New Scots Graduate from Leadership Programme

That the Parliament congratulates the 47 New Scots who have graduated through six leadership and social enterprise programmes offered by the Scottish Refugee Council, in partnership with the Social Enterprise Academy, since summer 2021; understands that, over an eight-month period, participants attended several one-day workshops, as well as an intensive and unique multi-day leadership programme where the New Scots shared ideas on community engagement, leadership and social enterprise; appreciates that 14 emerging leaders with experience of the asylum system and/or resettlement were selected from the applicants to attend the eight-month leadership course, where they developed their strategic leadership skills, enhanced their social capital and began supporting one another in their personal leadership journeys; recognises that the programme focused on the challenges and opportunities around refugees stepping up to become key leaders in their communities; celebrates the success of participants, culminating in a graduation ceremony held for the new leaders on 21 May 2022, which was hosted by the Scottish Refugee Council; acknowledges that 12 of the leaders will now go on to complete their leadership qualification with the Social Enterprise Academy; welcomes the announcement by Foundation Scotland that it will fund another cohort of future leaders, and notes that Refugee Week 2022, which runs from 20 to 26 June 2022, provides everyone in Scotland and across the world an opportunity to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.