Five minutes with…Amit

Our ‘Five minutes with…’ series gives you the chance to meet some of the people who make up our Caritas community. 

Our Aspire team works with people from a refugee background, supporting them to bring their business ideas to life.  Here, Amit, our refugee entrepreneurship programme officer, tells us more… 

Tell us about your role…    

I directly work with entrepreneurs from refugee backgrounds to help them launch new businesses or expand existing ones in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.  

Through the On-Demand service, I provide them personalised, pragmatic support and training. I also assist my colleagues in running the Up Collective course, a workshop-style business programme designed for aspiring entrepreneurs in their very early stages.
 

How long have you worked with Caritas Salford and why did you decide to come and work here?   

I began working for Caritas in February 2023 and applied for the position because it requires me to work with resilient individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and communities who have been forcibly displaced from their homelands and want to establish their own enterprises in a new land.

It looked like a wonderful fit for me because I had previously studied entrepreneurship, had experience effectively operating a for-profit tech business, and had previously worked with people from diverse cultures in Asia and Europe.    

What’s the best thing about working at Caritas?    

I get an opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who would like to make a difference and create an impact in society. Caritas treats everyone with respect and dignity – we value people and their ideas and passions. I am supported by fantastic colleagues within the team and wider Caritas social action team. The learning experience is incredible.  

What’s the best thing about working in your role?    

At Caritas Aspire Business, we help people to acquire the following factors for their entrepreneurial success: Cognitive skills (imagination, knowledge and motivation), social networks and access to funding. I have a strong belief that refugee-led businesses can function as a catalyst for change, promoting both societal reform and economic prosperity.  

Undoubtedly, the pragmatic, entrepreneurship-focused nature of my work is the most enjoyable component of my job. My daily interactions with our entrepreneurs provide me the opportunity to personally experience their enthusiasm and resilience. Being a part of their business journey and guiding them, watching them grow and learning from them is tremendously rewarding and fulfilling.  

Refugee entrepreneurs, their considerable contribution and enormous potential are rarely acknowledged in public discourse. I will be very happy if my work can help a little to change this attitude. 

Caritas is a charity.  What’s it like working for a charitable organisation?   

For me, working for Caritas has been a tremendously rewarding experience. It’s a wonderful chance for me to follow my own ideals and principles.   

What surprised you about working here that you didn’t expect?   

Staff wellbeing is one of the top priorities here and I often get alerts from my manager if I spend more time at work than usual. I can always find something to eat or drink, whether it be a vegan or vegetarian sandwich, crisps, juice, hot soup, bread, or pastries, variety of coffee tea. 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?   

Cooking and gardening. I am also trying to build an investment-focused social impact hub with like-minded entrepreneurs in Cheshire. In addition, I’m involved in a research project at Technische Universität Berlin on sustainable food for the future. 

What’s your favourite things to do in Manchester or Lancashire?   

Manchester’s educational settings and cultural scenes are both welcoming and encouraging. I can spend hours immersing myself in them and learning from the experiences.   

What three words best describe you?   

Empathetic, confident and determined.  

How would you sum up the difference your work makes in a sentence?   

Our true enthusiasm drives us, ensuring that we not only guide but also sincerely encourage our refugee entrepreneurs to grow and thrive in a complex, competitive and uncertain business environment.

Find out more about Aspire Business.

Donate to support our work with people from a refugee background.