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Learn English at Home recently conducted an in-depth survey of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Hounslow, providing insights into their educational goals, barriers, and the critical steps needed to create more effective learning pathways for these residents.

Here are our key findings from the 15 people that participated.

Limited access to information on learning opportunities

Many participants were unsure where to find reliable information about available learning options. Only five respondents could name specific places to seek learning resources, mentioning local libraries, Meadowbank’s adult education services, the job centre, and churches as potential sources.

Strong motivation to learn

All participants expressed a desire to continue their education, citing key motivations such as:

• Improving their English language skills

• Developing new skills for career growth

• Enhancing job prospects

• Making daily life tasks more manageable

Interest in targeted learning areas

Many respondents indicated a desire to continue to improve their English. In addition to this several were interested in courses that improved Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills, suggesting a need for specialised programmes that align with career pathways.

Barriers to continued learning

The three main barriers to continue learning included:

• Feeling like their English wasn’t good enough

• Not having enough money

• Having to find a job

Recommendations

These findings underscore the need for:

• Improved signposting and outreach about learning opportunities in places frequented by the community. By increasing visibility in community hubs—libraries, job centers, places of worship, and other public spaces—learners can more easily discover relevant educational resources.

• Increasing awareness of free and affordable learning opportunities.

• Flexible learning options that accommodate work schedules, such as evening and weekend classes.

• Consideration of ESOL that integrate other subjects such as STEM providing a stepping stone to further learning.

LEAH will be delivering a programme to highlight further learning opportunities to learners in Hounslow in February 2025.

To discuss partnership opportunities or explore new programmes, please contact Gurpreet at operations-manager@leah.org.uk

We have an exciting new service development to announce. From 1st November 2024, we expanded our English language support service into the borough of Merton by taking over a similar charity to ours - Learn English Together in Merton. They also provide English 1:1 and class support, and have a very similar ethos, values and commitment to learning.  You can find out more at www.let.org.uk

Earlier this year we were approached by their trustees as they saw that LEAH, as a larger organisation, with dedicated operational, fundraising and volunteer resource, could better ensure the continued reach and impact of free English language support across Merton.

For the next 12 months, the Merton service will continue be run separately out of Vestry Hall in Mitcham and will be overseen by the LEAH Director and trustees. The organisation and its operations will be gradually integrated into ours, and we look forward to sharing more news about this important next step in the development and expansion of LEAH’s unique service.

A new wellbeing booklet has been created to support ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) learners at Entry 1 and Entry 2 levels, thanks to funding from The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector Grants. This resource offers six key lessons focused on promoting wellbeing while improving learners' English skills. Topics covered in the booklet include understanding health services, healthy eating, exercise, sleep, volunteering and managing feelings.

Accompanied by comprehensive lesson plans, this resource is designed to help volunteers and teachers easily incorporate wellbeing themes into their classes, making it a valuable tool for both educators and students.

Download the wellbeing booklet here: Wellbeing Booklet Kingston 2024

Download the accompanying lesson plans here: LEAH (Learn English at Home) – Wellbeing ESOL

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded a £16,485 grant from the London Borough of Hounslow’s Thriving Communities Fund. This generous funding will support vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees in the borough by providing access to our Heston Community Language class in Hounslow.

This project aims to reach individuals living in insecure and temporary housing, as well as those from minority communities, offering them a vital opportunity to improve their English language skills. Through tailored support, learners will gain increased confidence, greater local knowledge, and stronger social inclusion. In addition, the project promotes improved wellbeing by facilitating access to health services and support networks.

By enhancing language skills, LEAH also empowers learners to pursue further education, volunteering, and employment, ultimately contributing to their integration and success in the community.

We are grateful for the support from the Thriving Communities Fund and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of asylum seekers and refugees in Hounslow.

We are thrilled to announce that Learn English At Home (LEAH) has been awarded a £10,017 grant from the Mayor of London Skills for Londoners Community Outreach Programme 2024-25. This funding will support to increase participation in adult learning from our community of asylum seekers and refugees attending our Heston, Hounslow class.

Through this initiative, LEAH volunteers will help navigate learners through a 4-week programme to identify their learning preferences, overcome barriers, and help them find suitable upskilling opportunities. The project is designed to improve their language abilities while guiding them to courses that match their goals, enhancing their ability to integrate into the community and access future opportunities.

LEAH invites learning and training providers from across North West London to get in touch if they can offer suitable courses for individuals with the lowest level of English skills. Together, we can ensure that these learners access the training they need to succeed.

For collaboration opportunities, please contact us at operations-manager@leah.org.uk

Our Director, Abby Holliday, will be leaving LEAH at the end of the year after a very happy couple of years leading the charity.

Having worked as an Interim Director before the pandemic, Abby was delighted to rejoin in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed leading the organisation out of COVID restrictions and into offering a fully hybrid service for our learners.  There have been many other positive changes too, including a new office, a new fundraising strategy, and a more integrated way of us all working.

