Supporting the ESOL Sector

Learn about the different ways organisations are working in partnership to improve access to and progression from ESOL in London. 

Find out about the different ways ESOL providers are supporting adults with English language needs to develop their English language skills in specific contexts. 

Read about how organisations in the sector are providing ESOL support for Londoners who are homeless or rough sleeping, empowering them with the language and skills necessary for long-term stability.

ACDA Skills Training

ACDA Skills Training is a community-based organisation established in 2009 that is committed to supporting local communities in the West London Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow, Harrow and Hillingdon. Due to the pandemic we had to adapt and change the way we support our learners safely. Since April 2020, we have been successfully offering remote and virtual personalised support and training through one-to-one or group sessions over the phone and via video calls – depending on what works best for individuals. We took on 15 new volunteer ESOL tutors to help deliver free virtual ESOL classes. In total we have engaged with and supported over 900 learners remotely who wanted to improve their English-language skills from their own home.

Volunteers were recruited via the local Volunteer Service as well as through the Do-it Website. Every volunteer was screened, and a DBS check undertaken with our organisation covering the costs. A free phone with unlimited minutes and texts was provided to each volunteer so that they could contact learners remotely. We had a formal volunteer agreement in place so that both parties are clear on what the volunteer role involves and what is required from both sides. This ensures that there is no confusion over what is expected from the volunteer. Volunteers really helped us through a difficult time during the pandemic. All volunteers were provided with access to online resources and online learning materials on ESOL and digital skills which were useful not only for the person they were supporting but also for to improve their own skills.

From July 2000 to October 2021, we hand delivered 315 free internet tablet devices with internet connectivity to vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals across West London in real need and who were disproportionately disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic. This was made possible through the 'Everyone Connected' initiative funded by Nominet. BBC Children in Need, Vodafone, the Light Bulb Trust and Good Things Foundation. As part of this initiative, we worked closely with several services to help identify vulnerable individuals and families who were eligible and who would really benefit from having access to a device with internet connection.

In September 2021, we worked with the Afghan Families Project in Ealing by providing recent arrivals with a free internet tablet and internet connectivity. In total 13 recent arrivals from Afghanistan received a tablet device with internet connection. Dedicated assistance and training were also provided through one-to-one or small group sessions either over the phone, by email or text message and via video calls – depending on what worked best for the individual. By having their own internet devices, individuals could also access our ESOL and Digital Skills sessions remotely with a focus on inclusion and opportunity. Device recipients felt empowered and gained confidence and essential skills, which they were able to apply and use immediately.

CARAS

CARAS is a south London charity that specialises in working with young people and adults who are seeking asylum or have a refugee background. We provide holistic support including educational, practical and social help, creating supportive relationships and networks to increase people’s wellbeing and safety. The CARAS ESOL project won the President’s Award at this year’s Festival of Learning in recognition of our unique model of participatory learning, trauma-informed practice and multilingual pedagogy. As well as ESOL classes, CARAS group members also access our other adult programmes, including creative writing, drama, gardening and yoga. Additionally, our casework team provides one-to-one advocacy and guidance on anything from housing to college applications.

In the past year we have welcomed more than 150 people to our adult programmes. The majority of these are recently arrived people seeking asylum who are living in hotels in south London. Given that the hotels generally have no established links to refugee-support organisations, we have partnered with the accommodation provider, local council and other third-sector organisations to offer joined-up support for hotel residents. It was important to invest time in building relationships with staff working at hotels, who then regularly told residents about our services. Word-of-mouth recommendations between residents, initially helped by promotional leaflets, were also crucial. Demand for support services within hotel accommodation is very high, so we quickly built up a steady stream of referrals. CARAS has found that the hotel residents we support are experiencing significant challenges in their lives relating to ESOL:

• people living in hotels often have high levels of support needs, for example with mental and physical health, legal advice and issues with the accommodation itself. Meeting these essential needs is often a prerequisite to attending ESOL classes, therefore our CARAS casework team works with ESOL learners to help them access the support services they need
• residents are often dispersed to other parts of the UK at short notice, moving to accommodation with no internet. In response, CARAS offers a blended model of face-to-face and online classes so that students can finish their ESOL courses with us after dispersal. Furthermore, we support learners to access data and devices so that they can attend our Zoom classes
• given that people seeking asylum frequently stay in hotel accommodation for many months before the Home Office moves them outside London, they are keen to start attending formal, college based ESOL learning in the capital. Many are unaware of their right to access fully funded ESOL classes after six months. For this reason, CARAS provides college application sessions in July and December to support people through the process. Once registered at college, transport costs remain a barrier. The CARAS casework team supports group members to access Learner Support and advocates with colleges where applications are refused. This has been a particular issue for people without bank accounts, which college systems rely on.

