Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, on universal values and engaging with policymakers, the media, and the public.
The Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, joins us to discuss the refugee crisis and shed light on the work of the Refugee Council and the context in which they operate.
Every day, refugees are risking their lives by coming on boats from Continental Europe to the UK, and we see a political response of building walls and enforceability.
We explore the realities on the ground and the electoral challenges faced by policymakers, within a backdrop of heightened economic insecurity which often drives xenophobia.
Enver Solomon provides specific tips on how to be an effective advocate for refugees and universal values, and explains why engaging with policymakers and the public is essential for an effective communications strategy.
The Refugee Council was founded in 1951, following the creation of the UN Refugee Convention. They exist to support and empower people who have fled conflict, violence and persecution in order to rebuild their lives in the UK. They work with more than 13,000 women, men and children each year.
About Enver Solomon
Enver joined the Refugee Council as Chief Executive in December 2020, following nearly three years as CEO of Just for Kids Law, a charity providing youth support and legal representation to children and young people facing adversity.
He holds a wealth of experience in the charitable sector, including senior roles at the National Children’s Bureau, The Children’s Society, Barnardo’s, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and the Prison Reform Trust. Prior to working in the voluntary sector he was a BBC journalist for ten years.
Enver has been on advisory boards for the Department of Education, HM Inspector of Prisons and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner as well as chairing a number of cross sector coalitions including the End Child Poverty Campaign and the Standing Committee for Youth Justice. He has also played a pivotal role initiating sector wide strategic communications and campaigning projects. Enver served for five years as Chair of Trustees at the charity Asylum Aid and was a founding trustee of the charity British Future.
Enver is proud to be the first CEO in the organisation’s 70 year history who is from a black and minority ethnic background. In his spare time he enjoys cycling, camping and generally getting out into the British countryside.
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