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Development work funded by;
Action Language is a project run by the Charitable Company Action Foundation
A report on the challenges, successes and barriers for
particularly isolated communities accessing ESOL classes
in Newcastle upon Tyne
March 2015
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Action Foundation is a Christian charity founded in 2005 that provides
opportunities for people at the margins of society to overcome their
exclusion, isolation and/or poverty in Tyne and Wear. This is currently done
by providing English language classes for migrants that cannot access free
mainstream ESOL classes through the Action Language project and
supported housing for asylum seekers and refugees at risk of homelessness
through the Action Housing and Action Letting projects.
The content of this report remains the copyright of Action Foundation and
any reproduction in any form is prohibited unless first agreed in writing by
Action Foundation
Action Foundation, The CastleGate, Melbourne Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 2JQ
Telephone: 0191 231 3113 Email: [email protected]
Charity registration number: 1132051
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Contents
1. About Action Language …………………………………………………………………………… Page 4
2. Background - the need for accessible ESOL ……………………………………………. Page 6
3. Report authors ………………………………………………………………………………….…… Page 7
4. Executive summary……………………………………………………………………………..…. Page 8
5. The Roma communities …………..……………………………………………………………. Page 11
a) Unique barriers to learning English ………………………………………………….. Page 11
b) Case study - Riverside Community Health Project pilot……………………… Page 13
c) Case study – Secondary education - Excelsior Academy ………………….. Page 15
d) Case study – Mandatory ESOL classes ………………………………………………… Page 15
e) Case study – The Children’s Society (SMART project) ………………………… Page 16
f) Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 17
6. Bangladeshi, Pakistani and other BME communities in Newcastle ………… Page 19
a) Introduction ……………………….…………………………………………………………….. Page 19
b) Who is seeking ESOL? ……………………………………………………………………….. Page 20
c) Motivations of BME women for learning English ………………………………. Page 21
d) Service providers in the west of Newcastle ……………………………………… Page 22
e) A success story – Blueberry CAKE ……………………………………………………… Page 26
f) Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 27
7. Victims of Human Trafficking ……………………………………………….………………… Page 29
a) Human trafficking in the North East ……………………….………………………… Page 29
b) Case study – Action Language ……………………………………………………….... Page 29
c) Case study – Kings Church Darlington/Hope for Justice…………………… Page 30
d) Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 31
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1. About Action Language
Action Language started providing regular weekly English classes in April 2008 following two
successful pilot summer schools in 2005 and 2007. Our eligibility criteria for our free classes
was, and remains, for those that cannot access mainstream funded ESOL classes provided by
the local colleges for a variety of different reasons including: immigration status, lack of
mainstream capacity or flexibility, ill health, lack of confidence or funds to pay for such a
course. In other words we are trying to provide support to those who are the most
isolated/excluded as a result of their lack of English communication skills.
Our classes at The CastleGate in Newcastle city centre have proved very popular. This has
seen our service grow to our current provision of 26 classes a week during term time
involving over 60 volunteers. So far this academic year (September 2014 – January 2015) we
have enrolled 686 learners onto our classes and have an average weekly attendance of 229.
We estimate that this reflects approximately 150 people attending at least one class per
week, although most will attend two, two hour sessions per week.
Feedback from our learners, staff, volunteers and other agencies that support our learners
indicate the way we teach English, with lots of volunteers and an emphasis on practical skills
and social interaction is very popular and effective in enabling them to overcome their
isolation and exclusion. 88% of learners that we entered for ‘Skills for Life’ exams passed
and from our most recent survey;
97% of our learners told us that their English is improving
95% of learners told us that they feel they have a better chance of getting work,
more education or succeeding in life because of attending our classes
86% of learners told us that the classes help them to use services, such as the
doctors or the post office
“Because we learn English in the class, we can use it anywhere in our lives: shopping, to
the doctor.... [The classes] enable better communication and more independence in day
to day life.” Learner
“When I arrived in Newcastle I was shy and my English wasn’t very good but now I
understand and I can have conversations” Learner
“Without a doubt, Action Language has had a considerable effect on my client’s life.
