The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Trust has agreed to establish a Displaced Planners Pathway to Work Fund that will be worth an initial £20,000.
Developed by the Chief Executive, Victoria Hills, the fund is intended to address the increasing number of planning professionals that have been displaced worldwide owing to conflicts or natural disasters.
It will help them to enter the planning profession in the UK and Ireland.
The institute highlights the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR's) Refugee Population Statistics Database statistics, which show that the world is witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record, with an estimated 84 million people forced from their homes.
The RTPI has also set out its commitment to supporting initiatives that enable the development of strategies to rebuild places and communities after disasters.
Hills commented: "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 to connect professionals seeking work and 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 to 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 to support displaced planners in real time".
