What remote work means for refugees, with Lorraine Charles

Through the work of Na’amal, Lorraine Charles helps prepare refugees for the global workforce.

Since its founding in 2019, Na’amal connects displaced people to potential employers, partnering with leading organizations to support people who have been displaced by hardship through skills training, mentorship, and remote work placement opportunities. 

Labeling herself as a “reluctant entrepreneur,” Lorraine’s background is in academic research. She remains a research associate at the Centre for Business Research at the University of Cambridge, and today she combines her expertise of refugee education and employment with a particular focus on digital work. 

In this episode, she shares with Job the many challenges Na’amal and the people they work with have to overcome to ensure refugees can work remotely. She explains how shifting demographics in Europe, Africa, and beyond make refugee hiring the logical decision for employers seeking to recruit. And she reflects on contrasting European attitudes to refugees in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. 

Lorraine also makes a passionate pitch for employers to work with her to recruit interns as an opportunity to trial potential talent. For any employers interested, you can find Na’amal at naamal.org or contact Lorraine directly through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-charles.