Before he went his mood was low, he didn’t mix with people of other cultures and was
generally suspicious of everyone. Action Language has enabled him to restore some of
his belief and confidence in people. As his grasp of English has grown, so has his
confidence and self-esteem. This resource has played a major part in his recovery.”
David Jones, Gateshead Social Services
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First Action Language pilot class in 2005
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2. Background – the need for accessible ESOL
The UK population continues to become increasingly diverse in terms of ethnicity and first
language and North East England follows this trend due to large increases in migration over
the last ten years. Using 2011 census data, there were 35,572 people who identified
themselves as belonging to a BME community in Newcastle which equates to 12.7% of the
city population.
There are a wide range of identities, nationalities, cultural and religious practices
represented by BME communities. Most of these groups in Newcastle are made up of
people who have arrived from South Asia, Africa and the Middle East to work, study, join
families or seek refuge/asylum – the main minority religion being Islam.
The 2011 Census also states that there are 8,529 people in Tyne and Wear who cannot
speak English well or at all although we believe that actual numbers are likely to be much
higher given that most people who cannot speak English well are unlikely to fill in a survey.
Lack of English is a fundamental barrier to people’s ability to integrate into British society: to participate in the life of their local community; to support their children through their education and to contribute to the wider economy. Improved English language skills help people to interact with their local communities, and to make contacts and friends. It increases self-confidence and enables them to join in with activities and issues in their local areas, to engage with their children’s teachers and make informed decisions about health and education options. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
We have worked hard to make our classes as accessible as possible to particularly
marginalised individuals. Students from a wide variety of backgrounds attend Action
Language and we have enrolled people from 113 different countries since we started in
2008. However, following a review of our enrolments, gaining feedback from our learners
and talking to other organisations working with particularly isolated migrants we identified a
number of community/people groups that are particularly excluded and under-represented
at our classes. Therefore, we wanted to gain a greater understanding of the barriers that
may prevent people from these communities accessing not only our classes but ESOL
provision more generally.
In January 2014 we gained funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (through the
Community Foundation serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland) to develop our work
to reduce the barriers for Bangladeshi and Roma women as well as people who have been
trafficked to access our ESOL classes. This report contains the findings of our evaluation into
the successes, challenges and barriers of learning English for these people groups as a result
of this development work. It also documents the outcome of discussions with other
organisations who work with these communities and with learners themselves on this issue.
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3. Report authors
We appointed two people currently involved with Action Language and its development to
particularly hard to reach communities, to gather information and report upon it.
Ayesha Afzal is a qualified ESOL teacher with experience of working
with Bangladeshi women as part of the Blueberry CAKE Project funded
by the European Integration Fund which ran at the Angelou Women’s
Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne along with several other centres in the
UK. Ayesha also leads some of our free classes as well as teaching on
our One Awards certificated ESOL for Work courses. She undertook to
carry out research into this community which, because of her experience and background,
she was well qualified to do. As her research progressed she also encountered a female
Pakistani community that is also ‘hard to reach’ and her section of the report makes
reference to this community. As well as referring to her work in these communities and the
research she carried out there, she also made significant contacts which will form the basis
of possible follow up and developmental work by Action Language as we try to reduce the
barriers to learning ESOL for these communities.
Beverley Brooks, a qualified English teacher, was a volunteer on the
Action Language Pilot Project at The Riverside Centre in Newcastle,
working specifically with Roma lady’s whose English was at Pre-Entry
level and has also worked with us in other capacities. She undertook to
research into the wider Roma communities in Newcastle and also to look
at the issues surrounding trafficked communities, another ‘hard to reach’
group with whom we had come into contact during Summer, 2014 following a request for
help from another charity, Oasis Aquila Housing, based in Gateshead. Beverley has
previously worked in London on a number of projects linked to employability and has some
previous experience both of teaching ESOL and working with excluded communities, in
particular, ex-offenders.
