New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: Delivery Plan 2024-2026 - Year 1 Report

Foreword

We are delighted to share this report covering the first year of delivery under the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: Delivery Plan 2024-2026. In this we have case studies and reports on actions and several major highlights from the three partners in the strategy: COSLA, Scottish Refugee Council and the Scottish Government.

Community cohesion remains a challenge. We have witnessed ongoing protests and increasingly hostile language. It is important to note the impact it is having both on New Scots and on communities more widely. At the same time, we have seen the COSLA leaders statement on community cohesion and partners coming together to respond constructively and address these issues collaboratively and proactively.

A significant step forward was taken with this refreshed strategy, with the contributions of New Scots now at the heart of the work and engaging with the expertise of the partnership, local authorities across the country and third sector organisations. The appointment and training of the New Scots Core Group Advisers by Scottish Refugee Council, together with developing working relationships has been a highlight of the work, not least when the Advisers and partners met with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in March 2025 and heard his praise for their work and strategy first hand.

COSLA Leaders have issued a strong joint statement on community cohesion, and local authorities across Scotland have now supported tens of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution from all over the world including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Gaza to settle and make a life for themselves in Scotland. In addition, and as part of the principles of trauma-sensitive work at the heart of the strategy, local authorities have been leading innovative mental health and wellbeing work for young people seeking asylum.

The Scottish Government committed to award a contract for the delivery of a comprehensive, Scotland-wide service to help forced migrants to integrate into their local areas. The contract was awarded in June 2025 to Scottish Refugee Council. The service provides advice services, information services, and training and connects communities across Scotland, to help people fleeing war and persecution settle into their new home. The new multi-year funded contract will run from October 2025 until March 2028 enabling more people to be supported.

In addition, following the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development, which highlighted the extent of the challenges facing the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) sector, additional funding of £500,000 was secured to support the hard work of language learning for New Scots in Glasgow through the provision of additional ESOL classes.

The report contains case studies from some of the work which has progressed through the first year and highlights the ever and increasingly popular Refugee Festival Scotland led by Scottish Refugee Council.

It is clear from work on community solidarity with and also led by New Scots, that there is urgent and continuing need for the acclaimed whole-society approach to integration which is at the heart of the New Scots strategy. Integration remains the work of communities, in communities and for communities. It is through building relationships that greater understanding is born and threats of violence and hostility can be reduced for New Scots.

Finally, this year has seen the publication of the underpinning research for the New Scots Strategy in the form of A Handbook for Integration with Refugees, by Esa Aldegheri, Dan Fisher, and Alison Phipps at University of Glasgow.1

Professor Alison Phipps OBE, D.Litt, PhD, FRSE, FAcSS, FRSA

Chair of the New Scots Core Group and UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Education, Languages and the Arts, University of Glasgow