Empowering Dreams: Refugee Integration and Learning Journey
Empowering Mazen, a former business owner and accountant, and other learners like him, with ESOL classes and vocational training to help them find employment and rebuild their lives in Stirling Council. Motivated by the desire for education, employment, and to assist families in adapting to a new life, this journey highlights the importance of support and collaboration in achieving future goals.
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Our Learning Journey Mazen Habib, learner and former business owner and accountant Duncan Carmichael, Learning and Employability Officer and SQA Coordinator, Stirling Council Jonathan Sharp, Refugee Support Officer and Syrian VPRS Coordinator, Stirling Council
ESOL in the Syrian Resettlement Scheme Mazen Habib; ESOL learner, former business owner and accountant Duncan Carmichael; Learning and Employability Officer and SQA Coordinator, Stirling Council Jonathan Sharp; Refugee Support Officer and Syrian VPRS Coordinator, Stirling Council
Motivation for learning Priority on arrival = education and employment Responsibility to help family adapt Need employment to rebuild life Regain self-esteem Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Mazens Journey First 4 weeks Emergency English General ESOL classes English summer course Stirling School of English Blended delivery of Beginners ESOL and Employability Support Gaining qualifications Vocational English and Forklift training Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Aims for the future Placement in a local company Use forklift licence to find temp work in warehouse. Combine work and study Continue with ESOL with Council until ready for College. Try short course at college to begin Retrain in bookkeeping/Accounting Technician Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Feelings on arrival Feelings now Fear Confident Challenged and stimulated Boredom Impatience to progress Optimistic for the future Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Working within and between Authorities Shared services with Clackmannanshire Council Initially shared delivery of ESOL Classes Then commissioned to provide ESOL Working across Stirling Council services collaboratively Con: Not knowing what other services do ESOL brought it late and perhaps different priorities Pro: Utilising the skills of a wider team Holistic approach to meeting learner needs Building staff skills and capacity Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Working with 3rd Sector Organisations Working in partnership with the voluntary sector Stirling School of English Shared delivery of ESOL Classes Summer School Stirling Citizens for Sanctuary (SCfS) Befriending Conversational English / English in the community Walk and Talk Joint training A source of volunteers within ESOL Classes Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Teaching principles All our classes are delivered by qualified ESOL tutors in a CLD setting, our approach is: Learner-centred, flexible and responding to issues in learners daily lives Structured and aiming towards their goals Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Emergency English Upon arriving, all families received a separate course with a tutor to ensure English basics were covered as well as an initial assessment of their levels and areas of development. Started within 2 weeks of arrival Approximately 9 12 sessions The course covered: Pronunciation and basic sounds in English Sharing personal details (name, age, country of origin, family details) Numbers (1-100, dates, simple time, British money and prices) An introduction to the Western Script (direction of reading, alphabet, letter formation and sounds) Useful phrases and cultural differences (greetings and emergencies) Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Blended English and Employability Participants attend between 12 and 16 hours of learning a week. The programme is blended and comprises: General ESOL ESOL Literacies Literacies Numeracy and budgeting Personal Development Computing Vocational Language Employability Support Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Meeting the needs of the individuals We have been supporting the learners holistically, and in addition to the ESOL and employability support, we are delivering: Inspiring Women Course Story-telling Course Life skills support Help to find volunteering opportunities Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Some issues faced when arranging provision Child care Cr che versus Nursery provision Families placed in separate communities Local learning versus transport costs Widening access to provision Exclusive SVPR provision versus provision open to all The role of ESOL Function in community versus employability support Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
The impact of funding Additional ESOL funding = more development time and more hours per learner Recognition of the importance of ESOL and accredited learning to programme Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Key learning points Key priority is concurrent delivery of ESOL and employability Supported and independent study Work with befrienders and recognise and support their role in helping learners integrate Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Plans for the future Engaging local employers to provide more work placements Introducing the learners to Forth Valley College s wider vocational training and qualifications Building a service that will outlast the Syrian Crisis Sustainable provision and staff skills Harnessing the goodwill that has come out of the Syrian Programme to build capacity and provide lasting support to other refugees and other non-native English speakers Team Stirling: Motivating & Engaging
Contact Details Duncan Carmichael; Learning and Employability Officer and SQA Coordinator, Stirling Council 01786237517 carmichaeld@stirling.gov.uk Jonathan Sharp; Refugee Support Officer and Syrian VPRS Coordinator, Stirling Council 01786233040 sharpj@stirling.gov.uk
ESOL in the Syrian Resettlement Scheme Mazen Habib; ESOL learner, former business owner and accountant Duncan Carmichael; Learning and Employability Officer and SQA Coordinator, Stirling Council Jonathan Sharp; Refugee Support Officer and Syrian VPRS Coordinator, Stirling Council
