Refugee Changemakers Forum 2026

Backing refugee leadership – not just talking about it

Join The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) and Cambio Consultancy, with support from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, for a bold, action-driven event both showcasing refugee-led organisations (RLOs) and challenging the sector to share power with RLOs. Real organisations. Real power. Real action.

RLOs are the grassroots of community-led change, and can drive the refugee, migration and social impact sectors forward. They work tirelessly to create real change. Yet refugee social entrepreneurs face two major challenges:

1️⃣ In public forums, leaders from refugee backgrounds and their RLOs are often talked about, instead of doing the talking. Changemakers Forum directly challnges that by spotlighting RLOs as the leaders the sector needs.

2️⃣ RLOs face an uphill battle to sustain and grow their impact. RLOs have for far too long been excluded from mainstream refugee, migration and social impact sector funding and partnerships. At this event we hope to see senior sector stakeholders, Funders, Social investors and Policymakers who are serious about backing refugee leadership, not just talking about it.

By the end of the event, you’ll be asked to make:

✔ One recommendation

✔ One clear ask

✔ One concrete commitment

This event is about power shifting. Conversation to Commitment. Inclusion to Power

👉 Come ready to listen, be challenged, and act.

Refugee-led organisations are still:

• Shut out of decisions that affect them
• Underfunded and overlooked
• Treated as participants, not leaders

According to the 2025 Strength in Numbers report, in the Refugee and Migration sector, organisations with annual incomes of over £500,000 receive over 90% of all sector funding, with organisations with annual turnovers of less than £100,001 per annum, receiving less than 5% of the sectors income, and NGOs with annual incomes of below £25,001 receiving less than 1% (Kaye & Grove-White, Strength in Numbers, 2025).

We’re looking to change that, by putting sector stakeholders with RLOs in the room and asking for real commitments. This event is about creating real change, wanting to generate accountability within the sector to shift power, funding, and decision-making toward RLOs.

What will you commit to changing?

• Conversations with innovative refugee-led organisations and leaders
• Conversations with refugee & migration and social impact sector funders, partners and large charities.
• Honest conversations about what’s broken.
• Practical ways to shift power and funding.
• Clear actions and great connections to take away.

We are excited to see you there!

Info: Arrive early to have a light lunch provided from a food trader in the TERN Community.

Info: Settle into the day as we set the tone for the day ahead. Hear from TERN, Cambio and HSF why they have run this event and hear from the event's keynote speaker, Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, PhD DIC DSc FRSC FRSM CCHEM. Professor of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Philanthropy (Hon)
Dr Nik Kotecha is an internationally renowned businessman, scientist, influencer and serial entrepreneur. He founded and led the inspirational growth of leading Midlands-based developer and manufacturer of generic medicines, Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and is Founder and Chairman of RandalSun Capital.
His current global business portfolio is wide ranging and includes investments from start-ups to patient capital, with retained interests in health, life sciences and high innovation, IP rich businesses.

Info:
Why is it that refugee led organisations are still excluded from the social impact sector, even though they are perhaps best placed to lead?

We will be announcing speakers on social media in the lead up to the event.

Info:
Hear from 3 inspirational changemakers who will share their journey as a founder and their organisational story. Hear from their experiences as refugee leaders in the sector and what the sector can do to help them grow their impact.

We will announce the 3 speakers shortly in the lead up to the event on social media.

Info: Hear from 15 early-stage start-ups who are just graduating from the TERN Changemakers Incubation programme. This is the first time they are pitching their social impact businesses to the public and need your support. Can you give them that first support their organisation may need?

A full preview of the founders will be provided ahead of the event. You will choose a themed room where you are most interested in and hear five, 7-minute long pitches.

Info:
Here we will be asking the big questions about what we as a sector can do to include, fund, support and champion RLOs and refugee leaders in the sector, to ensure that the sector makes a meaningful and genuine impact with refugees at the centre of that impact.

Be ready to collectively work with different audience members to find solutions to the big questions.

Info: Reflections on the day and identifying what commitments will you make. What solutions have we come up with. How can the sector can involve RLOs.

Info: Make some genuine connections with attendees and take the conversations into action beyond the event. Catering provided from a food business from the TERN Community.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher TERN - The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network