Nadia is a 45-year-old female who arrived in the UK from Iran seeking asylum in 2022.
Nadia was a midwife in her home country and whilst her ability to read and write in English was good, she didn’t feel confident speaking in English. She joined a community class delivered by LEAH in Heston at the start of 2023 as she was unable to access college classes.
When Nadia started learning in the UK she said
“The method of learning in my home county focused on reading and writing English so my speaking is less good.”
After gaining confidence attending the community class in Heston she enrolled at her local college and has started a Level 1 ESOL course.
Thanks to GLA funding, we were able to take students from the Heston community class on a trip to Meadowbank where Hounslow Adult Community and Education (HACE) deliver many of their adult education courses.
Whilst they were there, students were given a tour of the building and given information on the courses delivered. An informal presentation allowed students to find out about the Multiply – Cooking with Numbers course on offer and they were given the opportunity to sign up there and then. As Nadia is in home office accommodation, she has been unable to cook for the last three years and the opportunity to do this again appealed to her, so she signed up straight away.
“The course has been good. I have learnt new words in English to do with cooking and maths. It has been nice to be able to cook as I can’t cook in the hotel. The course has helped me with my speaking. I didn’t know I could do these courses and have signed up to do pottery next.”
As Nadia’s confidence to speak with others grew, we were able to introduce her to other healthcare learning opportunities.
July 2025