The move to an unfamiliar country thousands of miles from home isn’t undertaken lightly.
It’s one people make for a variety of reasons – often to escape war – and it can come with as many problems as solutions.
Settling in, conversing, learning customs and cultures, are all difficult and not being able to speak the language of day-to-day life closes many doors and can lead to isolation.
In Rotherham, help is at hand through Premier Learning, which runs English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), a project which AESSEAL has supported through its partnership with South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).
When we visited on a Monday morning, a group of six women was learning about the various aspects of shopping – how to go through a receipt, read a customer services phone number, what the items are and how much they cost – with teacher Rhiannon.
The class, one of several held at Eastwood Village Primary School in Eldon Road, is made up of members from Yemen, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Kurdistan, with other students, ranging in age from 18 to 75, originating from Hong Kong, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Honduras.
Rhiannon said:
It is about learning things that you need for everyday life. People come into class and they are maybe a bit nervous, but it helps give them confidence and they become friends and some meet socially. A number have got kids at the school, which is really nice. Also, because the classes are in school hours it means they can drop the children off and come to the lesson. All my groups are so lovely and they are all very supportive of each other. They are learning about food and clothes shopping today, but they also learn maths, how to arrange doctors’ appointments and tell the receptionist what is wrong with them. If you can learn the set phrases it is really helpful.
The women have only been learning English within the group for a matter of months and are at a similar stage of development, which means they can help each other on their way to ESOL qualifications.
Later this year Premier Learning will start an ‘Employability Programme’, and Rhiannon said: “People have skills and qualifications from their own countries and need to work on certain aspects and develop the things they need to know to help them get into work here.”
Premier Learning, which was set up in 2011, also aims to enable its students to embrace the history and culture of the English language through its courses, which range from pre-entry/entry level through to level 2.
Since 2020, AESSEAL has donated £7,400 (£9,834 since 2014) to the project through its partnership with SYCF, which has awarded £15,000 over three years to Premier Learning, meaning the courses are fully funded for the students.
It’s clear the women present on our visit are enjoying the class and when asked about their favourite aspects they all tell us “the teacher is very good”, they learn a lot, their confidence is increasing, they all help each other, they enjoy the social activities and the community spirit in Rotherham, though English spelling is “very difficult”.
AESSEAL director Martin McKervey said:
We are very pleased to support Premier Learning, a small South Yorkshire based educational charity specialising in teaching local residents who have limited knowledge of the English Language. Outside the classroom, they also organise various social activities to reduce social isolation, improve an individuals’ English skills and promote community cohesion. Whilst open to all, the majority of students are refugees, asylum seekers and individuals from ethnic minorities. We applaud and thank them for the important work they do.
SYCF philanthropy coordinator Rachael Farrell said:
Premier Learning's dedication to empowering adults through education is remarkable. Witnessing the positive impact they make is a joy. Their focus on building a strong community transforms learners into part of a supportive network, boosting confidence and motivation. Offering functional skills, math, and literacy, it is truly a welcoming and amazing group.
Premier Learning can be contacted at info@premier-learning.org or on 07722 075240.
