advice, integration, community hub activities) though serving a different geographic region.
• Praxis: London-based charity supporting migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers with legal advice, housing, and integration services. Direct operational peer in East London with comparable wraparound model, including PAIAA-accredited immigration advice and community integration programmes.
• Refugee Support Network: Charity providing education and psychosocial support to young refugees and asylum seekers across the UK. Direct peer in the youth/education segment of refugee support — comparable to RAK's Bright Futures programme but with national reach.

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Kingston: Local Citizens Advice bureau providing generalist advice (housing, benefits, immigration referrals) in Kingston. A direct local peer for non-refugee-specific welfare and visa advice; RAK refers visa enquiries outside its scope to this organisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refugee-action-kingston

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Refugee Action Kingston