Abby said,  "I've loved every minute working at LEAH and really enjoyed seeing how much our learners benefit from our unique and very special service, supported by a wonderful team of dedicated volunteers. I'll be sad to leave, but happy in the knowledge that LEAH will continue to go from strength to strength"

Abby at our 40th anniversary celebrations in 2023

We are delighted to announce that Gurpreet, our Operations Manager, has been selected for the Future Leaders Programme, a new career development initiative launched by Richmond Parish Lands Charity.

This six-month programme, developed in partnership with Richmond CVS, ACEVO, and Clear Thinking Consultancy, provides a unique opportunity for senior managers and deputy CEOs to advance their leadership skills.

The Future Leaders Programme is designed to nurture and retain talent within Richmond’s Voluntary and Community Sector, building a strong pipeline of future leaders and fostering a collaborative support network across the sector.

Gurpreet commented::

"I’m excited to start this leadership journey alongside peers within the sector. I am deeply thankful to Richmond Parish Lands Charity for the opportunity to participate in training, mentoring, and invaluable networking opportunities that will further enhance my professional growth."

We look forward to following Gurpreet’s journey and the impact she will make at LEAH as part of this programme.

We are delighted to have benefitted from two years of evaluation by the Sociology department at the University of Central London (UCL). This research was conducted to evaluate the value of our work supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with English language learning.

Benefitting from detailed data analysis, interviews and focus groups, this external research gives a detailed understanding about the impact of our services, the importance of our volunteers, and how we can improve what we do.

Please find below links to the UCL Year 1 and Year 2 research summaries. These provide an overview of why and how the research was conducted, a summary of key insights, and recommendations for how to enhance the delivery and impact of our services in future.

The first year UCL evaluation identified the ways in which LEAH makes a significant difference to the lives of those we support. Clients are shown as making progress in English, being able to better support their children and families, engage with schools, GPs and health services, progress in education and / or work.  All of which has a positive impact on their health, wellbeing and future opportunities.

For the second year UCL evaluation, our volunteers were the key focus due to the vital role they play in LEAH’s service delivery. Many of our incredible team of volunteers contributed to focus groups and surveys, creating a wealth of information and quotes that were included in the report.

Volunteers are shown to be very supportive of LEAH’s work, and grateful for the ongoing training and development opportunities that are offered. Which is what we do in return for their invaluable dedication.

There were a few challenges and barriers identified through the evaluations, most of which we are already working on to address. However, we were happy to read that the evaluation demonstrated how LEAH provides ‘a service very resource efficient that no other national or local more formal services could match’.

Many thanks to our learners and volunteers for supporting this external research, and for sharing their experiences, which is vital in helping us to improve what we do.

Thanks to Dr Olga Cara, Centre for Sociology of Education and Equity, University College London.  Grateful thanks also to our funder, The Rayne Foundation, for providing LEAH with the opportunity to demonstrate the value and impact of our work.

LEAH UCL Year 1 Evaluation - Executive Summary

LEAH UCL Year 2 Evaluation - Executive Summary

We’re delighted to have been awarded a £20,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All to develop a programme of social integration trips and activities for our learners over the next 2 years.

Bringing asylum seekers and refuges together to have fun, learn English and connect with others while visiting places they wouldn’t usually be able to go to will be hugely empowering for people’s mental and physical health.  We can’t wait to plan our first trip!

Thank you to the Community Fund for giving LEAH this opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives!

On Monday 17th June 2024, Savannah our new coordinator led a trip to The Victoria and Albert Museum to coincide with the celebration of Refugee Week and the theme of “Our Home” - from the places we gather to share meals to our collective home, Planet Earth: everyone is invited to celebrate what “Our Home” means to them.

Savannah reported back:

"The V&A Museum is currently showcasing an exhibition about Naomi Campbell called ‘Naomi in Fashion’. While waiting for all students to join us at our meeting point we were discussing this exhibition, only to turn around and see Naomi Campbell in the flesh!

Students were encouraged to go and say hello to her and managed to speak with her which for one student was a dream come true, as she was a former model in her country of origin.

The V&A had organised a clay making session for us, where we could mould and make an item to then add to a garden scene to symbolise a collective home.

Students were amazingly creative and began to create very innovative designs.

One student specifically enjoyed this and when asked about their thoughts on the clay making session they said: ‘It caused me to get away from that stress for a while and I remembered my childhood’.

This reminds us how essential it is to help our students to find escapism and to feel excited about the new city they are now living in.

Before the trip ended, we took time to explore the museum. We took a participant led approach and many students were proudly sharing stories of their country after finding plates and rugs from their cities. It was amazing to see their faces light with excitement when they found something they recognised.

Overall, it was a very happy and successful trip, helping students to discover something new in London.

A big thank you to our volunteers that helped, you were essential in making this day a success! We are also so grateful for the V&A who covered travel costs and provided refreshments for everyone"