Self-reported assessments with ESOL learners in July this year show improvements in English-language proficiency and confidence across the board, with 47 per cent of learners reporting large improvements in proficiency. In a recent impact evaluation conducted by a third-party research company, ESOL learners reported that “feeling that they are learning and progressing” helps their emotional health and wellbeing, combined with the positive effect of “encouraging” relationships built with CARAS teachers. Furthermore, participants reported having more friends to laugh and joke with, being more interested in everyday activities and being more positive about the impact of their lives.

Redbridge Institute of Adult Education

Redbridge Institute of Adult Education successfully won a bid to the ESOL for Integration Fund for the third year running. The EFIF project is funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and aims to help residents with low levels of English to integrate into their local communities, access local services and improve social interaction. This project is known locally as English for Every Day. Through regular networking with Redbridge Council partnerships, Redbridge Institute came across a number of hotels in the borough that had recently been converted to temporary accommodation for newly arrived people seeking asylum. One of these hotels in the borough accommodates more than 150 people. A majority of the residents have travelled from countries such as Eritrea, Sudan, Iran and Iraq and have been living in London for six months. Some of the residents have made incredibly difficult journeys to reach safety and have arrived via France, Belgium and Germany to name but a few. All residents are waiting to receive their Application Registration Card (ARC) from the Home Office to make their immigration status official.

Upon visiting the hotel, the ESOL team were inundated with requests for ESOL classes by the residents. Interviews and initial assessments were conducted across three separate visits to identify individual needs and English competency levels. So far, 51 learners have started ESOL courses at Redbridge Institute across various locations. Most learners walk for 25 minutes from the hotel to Ilford to attend their courses and this provides a good opportunity for them to familiarise themselves with the local area. As part of the English for Every Day course, learners will tour the local central library and museum and become members. They will also visit local places of interest such as the shopping centre and a local café to apply their speaking skills. The ESOL sessions cover practical tasks such as using local transport, booking an appointment with the doctor and completing application forms. A safe and friendly environment is created to put the learners at ease and writing books and pens are provided to aid learning.

Once the introductory ESOL course comes to an end, learners will complete a summative assessment to check progress and will then be offered a suitable progression course that suits their needs. Of course, there is no guarantee that the residents will remain in Ilford or East London when they are rehoused but they will be guided by the ESOL Advisory team on their next steps in their learner journey regardless of their destination. The Institute has already seen a change in the learners’ behaviour and mindset. Learners come to class with a positive attitude and determination and leave with a smile. They have been able to meet new people and make new friends within the first few weeks of the programme. We would not be able to support these individuals to take their first steps in learning in the UK and integrate into local communities without the EFIF project funds as some are not yet eligible for mainstream ESOL funding. The fund enables us to help these learners to grasp opportunities to settle confidently in the UK and improve their future prospects. 

Groundwork

Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. We’re passionate about creating a future where every neighbourhood is vibrant, every community is strong and able to shape its own destiny, and no one is held back by their background or circumstances. TOGETHER is a collection of projects delivered by Groundwork London and Groundwork South supporting Refugees, people seeking asylum and non-EU migrants to settle into life in the UK. Our projects offer a range of services focusing on three pillars of integration: English-language skills; employment advice; and social activities, including wellbeing and resilience post COVID-19. Projects are delivered digitally as well as face-to-face, in a range of locations including community venues, and in bridging hotels.

Our projects are located around London and in parts of South England (Bristol, Hastings, and Kent). Together South, Together Hounslow and IMPACT are funded by the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund. The Together programme includes the following: Together Healthy Minds provides mental health and wellbeing support for people seeking asylum across London. Through a series of wellbeing programmes, English-language support, casework support and counselling delivered in partnership with our partners, EACH, individuals are helped to process their past experiences and settle into their lives in London. Notably, we are delivering two entry-level ESOL classes in London bridging hotels; Together South helps Refugees and non-EU migrants in South East London to connect with and thrive in their communities via a holistic programme focusing on conversational English-language learning, community and cultural activities, and employability advice and guidance.

