Online art classes
Every term we have a speaker week when we usually invite an external speaker to deliver lessons on a relevant topic.
This term, we did something a little different. One of our wonderful volunteers, a retired art teacher, Jane, and one of our Entry Level 2 students who happens to be an artist ran a very inspiring and uplifting art workshop. The student artist started with us as a 1-1, joined our remote group class and has made brilliant progress in her English. It was great to see her confidently lead the group.
Following on from International Women's Day last week, the students continued the theme of celebrating women during the art class. They discussed and compared paintings of and by women and then they were given the chance to participate in a guided portrait drawing session using famous British women who have English as a second language as inspiration (see photos to draw).
Thanks to funding from Arts for All, were able to post all the participating students some art materials to use for this.
Some of the portraits drawn are shown below, and give an idea of what students created in the short time they had. Some of the students had a real hidden talent!
Here are some key take aways:
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- 42 students participated.
- Students were able to use words for feelings (about art) in a safe and non triggering way.
- Students were given the opportunity to do something new.
- Students were encouraged by the lead students's improvement from when she first started drawing. The lead student's message was: "practice makes perfect" and "be kind to yourself along the way".
- Students were incredibly focussed during 20 minutes drawing. We had relaxing music playing and it felt meditative and grounding. We discussed the importance of finding time for yourself.
- The lead student was incredibly grateful for the experience. It has been wonderful to see her work so well with the lead volunteer in the lead up and she delivered the sessions brilliantly.
Here is some feedback from the day.
One client was very proud of what she had created, saying:
I have never drawn before
One of our trustees who attended enthused
The class today was novel and uplifting! What a great idea to do this – many thanks to you, Jane and Slywia. Please pass on my congratulations to them. Also I think it is a first in that a student/client participated in a centre stage role in a lesson which LEAH as an organisation wants more of and which definitely sets a precedent for us to do more similar classes involving our students on a range of subjects.
New Chief Executive Officer
We are delighted to welcome Sohail Faruqi to the team, as our new Chief Executive Officer.
Sohail has a lifelong commitment to tackling social inequality and barriers to inclusion and social mobility, partly driven by his own lived experiences but also from a sense of social justice. A key barrier is a lack of functional English and tackling educational inequality is a prime personal endeavour for him, as education unlocks positive life chance opportunities.
Sohail has worked as a Director of Education in local authorities and been a Chief Executive of a city council, as well as holding a Regional Director role in the civil service. For the last 13 years he has worked in the charity sector, first with a Learning Disabilities charity and prior to joining LEAH, with an education and social mobility charity.
Over the years, he has benefitted from volunteering experiences and been a trustee of several charities.
LEAH receives £10,000 funding from Heathrow Community Trust
We are delighted to have been awarded a grant of £10,000 under Heathrow Community Trust’s Communities Together grant programme which we will use over the next two years to support our learners living in Hounslow.
Learners will be able to access our weekly community English class at the Heston Royal British Legion, and will also have the opportunity to take part in trips and guided walks to local places of interest such as Kew Gardens, Bushy Park, Boston Manor House and Hampton Court.
Learners will be supported to interact with others, make friends, practice their English, and feel part of their community, and will benefit from improved wellbeing, a better ability to access health services, and improved access to opportunities for progression, including into further education, volunteering and employment.
Savannah Smith, our ESOL and Activities Coordinator, said of the grant, “This is a monumental stepping stone that will help us bridge the gap in social integration for our students.”
Heathrow Community Trust is an independent grant-making charity. Set up in 1996 by Heathrow Airport’s then owners BAA, Heathrow Community Trust’s mission is to enable communities to thrive, by having a positive impact on the lives of people in the communities surrounding Heathrow Airport. In the past three years it has awarded more than £1.1 million through its grant programmes, funding projects which empower young people, protect the environment and enable active local communities. Funds come from an annual donation from Heathrow Airport, fines imposed on aircraft that breach noise limits, Team Heathrow donations, passenger donations and Heathrow colleagues who raise funds for the Trusts.
More information about the fund and how to apply for grants is available on the website www.heathrowcommunitytrust.org
Learners in Hounslow
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:
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Improving their English language skills
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Developing new skills for career growth
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Enhancing job prospects
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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:
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Feeling like their English wasn’t good enough
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Not having enough money
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Having to find a job
Recommendations
These findings underscore the need for:
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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.
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Increasing awareness of free and affordable learning opportunities.
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Flexible learning options that accommodate work schedules, such as evening and weekend classes.
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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
LEAH expands into Merton
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.
Wellbeing Support for ESOL Learners
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.
In addition to the lessons, the booklet provides essential signposting to health and wellbeing services in Kingston, helping learners navigate local support. It also highlights local services and activities that ESOL learners can engage with to enhance their integration into the community.
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
LEAH secures £16,485 grant from Hounslow Thriving Communities Fund to support asylum seekers and refugees
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.
LEAH awarded £10,017 grant from Mayor of London’s Skills for Londoners Community Outreach Programme
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
LEAH Director leaving
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
LEAH Operations Manager chosen for Future Leaders Programme
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.