Migration Exchange
Cultivating insight, connection and action across the UK migration and refugee field.
About Migration Exchange
Migration Exchange (MEX) is a UK-based charitable programme whose mission is to cultivate insight, connection and action across the UK migration and refugee field, working together with civil society to achieve positive change. We focus particularly on independent funders and charities to achieve this mission, connecting people through convening, events and a funder network. As well as commissioning research and analysis on trends and patterns, we develop and co-design responses to shared challenges and opportunities.
We have two overall goals:
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- An equitable, power-aware and intersectional funding landscape, better able to resource systems change in the migration field
- A connected and action-focused refugee and migration sector, better able to drive systems change
See our strategic framework, 2024-25 objectives and theory of change to learn about our key delivery and development objectives.
For our latest publications and updates, scroll down to ‘Insights’ and visit our blog.
Current Opportunities
There are currently no job, funding or consultancy opportunities. Please sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear about our latest updates.
Highlights
Insight
- ‘People, power and priorities’ our comprehensive report on the UK refugee and migration sector and independent funding landscape. Read this blog post for a summary of our key findings. Join our mailing list to receive updates on our upcoming 2025 review launch.
- Insights into the experience of the migration and refugee sector during the racist riots of August 2024 read these blog posts for insights into the impact and improving safety, security and resilience for the future.
Connection
- For a summary of insights and recommendations from our shared sector and funder events and convenings, check out our blog posts and join our mailing list for invites and highlights:
Healing communities: A call to action after far-right riots
Celebrating lived experience leadership: Insights and the path forward
- Our funder network meets online regularly on key topics and challenges and provides space to learn from peers. Sign up here to receive invites and newsletters.
Action
- NRPF Partnership
- The NRPF policy affects millions of people in the UK, unfairly shutting people out of the welfare system and government support based on their visa status. Impacted communities, charities, lawyers, local authorities are all pushing to end this policy. Our partnership with Citizens UK and Praxis aims to amplify and enable this movement so it is better resourced and connected to win change.
- Read more at this blog post and FAQs page and join the NRPF mailing list.
- ‘Shaping the Future’: Leadership Initiative for systemic change in the UK refugee and migration sector.
- This fund has been co-created with sector experts to address the growing need for leadership capacity and capability in the refugee and migration sector. It provides resources for individuals, organisations, and networks to foster holistic, sustainable leadership development. The fund promotes leadership development that is:
Anti-oppressive: Challenging systemic inequities and power dynamics.
Wellbeing-focused: Prioritising mental health and sustainable leadership practices.
Grounded in lived experience: Building on the strengths and insights gained through lived experience of migration
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- Shaping the Future has been designed by a ‘Co-Creation Group’ of people with lived experience and leadership experience, and decision-making will be taken through a participatory grantmaking model. The fund opened for applications in 2025, and will be distributing funding in spring.
Our team
Marchu Belete (Co-director), Sarah Cutler (Co-director), Anna Camilleri (Programme Manager), and Li-En Yapp (Programme Coordinator).
We have an excellent Advisory Group who support us to put our values into action, strengthen our intersectional practices, provide key insight and perspective and hold us accountable.
Members are: Ambreen Shah, Ayesha Saran, Basma El Doukhi, Caroline Gentile, Eiri Ohtani, Muma Sinkala, and Ronnie Tagwireyi.
Past work/background
Since MEX was set up in 2010, we have worked with the refugee and migration field and funders in co-designing interventions on strategic communications and public attitudes, emergency funding responses, crisis-preparedness, and influencing funders and the migration field for systemic change. Previous work includes Respond and Adapt, distributing over £2.4m to 130 organisations across the UK in 2020-2021 and Leading Beyond Borders programme (2018-2022).
Scroll to the end of this page for Migration Exchange insights and publications.
Funders
With thanks to AB Charitable Trust, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Migration Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Sam and Bella Sebba Foundation, This Day Foundation, and Unbound Philanthropy for their support to Migration Exchange.
Connect with us
Would you like to stay up-to-date on our current activities and get involved in future events or projects? Join our mailing list
If you would like more information or to connect, please contact us on mex@global-dialogue.org
Follow us on Bluesky and LinkedIn
If you would like to submit feedback or file a complaint about Migration Exchange, please refer to our Feedback & Complaints policy.