This programme also runs in Hastings and Rother, and Kent; IMPACT works across West London and Bristol, supporting Refugees and non-EU migrants, helping them to build their language and employability skills, and providing creative community activities to promote intercultural understanding. The project has also been supporting a large number of Afghan nationals with ESOL classes and employment advice directly in bridging hotels, and Together Hounslow delivers weekly ‘Rise and Shine’ wellbeing sessions for Refugees, people seeking asylum and non-EU migrants living in Hounslow. The sessions are designed to uplift participants' mood, by helping them to connect with nature through arts and crafts and wellbeing activities. Together Hounslow has also partnered with EACH to offer free culturally sensitive therapy for Refugees, non-EU migrants and people seeking asylum living in Hounslow.

LEAH

Learn English at Home (LEAH) is a charity working across Southwest London supporting ethnically diverse adults including refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants to learn English, empowering people to become active participants in their local communities. 

1 to 1 classes: clients are paired with a trained LEAH volunteer to support them with their English, learn about vital local services and support integration into local communities. LEAH’s one-to-one service is for clients who are unable or would struggle to leave the home to learn because of health reasons, caring or childcare responsibilities, past trauma or not yet being ready to learn English in a formal setting. Volunteers support clients for an hour a week for up to a year and can be arranged around the individual and are currently being delivered remotely.

Group Community classes: LEAH runs small classes in the community for clients to progress from their one-to-one service and for clients who may be more confident to learn in a group setting. Classes focus on building confidence, developing language skills, progression and integration. Classes are delivered remotely and at local community venues and run termly for up to a year. 

Social Integration trips and visits: LEAH volunteers support clients to build networks, reduce their isolation, learn more about their local community and practise their English between their LEAH 1:1 support or community class to support transition and progression. LEAH runs trips to local museums, galleries, libraries and sites of historic interest in the local area. LEAH can support people with limited English across Southwest London who have barriers to attending a formal college course and they have previously supported Syrian refugees arriving via the UKRS. LEAH enables clients to gain confidence, develop support networks, access services for themselves and their children and make their first steps towards college, volunteering and employment. The LEAH team supports 300 people annually.

Learning Unlimited

Learning Unlimited (LU) a not-for-profit social enterprise specialising in adult and family learning, ESOL and integration, literacy, numeracy and teacher education. We are currently leading on the Communities Language and Integration Project (CLIP) funded by the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), which supports language learning and integration for refugees and non-EU migrants, which now includes those recently arrived from Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Over the last two years the project has supported over 150 people and their families, many of whom are unable to access AEB funded classes due to not being eligible, having young children, irregular work shift patterns or other reasons. The CLIP project offers:

• ESOL classes with accreditation
• online conversation clubs run by our trained team of volunteers
• other workshops and clubs, such as writing, photography and cinema
• family workshops, trips and activities
• signposting to other relevant training, events and support.

Before the pandemic we worked in Haringey, Southwark and Lambeth children’s centres and primary schools supporting refugee/migrant parents/carers. When the pandemic struck, we moved our entire programme online, and it predominately remains online to this day. Our online classes, conversation clubs and workshops are flexible and accessible; people can attend wherever and whenever. There are many who wouldn’t be able to attend face-to-face classes for different reasons including travel, family, safety and work. Our tutors and volunteers now have a lot of experience teaching and supporting on Zoom and have brilliant activities and resources to keep sessions inclusive, fun and interactive. We support people new to Zoom and loan tablets to those who need them.

Initially this wasn’t easy; it was new to us all but particularly difficult for those with low level English, literacy and/or IT skills. Our beginner ESOL classes started by communication and support through WhatsApp. Some of our families had limited or no access to Wi-Fi or screens and we were able to start loaning tablets. This made a big difference to some, enabling learning and connection, reducing isolation during difficult times. By September 2020 we had adjusted to this new online world and started a timetable of levelled classes (beginner to advanced) available to all Refugees and non-EU migrants around London, and even further afield. We trained volunteers to run conversation clubs and give 1:1 exam preparation support. We delivered other workshops including supporting parents with home schooling, yoga and writing (culminating in publications of learners’ stories as ESOL readers to support others new to the UK and learning English).

