Leeds Refugee Forum (LRF) is a refugee led organisation directly supporting
refugees and asylum seekers as they begin their new lives in Leeds. Refugees
are socially and economically disadvantaged in many ways, but LRF identifies,
inspires, develops, encourages and supports members of the refugee community.
Refugees bring with them a huge wealth of experience, knowledge, expertise
and resourcefulness. LRF aims to help refugees harness these skills to benefit
other refugees, asylum seekers, refugee communities and the wider community.

LRF provides training and resources to help refugees develop new skills and
integrate into the local community and potentially find employment. LRF runs
One Community Centre (OCC) which provides a valuable resource to the whole
Lincoln Green community, one of the most deprived communities in the country
(in the lowest 3% in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation).

LRF provides a place for discussion between different refugee communities, and
then provides a collective voice, highlighting and advocating for the needs and
aspirations of refugee and asylum seeking communities, and influences decisions
at a strategic level. It also brings community members and leaders from refugee
and host communities together to develop positive links between communities from
many different backgrounds.

LRF was formed in 2003, became constituted in June 2006, is a company limited by guarantee and became a registered charity in April 2011. Its trustees come from the refugee community in Leeds and LRF’s members and users are from over 30 different countries of origin.