14/9/2020
Over the last 3 months Spring Action Cleaning, a MiFriendly social enterprise supporting refugees and migrants, has been at the forefront of helping Coventry’s communities to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC) launched Spring Action Cleaning in 2017, in response to the difficulties migrant communities were facing when trying to gain employment. Spring Action Cleaning believes in doing business differently, putting a social purpose first. It provides refugees and migrants with experience working as cleaners in in the UK, helping to deliver a professional service to the local community.
During lockdown, Spring Action Cleaning was reluctant to leave any employees without income. Through the Government’s Furlough Scheme, the company managed to support 100% of its staff, despite not being able to work due to social distancing measures. Spring Action Cleaning continued to go above and beyond, recognising the need to invest in its people and a potential business opportunity – back-to-work deep cleans!
The social enterprise introduced 13 of its cleaners to the Government’s Infection Control Guidelines and provided Cross Contamination training via The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS). This training opportunity covered the best techniques to prevent the spread of infection, at a minimum risk to the cleaner themselves.
Spring Action Cleaning’s dedication to its employees ensured that it was well equipped to combat COVID-19 when restrictions began to lift! Over summer, staff have completed 13 deep cleans with customers including the likes of Fargo Village, Citizens Advice and Positive Youth Foundation. The enterprise’s hard work has allowed many to start returning to ‘normal’ life safely.
Spring Action Cleaning relaunched as part of the MiFriendly Cities family in 2019, determined to secure a sustainable future. Its work demonstrates how providing migrants with financial independence and opportunities to integrate can come hand-in-hand with supporting the local economy and community. Spring Action Cleaning hopes its COVID-19 success will encourage other organisations to show support to migrant led social enterprises.
This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Urban Innovative Actions Initiative.
