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‘Welcome to England’: English Language and integration support for migrants

10th February 2021 by ficheb

As the UK continues to navigate through Brexit and Covid-19 pandemic, studies and analyses of these complex processes highlight the importance of addressing the root causes of pre-existing problems of poverty, inequality, social injustice, structural racism and more..

For migrants, they face an additional challenge in the form of policies designed to create a ‘hostile environment’ for immigrants in a general sense. These policies largely limit access to healthcare, welfare, employment, housing and other forms of mainstream provision.

During lockdown, the ‘hostile environment’ has even graver consequences as charities and organizations supporting migrants have had to close their in-person services or reduce service provision. These services do more than just advocacy or legal signposting, but also greatly facilitated migrants’ integration into UK society, by connecting them to local communities and offering pathways to improve functional English language skills. For many migrants, these services and pathways are a ‘life-line’ and without their support, migrants risk becoming socially excluded.

Our Response

In response to this challenging context, Migrant Action has launched its new volunteer-led project, ‘Welcome to England’. The new project builds on the success of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ project last summer, whereby migrants and their families received a packages of support including online tutoring and befriending support. Our new project also involves the provision of online ESOL and functional skills to newly arrived migrants in Barnsley in partnership with Migrant Action’s partner- ELSH.

Families new to the community throughout Leeds and West Yorkshire have been paired with volunteer tutors. Volunteers and migrants are matched based on common language skills. It is hoped that this will facilitate shared understandings of migration.

The aim of the project is to enable migrants feel welcome and empowered as they embark on their integration journey, developing functional English language skills. Our volunteer tutoring and befriending model offers a friendly approach to integration by forging positive relationships. This is vital particularly at a time when most people especially newly arrived migrants are likely to feel most isolated, excluded and shy of belonging to their new society.

Below are the profiles of some volunteers who are already involved in the project- however, we are always looking for more! If interested in taking part, please feel free to contact us at info@migrantaction.org.uk or call 01138330991.

Judy is a retired Maths teacher who taught for three years in International schools in northern Italy. This has given her some appreciation of the difficulties people face learning the English language. She now spends her time, when she is not travelling, enjoying her two grandsons and knitting. She also enjoys reading and wishes she had the patience to read Italian novels to improve her language skills.
My name is Emily and I have recently completed my TESOL qualification. I am involved in this project as I believe the ability to communicate with your community is so important for your own confidence, growth and wellbeing. I want to be a helpful and friendly part of that journey!
Abi has been volunteering for Migrant Action in various capacities for 16 months now. Through living in Barcelona whilst growing up, she has an appreciation for the challenges that migrants are faced with when moving to a new country, including the social isolation that a lack of language skills can bring in the first few months. Since then, she has gained proficiency with the Spanish language and looks forward to utilising her skills when interacting with her mentees in the project.

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About Migrant Action

Migrant Action was established in 2016 as an Advocacy and Rights based organisation providing information, guidance, advocacy support and direct practical assistance to ‘vulnerable’ migrants. Migrant Action works with migrants who have fallen through the cracks of the immigration system including (but not restricted to) stateless people, those who have been unable to regularise their status and those on temporary visas. We work to ensure equity of rights and justice for migrants, and although the primary focus of our work is not with asylum seekers and refugees, we do signpost them to appropriate … Read more ..

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