What we started then carries on today. We have two classes that have resumed face-to-face in Lambeth and Southwark (with a crèche) which are popular, but the rest continue online. Online learning allows flexibility and accessibility to many who wouldn’t be able to attend face-to-face provision for different reasons. Registrations take place on Zoom where we support those new to the platform, explain what we offer, find out about the person, their skills, needs and goals and assess their language levels. In the summer term, we offer accreditation through the English Speaking Board (ESB). In 2021, 95 per cent of our learners chose to take exams, which took place on Zoom, and we were thrilled with our 86 per cent pass rate. Our three online conversation clubs are drop in and everyone is welcome, including family, friends and others in the local community.

ADCA Skills Training and partners

ACDA Skills Training is a community-based organisation established in 2009 that is committed to supporting local communities in the West London Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow, Harrow and Hillingdon. For five years (2014 to 2019), we acted as a Regional Hub Centre supporting centres across London and parts of the Southeast with delivering a MHCLG funded Pre-Entry ESOL programme called 'English My Way'. From 2019 to 2020, we delivered the MHCLG funded the 'Talking Together' English-language programme in partnership with Time Bank and the 'Creative English' project as a sub-contractor for Faith Action.

Partnership working was essential to the success of our all ESOL programmes not only with helping to recruit potential learners who are likely to benefit the most from our ESOL classes but also with retention as well as with providing a free and safe space to learn. In 2019, we worked in partnership with the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA), delivering ESOL classes at their new offices in Feltham. Our Basic English classes started in November 2019 and ended in February 2020. This was funded through the MHCLG via the Creative English programme. Organisations like the ACAA let us use their space to offer free ESOL classes which was extremely convenient for learners as they were able to access the training in a familiar environment.

We know that many isolated learners are fearful of having to travel far to access a specific learning programme due to their lack of confidence in speaking English and sometimes being unfamiliar with other parts of their local area. With this in mind, having all our classes taking place in local venues i.e. schools, children's and community centres, shopping centres, social housing associations and other community-based locations. This allows learners who are parents to drop off their child at school or at the crèche and then join their ESOL class straight after in another room, as our class times are arranged to accommodate their routines. Classes also finish in time for parents to pick up their child.

All of these MHCLG-funded English-language programmes were extremely successful in supporting a high proportion of learners with little or no English-language skills not only with improving their English but also with their confidence and by helping them integrate more with people from other communities. During this period, we delivered over 70 Pre-Entry ESOL classes within local community settings in the West London Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow, Harrow and Hillingdon including in schools, children's and community centres, shopping centres, social housing associations and other community-based locations. Through the English My Way (MHCLG-funded) English programme we supported almost 900 people with approximately 144 learners being identified as being either from the Syrian or Afghan community. In total we engaged with and supported over 1,140 learners from all three MHCLG funded English-language programmes who between them spoke over 50 different languages.

Camden ESOL Advice Service and partners

The ESOL Advice Service was notified of several bridging hotels in the borough of Camden. Bespoke, on-site initial assessment and advice sessions were arranged within a week of initial contact with the hotel coordinator. Qualified ESOL tutors assessed people’s speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. They also collected information on their prior experience of schooling, hobbies, aspirations, availability, as well as their health, mental health and childcare needs. Hotel coordinators were trained on how to collect basic registration information, enabling those with ESOL needs to be registered with the service 24/7 or as soon as they express an interest in ESOL.

Many learners were unfamiliar with the local area and were suffering from the traumatic events of their departure from Afghanistan. A significant number of learners had childcare needs and most adults expressed a preference to attend women-only or men-only classes. The data collected was used to design a programme which catered for the needs and aspirations of learners. A decision was also taken to deliver ESOL on-site at the bridging hotels, with a view to progress learners into mainstream provision once they are ready. The ESOL Advice Service proposed the most appropriate levels for the courses and arranged for the recruitment of DBS-checked tutor and volunteer to be able to deliver this programme of learning.

ESOL is currently being delivered directly in the conferencing spaces in the hotel by multiple providers. The Council’s Adult Learning Service has been drawn in to deliver Family Learning with ESOL to increase the opportunities to practise English for families and adults with childcare needs. For learners who do not have English-language needs, the ESOL Advice Service has been providing information, advice and guidance to further and higher education and employment support opportunities. The services provided have been funded by the CMF, the AEB, and additional ESOL and other dedicated funding from the Home Office for local authorities per adult.