Julian Prior, the CEO of Action Foundation and Malcolm Warin, the
Action Language Project Manager oversaw the project and were
involved in its design and editing the final report. Julian has significant
experience of co-ordinating and reporting on research projects mainly
through his work with the Centre for Social Justice.
Malcolm was instrumental in setting up and developing the project at
The CastleGate and into the wider community. As a qualified ESOL
teacher he has experience of working in college and prison settings. He
is keen to work with communities that find it difficult to access ESOL
through more traditional and formal routes and to facilitate their
engagement in the learning of English.
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4. Executive Summary
Some of the barriers which prevent people from accessing ESOL (and other services) are
deeply engrained in the culture of people who do not have a tradition of engaging with
these services. Many of these barriers are linked to power and authority structures within
these communities which make them particularly difficult to overcome or understand for
those outside of their immediate community.
For the Asian community alternative provision in the form of a more integrated learning
approach has been successful; learners willingly (and were allowed to by the wider family)
engaged with the Blueberry CAKE Project and we have been made aware by some of our
learners at the Riverside Community Health Project (RCHP) that they would love to be
involved in a cookery course. Finding a ‘hook’ around which to deliver practical ESOL
learning / engagement has been key for many who do not always see the benefits of
learning English due to the lack of aspiration and / or perceived opportunity to ‘better
themselves’. Integration outside of their immediate community is often not felt essential
due to their self-sufficiency and family networks of support. Lessons about the style of ESOL
provision should be drawn from this and having a creative and flexible approach is vital.
With the Roma communities we also quickly became acutely aware that the barriers to
learning were deeply ingrained within those communities and have a background which
reaches deep into their past experiences of authority structures and rejection. Breaking
down barriers such as these is extremely challenging and stretches beyond the simple
provision of ESOL. Building relationships of trust over, sometimes, many years is a vital
component of reducing barriers to accessing ESOL. However, childcare, venues, location,
teaching styles and people from their own country delivering the course are all factors that
require consideration.
For all communities, demonstrating the benefits of learning functional English was seen as a
way forward. For the learner and the community to which they belong, one of the prompts
to engagement is the perception that this will be of benefit to them (or their children) rather
than the need to serve as an aid to integration.
It is important not to adopt a “scattergun” one size fits all approach, but rather to seek to
work with specific communities and to identify the methods and means by which they can
be reached. Although there are common factors in supporting these communities, it is
important to identify that working with individual communities separately, particularly as a
starting point, will in many cases be the most effective approach.
We quickly realised that for the trafficked individuals we worked with, the barriers to
engagement are significant, with issues of fear, control and shame being part of a wider
problem.
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It is difficult to take general conclusions from what we have found but several common
factors appear to be evident:
There is a need for free, accessible ESOL in the communities where these groups
reside. Local colleges and third sector providers are limited to their capacity and so
free provision is usually seriously oversubscribed. The main reason for a lack of ESOL
provision is due to;
o statutory funding cuts and tighter eligibility criteria (for mainstream
providers), and
o accredited third sector providers that have the capacity, expertise and
experience to raise sufficient and sustainable funds to deliver consistent, yet
flexible English classes in the community
Free childcare is necessary. However, cultural attitudes to how childcare is delivered
is also important to understand particularly for communities (such as the Roma)
where leaving your child to be cared for by someone else is considered neglectful. A
flexible approach is important.
The provision needs to be in places where these communities feel safe and secure.
This is particularly the case for people who have escaped being trafficked and so
considerations around safeguarding are important
There is need for the wider community to which they belong to recognise and value
ESOL. Asian women in particular are not always encouraged to leave the house alone
and so building relationships with community leaders and husbands is also important
so that they feel comfortable with the provision and give it their ‘blessing’.
ESOL should address more than just the need for language but also support the
whole experience of living in the UK among communities which are outside of their
experience and to which they do not feel part
The provision should be informal. A rigid and inflexible approach regarding
timekeeping, speaking their own language or childcare can undermine engagement
significantly
It should be well organised and continuing – short projects will not have gained the
trust of people who have no positive experiences upon which to build
Being supported by members of their own communities is key to feeling safe
Wherever possible, teachers should have links with the communities who attend the
classes
For the trafficked communities the issues are more complicated although the need for ESOL
is the same and the lack of functional English remains a major barrier to integration; in many
cases they do not ‘belong’ to a community but are outsiders, even if there is a community of
their fellow nationals locally. Safety and being accepted are, however, key. Groups such as
this will not engage with ESOL if they perceive themselves at risk and the benefits of
learning English need to be obvious.
