The RTPI Trust has launched the Displaced Planners Pathway to Work Fund worth an initial £20,000. The initiative, developed by the RTPI's Chief Executive Victoria Hills, aims to assist displaced planners in entering the planning profession in the UK and Ireland.
The world is currently experiencing the highest levels of displacement ever recorded. According to the UNHCR's Refugee Population Statistics Database, an estimated 108.4 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to conflicts or natural disasters.
In response to this, an initiative, which was agreed by the RTPI in June, has now been launched to assist the increasing number of planning professionals who have also been displaced worldwide.
The RTPI is committed to supporting initiatives that enable the development of strategies to rebuild places and communities after disasters, in addition to providing immediate assistance.
Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “We’ve seen an increase in direct messages from displaced professionals within the sector due to global events like conflicts across the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
“While we’ve been striving to provide support, helping connect professionals seeking work with established companies in the UK, we felt that there was more that could be done. This fund will enable the development of a more rounded programme, that will help people access professional networks and develop the specific knowledge needed to work in the UK.
“This decision from the RTPI Trust is both timely and necessary, and will help support displaced planners in real-time.”
Find out more
To find out more about the fund and how to apply visit: Displaced Planners Fund.
