TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network)

TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network)

Careers at TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network)

TERN is an ambitious social enterprise and ever-growing community with a mission to enable refugees to thrive through the power of their own ideas. We help refugees become entrepreneurs, launch businesses and take control of their own futures. Alongside our experienced volunteer community of over 300 industry experts, entrepreneurs and consultants, our goal is to launch 2,000 refugee-led businesses by 2025.

In service of our vision of a world where refugees have a fair chance to build a livelihood, we have also developed Anqa, Europe's first marketplace for refugee-led companies, and Skylight, the UK's first micro-credit fund for the refugee business community.

Verified by Escape

Escape's take on TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network)

Did you know that refugees in the UK, US and Canada are far more likely to be unemployed than other citizens, and when employed, more likely to work in low-wage and low-skilled professions? TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network) helps refugees escape this spiral, by unlocking their entrepreneurial potential. By offering mentoring expert advice, a community to network and business opportunities like pitching events, TERN has supported 250 refugee entrepreneurs in 2020 alone, aiming to launch 2,000 refugee-led businesses by 2025. Their team love the flexibility, endless learning opportunities, wellbeing benefits like coaching, paid volunteering days, and welcoming and supportive atmosphere: β€œI genuinely look forward to being around my colleagues every day”.

Stats we are proud of

  • 518

    entrepreneurial refuges supported so far

  • 90

    refugee-led brands launched in the UK alone

  • 4

    countries replicating support

  • 1st

    marketplace for refugee-led brands launched globally

Behind the scenes

What the team says

Star
9.9 / 10*
Conversations
27 verified employee reviews

Best for...
(as reviewed by current employees)

  • πŸ“– Opportunities to learn
    8
  • πŸ“£ Mission & Purpose
    7
  • πŸ‘­ Inclusivity
    3
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘§ Team members
    3
  • 🀩 Flat hierarchy
    1
  • 😎 Autonomy
    1
  • πŸ‘» Transparency
    1

* Employees annoymously reviewed this organisation as part of our Escape 100: Top Organisations to escape to campaign.

  • E

    Erin

    Jun 2023

    🀩 Flat hierarchy
    Everyone is treated with the friendliness& respect - from entrepreneurs all the way through to co-founders.

    πŸ“£ Mission & Purpose
    We are truly values led and this shows up in the impact of the work we do and the drive of the team every day. We really believe in what we do and that collective power makes a massive difference.

    πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘§ Team members
    We are like (functional and fun!) a family & a bunch of best friends - we look out for each other, support each other's growth & keep each other in line with a healthy amount of banter.

    Overall

    I've been wanting to go back to my family and nature in Australia for the past few years, but genuinely can't leave because I love my job so much. You know its good if it makes London madness worth it.
  • Employee

    Employee

    Jun 2023

    πŸ“£ Mission & Purpose
    TERN has a really clear, admirable mission to help refugee entrepreneurs to thrive through the power of their own ideas. We work directly with entrepreneurs who have experienced forced migration, and do so in a way that does not infringe on the business owners' autonomy. TERN's mission, purpose and approach to achieving this sets it apart from other organisations and makes it an inspiring place to work.

    πŸ“– Opportunities to learn
    TERN offers a great balance between having well-documented processes / knowledge management, and encouraging the team to pursue new ideas and improve current practices. There is a culture of always improving, and taking every opportunity to learn. The team (including the two directors) are always willing to share knowledge and provide help and feedback. We have team skills sessions so that the team can share insights regarding cases, skills and practices that would be useful for our jobs.

    🀩 Flat hierarchy
    The team benefits from having a flat hierarchy, as the co-founders treat themselves as equals to the team members. This means that all team members ideas are respected, we do not have unnecessary reporting lines and bureaucracy, and the co-founders are readily accessible for chats, sharing ideas and feedback.

    Overall

    TERN is a great place to work. The work is inspiring and purposeful, and allows the team to make an impact in a non-paternalistic way. The team are supportive of each other, with a culture of openness and collective effort and celebration. Working at TERN is also really fun, and the company provides many benefits to employees that positively impact our holistic experience as team members.
  • IF

    Isobelle Ford

    Jun 2023

    πŸ“£ Mission & Purpose
    TERN's mission is strongly aligned with my personal values, and focused on delivering real impact for the refugee community in the UK. From our community of volunteers up to the leadership team, I genuinely feel that every decision taken by the organisation is values-led, and this sense of authenticity and integrity is one of the reasons I see myself working here long-term.

    πŸ‘­ Inclusivity
    TERN is serious about creating an inclusive and welcoming space for both their community of entrepreneurs and for their employees. Their commitment to involving service users (in this case, refugee entrepreneurs) in the design, delivery and strategic direction of TERN's initiatives is something that really stands out to me, as I haven't often encountered this in other, similar, organisastions. TERN entrepreneurs are offered paid opportunities to contribute to TERN's development, and employed alongside the team to deliver business workshops.

    πŸ“– Opportunities to learn
    One of TERN's most exciting benefits is the freedom employees are given to lead on their own innovation projects and to develop their own areas of interest. TERN is great at recognising an individual's personal values, skills and interests and helping them to develop these through providing hands-on opportunities to bring their own ideas to life (both in and out of the office). I've been encouraged through my own journey to becoming a founder, and couldn't have done it without the tireless support of my line manager and TERN's leadership team. In my professional experience, this is a unique opportunity and setup that I haven't come across before, as TERN is genuinely interested in supporting each employee's personal development and helping them achieve their future life goals.

    Overall

    I've worked at TERN for nearly six years, and my main reasons for staying in the role this long are:

    - The exceptional culture created by the team. It's a joy to come to work in such a caring, values-led environment where it feels like each team member is invested in your success and willing to support you.
    - The direct impact I've seen my work have on our service users. I regularly receive formal (via survey) and informal (word of mouth) feedback from TERN's community which demonstrates the positive impact my projects and work have had, and this is very rewarding.
    - The opportunities to grow. I've been supported in setting up my own initiative as an extended part of TERN's work, and my line manager has consistently supported me with this. They have created the kind of atmosphere where new ideas are met with excitement, and the possibility of actually turning them into reality.

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