Refugee charity empowers 60 ESOL students in West Midlands to kickstart their future careers

An organisation which supports young refugees living in the UK has offered expert advice to scores of West Midlands students who are seeking to kickstart their careers.

Representatives of Refugee Education UK visited Coventry College to share insights with 60 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students, answer questions, and host activities designed to support progression into work or higher education.

The session was aimed specifically at ESOL Youth students in their second or third year of study – meaning they are likely to leave the college either this summer or the following year.

Topics included an overview of the British education system, an explanation of the different levels of education, how to enrol and progress through college and where to get help and support.

Almost 200 ESOL Youth students aged 16-18 study at Coventry College, following arrival from across Europe, Asia and Africa, including Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Romania and Ukraine.

The ESOL Youth Programme is aimed at UK residents to help improve reading, writing, speaking, listening, and overall confidence in English use. Students also undertake work experience to help prepare for future employment.

Natalia Vadgama, ESOL Youth Curriculum Lead at Coventry College, said:

“It was a privilege to welcome Refugee Education UK to the college, and great that so many students were able to engage in the session, further practising their communication skills and learning more about their next steps.

It’s extremely important that students who are approaching the end of their time at the college have access to this kind of support, as it is our goal at the college to ensure they are prepared for further study, employment, or whatever they aspire to.”

Refugee Education UK helps young refugees across the country access education and support, from primary school to higher education.

The organisation has recently collaborated with City of Sanctuary UK to develop a suite of training modules to help Further Education colleges to grow in their confidence and expertise to support refugee and asylum-seeking students.

Ehsan Habibi, Further Education Project Coordinator for Refugee Education UK, said: “It was great to meet so many wonderful students and I’d like to thank the college for arranging everything perfectly. Everything went really well and we really enjoyed it.“

For more information about Refugee Education UK visit https://www.reuk.org/

To find out more about Coventry College’s ESOL Youth Programme visit https://www.coventrycollege.ac.uk/courses/esol-youth-programme/