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To this end, for all the communities we have reported on, it is important that we are able to
demonstrate to them that learning English will be of benefit in their daily living by enabling
them to function more effectively, not only in the wider community but also within their
own.
ESOL providers need to first build relationships of trust, or work in partnership with
organisations or individuals that already are trusted by community leaders, in order to have
sustainable engagement from isolated communities.
Action Language class at The CastleGate
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5. The Roma Communities
Newcastle City Council has estimated that its Roma community numbers approximately
4,000 people1, with many adults who “do not have English as a first language and [who]
tend to use the children to interpret.” This creates many barriers to integration in British
society for these individuals, with adverse knock-on effects to their children’s schooling.
The Roma people in the North-East come mainly from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with
lesser numbers from the other former Eastern Bloc countries; they are Europe’s biggest
minority and by many standards her most unwanted people. Many first came to the region
as asylum seekers in the 1990s with the collapse of Communism, then later during the
Balkan War. With the accession of the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the EU in 2004, many
more have since arrived as migrant workers, fleeing discrimination and hardship in their
homelands.
Despite ESOL being available to them, the local Roma population has been reticent in taking
up accessible ESOL provision. This section of this report seeks to explore why this is the case,
firstly through identifying their unique barriers to engaging in language learning; it then
moves on to examine 4 projects that each offer a different provision in this area and
concludes with a series of recommendations.
Unique barriers to learning English
Roma people in general live in very close-knit communities, are often deeply mistrustful of
authority, officials and outsiders:
Centuries of racial discrimination have led to an acute mistrust of authority, which
extends to perceived authority figures such as education professionals
Large, self-sufficient, closed communities who do not encourage assimilation – less
isolation due to their size compared with other migrant groups, lower desire to
integrate through learning English
Reliance on their own children and other community members as interpreters, creating
a functional existence without speaking English oneself
Reluctance to venture outside own micro-geographic community area
Poor experiences of education, low levels of aspiration:
Bad experience of education in country of origin, with racial segregation, low attainment
expectations and minimal job prospects
Poorer literacy levels than other European counterparts
Parents do not perceive that learning English themselves would improve their children’s
chances
1 Newcastle Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-2014 ,Newcastle Children’s Trust
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Child truancy and adult absenteeism due to sickness absences are viewed quite lightly
As EU citizens the Roma communities have the freedom to reside and work in the UK
without the need or incentive to pass a citizenship/language competency test
Traditional, family-oriented cultures:
Patriarchal communities where the woman’s role is that of home-maker, with little
perceived need for education, including English proficiency
Large families, with a cultural resistance to children starting school “too young” at age
4/5 - parents will often be in charge of school-age children (with elevated truancy levels
in the early years) as well as pre-schoolers. There is very limited ESOL provision which
offers free child-care
Reluctance to use child-care even where available, including the statutory 15 hours free
nursery provision
Poverty:
Poverty as a limiting factor to engage with other activities beyond meeting basic needs.
Child poverty levels in Newcastle’s Elswick Ward stand at 47%
ESOL class in partnership with the Riverside
Community Health Project in Benwell
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CASE STUDIES
(1) ESOL lessons with crèche facilities - Riverside Community Health Project - Action
Language, Benwell, Newcastle
A partnership was set up between Riverside Community Health Project (RCHP) in the West
end of Newcastle and Action Language, with funding from The Women’s Fund, Esmee
Fairbairn North-East and City Church Newcastle, to pilot a weekly, community-based ESOL
class with free childcare provision. One ESOL class of mixed-ability learners was launched in
September 2014, with a different volunteer teacher assigned to each of the four levels.