Waltham Forest ESOL Advice Service and partners

1. The Refugee Resettlement Coordinator contacted the ESOL Advice Service (EAS) in Waltham Forest for language and needs assessment of their new arrivals.
2. The ESOL Service Adviser (a qualified ESOL tutor) carried out an initial assessment and made recommendations about the level and type of provision which was most suitable for the learner.
3. The learner was directly referred to a formal provider and informal activities such as conversation clubs and other social integration activities (cooking and gardening programmes).
4. To cater for the learner’s childcare needs, the Adviser recommended local crèche facilities which were available and put the family in contact with the LA’s Childminding team which helped find a local childminder (paid through the Home Office Childcare fund).
5. The Adviser also made recommendations about additional needs which the learner had, i.e. basic literacy. This enabled the Refugee Resettlement Coordinator to commission a local, qualified ESOL tutor to provide additional support to the learner on their individual learning needs (funded through the £850 made available by the Home Office for UKRS).

Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA)

The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) is an award-winning charity that has supported the integration and empowerment of refugees and people seeking asylum, offering a wide array of services, for over 25 years.

Our ESOL for Integration Project remains its largest programme, in which anyone who has experienced forced migration aged 16 years old and above can access our free classes, which take place in-person (in Hounslow, Birmingham and Liverpool) as well as online. The following levels are available: Pre-Entry, Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3 and Level 1. 

Classes run at various days and times; mornings, afternoons and evenings, typically for 1-2 hours at a time, twice a week. Our qualified ESOL Teachers incorporate a number of materials into the NCFE-accredited classes, including Pearson, Excellence Gateway, National Geographic and more. With recognition that people have different motivations for learning English, teachers develop their lesson plans based on the input of students to ensure they are relevant to students and culturally appropriate. In addition, the project works to support students individually in their specific efforts, such as writing their CV, applying to university, preparing for IELTS and more.

Over 300 students from more than 35 countries participate in the ESOL for Integration project. The value of the programme is that it is accessible to people from any background and of any immigration status in the UK. This accessibility to students who very recently arrived, including people seeking asylum who are often unable to access mainstream provision before six months’ residency, is especially important; in our experience, the first six months in the UK are a crucial period for migrants’ integration. As a result, students widely report that they feel welcomed and supported in these classes. 

Along with the existing project, as part of its new Rehabilitation and Reintegration Project, which has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and His Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS), ACAA is offering ESOL to people with English language needs on probation in Hounslow, Hillingdon, Ealing and Brent. Classes are offered for two hours a week across all four borough venues, at both beginner and intermediate levels. The aim is to upskill individuals into further education and jobs and help them reintegrate into their local communities. We aim to engage approximately 50 people on probation across the four boroughs by the new year.

• English Skills Development through Outdoor Learning Springfield Primary School
• Parents’ integration through partnership (PIP)
• Camden Project
• Kelmscott School
• Mothers Matter
• Mothers Together in School
• Family Learning ESOL – school based with a range of trips and activities
• Vauxhall Children’s Centre

• The Key to Integration: Global Literacy Networks
• Principles into Practice: EAL
• Integrating English into Enfield
• Securing Success: EAL pedagogy
• English: the Key to Integration in London: London Schools Excellence Fund (summary of projects)
• EAL in the Mainstream Classroom

This set of resources were commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and developed by Learning and Work Institute and Learning Unlimited. They are aimed at volunteers supporting adult English language learners, and organisations working with volunteers in this role.

These resources can be found on the Learning and Work Institute website. Developed with volunteers with little or no training or previous experience in mind, the resources are designed to support the delivery of conversation clubs and other volunteer-led language practice for adult English language learners. However, they will be useful to anyone engaged in delivering conversation-based English language practice.

ELATT together with three European partners, funded by Erasmus +, has produced a toolkit to support the involvement of volunteers in migrant language education.

The Toolkit includes the VIME Framework and Model of working together; guides, materials and training Modules for organisations to use to train volunteers; guidance and information for teaching professionals working with volunteers; and guidance and information for policy-makers looking for good practice in involving volunteers in migrant language education.

The National Association of Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) have produced a framework for good practice in voluntary ESOL.

The document is intended primarily for those working in, and with, the voluntary sector in the field of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). It provides a set of principles of good practice, together with case studies for illustration.

The Glasgow ESOL Forum has produced a Framework for Good Practice in Working with Volunteers in ESOL aims to aid organisations to reflect on their practice to ensure a positive volunteering experience for learners, volunteers and projects. They also have a helpful report titled working with volunteers in ESOL provision in Scotland.