Average weekly attendance was 15, with a total of 5 different nationalities; the majority of
students (85%+) were women.
More than 65% of students used the crèche facility, with several parents having more than
one child in the crèche. The bulk of the class comprised Iraqi Kurdish nationals, with the
second largest group being Slovak Roma women (5 – 6 individuals). In contrast to the other
nationals, the Slovak ladies would not leave their children in the downstairs crèche (despite
their knowing the staff well and often using the venue for other services). Instead, in the
same way as when they attend the centre’s women’s group and CAB sessions, they brought
their pre-schoolers (and indeed school-age children) into the classroom. The room was too
small to cater for this and after they were requested to stop doing so and to use the crèche
provided, their attendance abruptly ceased, with the exception of one person. This lady
continued in regular attendance for the full term, still bringing her 2-year old son to the
class with her, which as a “one-off” was more manageable for the teachers to work around.
After discussions with the centre’s Slovak
community worker, she explained that there
is no culture of childcare in the countries of
origin. As such, the mothers would feel
neglectful in leaving their children in the care
of “strangers”; they do not have any
experience of the positive developmental
environment this might also create for the
children. This view is borne out by the fact
that as a community the Roma largely do not
take-up the government’s 15 hours free
nursery provision for 3 and 4 year olds.
Despite these hurdles, given that RCHP is a trusted and “safe” venue for the Roma
community, with 2 Slovak nationals on staff, in the subsequent, second term of this pilot
(January to March 2015) it has been decided to move the ESOL classroom into a section of
the much larger, downstairs crèche area. The hope is that as the Roma ladies can see their
children playing nearby, they will feel able to return and re-start the lessons.
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There have been notable successes in our pilot ESOL project based at RCHP (between September
2014 and March 2015) which reflect both the work we have done there and the need for that kind of
provision. A summary of the highlights/key points can be found below;
There have been 20 different students who have attended the course from 7 nationalities
(Slovak, Egyptian, Iraqi, Georgian, Libyan, Eritrean and Pakistani)
Uptake of the crèche provision was significant, 12 different children using the crèche during
the 2 terms
4 of the RCHP students proceeded from there to enrol on more regular provision at The
CastleGate, including 1 member of the Roma community
There was significant opportunity to signpost students to other services during the pilot
project.
o A staff member from BECON (Black Ethnic Minority Community Organisations'
Network) talked with students and several signed up for their services.
o One student was referred to Freedom from Torture – The Medical Foundation for
the Care of Victims of Torture and is receiving ongoing support to help him deal with
his experiences prior to coming to the UK.
o A staff member from The Children’s Society also visited the project and engaged
with some of our students.
Following a request from one of the Georgian students regarding Rugby Union provision for
his children (Rugby Union is very popular in Georgia and the person involved had played this
sport), discussions are ongoing with Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club about the possibility of a
“taster project” for children being set up locally, funded and run by the rugby club.
One of the Arabic speaking students, who has a background in law in her own country,
sought advice about how to investigate transferring her skills and qualifications to the UK;
we were able to advise her regarding this.
ESOL class in partnership with the Riverside
Community Health Project in Benwell
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(2) Building parental engagement in secondary education - Excelsior Academy, Newcastle
Excelsior Academy is Newcastle’s newest secondary school, with 49% of its 1,050 pupils
having English as an additional language (EAL) and many arriving at the school with no
English at all. Of these, 70%+ are Czech/Slovak nationals. Over a period of 3-4 years,
Excelsior Academy has sought to improve the involvement of the EAL parents in school life,
with a focus on their attending Parents’ Day each term and gaining more active parental
participation in their children’s learning. Before this initiative was launched, the
Czech/Slovak parents virtually never attended the Parents’ Day, despite the provision of
interpreters.
Mistrust of the school was widespread and in part as a consequence of a cultural mistrust of
authority and poor experiences of education in the countries of origin. The school, with its
Slovak EAL Coordinator, decided to combine the autumn term Parents’ Day with a St
Nicholas (Santa Claus) celebration, located off-site at a “neutral” venue in the nearby,
widely-used community centre (RCHP, see above). Teachers and interpreters were present
at the event, distributing reports and engaging with parents. The following year the school
focussed on building upon this engagement but bringing it within the school building; door-
to-door transport was provided with a minibus picking parents up, house by house, street by
street. The Parents’ Day was set for the afternoon, 12 – 3pm, so that primary school
children could still be collected. Last year the school repeated the St Nicholas celebration, at
the school, with minibus pick-ups shuttling back and forth from RCHP again.
As the school has progressively established trust and value for learning amongst these
parents, it has become apparent that seeing their children receive a good quality education
really does matter to them, especially realising that their children receive the same
advantages as the British and all other children. There may not be high aspirations by the
parents for themselves, but this does exist on their children’s behalf.
(3) Mandatory ESOL classes
Newcastle City Learning, Westgate College, Newcastle
In the period 2000 - 2004, Newcastle City Learning (NCL) attempted a number of initiatives
directed at engaging the Roma community, including setting up bespoke classes for Czech
Roma, without successful uptake. In 2010, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and as
a pathfinder for the ‘New Approach to ESOL’, which aimed to target under-represented
groups, NCL ran focus groups within the community and created employability-focussed
ESOL courses, but again with very low enrolments of Roma students.
The college only began to see significant numbers of Roma students as of 2011, when the
Job Centre introduced the mandated referral scheme: of the 42% European students
enrolled in 2013/14, almost 40% were Roma, who constitute by far the college’s largest
minority. Under the mandated referral system, any individual who does not meet the Job
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Centre’s “English Language Requirement” is compelled to take English lessons and will lose
their Jobseekers’ Allowance for non-attendance. The college has around 65% of its learners
in receipt of Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA); this figure is close to 100% for its Roma students.
If/when the Roma student loses their rights to benefits after failing a “Genuine Prospect of
Work” interview - even where this failure is in part due to insufficient English skills - they
typically do not continue with the lessons. They come for intensive language programmes of
12 hours per week over 20 weeks, with the goal of attaining Entry Level 2 at the end of this
period. Employability skills and work-based language are embedded into these classes and
the learners are also taught how about the UK labour market, how to conduct job searches
and are given help with their CV, in conjunction with the local service provider JET.
Additional assistance is offered “pastorally”, for example liaison with the Job Centre to
resolve problems regarding benefits, or with other agencies for wider issues concerning
housing or health.
NCL has invested heavily in developing staff and tutor awareness of the Roma culture and
has identified a number of teaching and learning models which work better with this
community, as well as avoiding those which don’t. Successful adaptations include allowing
the native language to be spoken across the classroom between individuals, rather than the
common “English only” rule. The Roma learn well when absorbing blocks of oral work,
rather than through a formal, grammatical approach and certainly when the language can
be seen to be needs-focussed and relevant. Learning through song, or by tactile means –
making things – have been popular. Less successfully, tutors have unwittingly alienated
whole classes on occasion, in instances where one individual may have been publicly
corrected on a point of discipline or timekeeping; the whole community has closed ranks
with him and withdrawn cooperation from the tutor. This need to “save face” is important
and the tutors have had to become more sensitive to this. Classes tend to be loud and
gregarious and this learning style should be incorporated and indeed celebrated, rather than
quashed. Over time the Roma students have begun to get on well with the other
nationalities in the class, which would not typically occur outside of the classroom. Trust has
also built over the years towards the college itself, as the students have come to recognise
that the college is not complicit with the Job Centre and its policy of sanctions.
(4) ESOL tables within a drop-in service
The Children’s Society SMART Project, Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle
The SMART Project (Supporting Migrants, Asylum-seekers and Refugees Together) operates
a weekly, Monday-morning drop-in session, which provides the opportunity for families to
access project workers from The Children’s Society, as well as other facilities and services
including officers from the Council’s housing department and the Citizens Advice Bureau.
Healthy food is provided to families, as well as a limited number of food parcels and a small
travel bursary; interpreter support is crucially provided. The last 4-5 years have seen an
upsurge of Eastern European migrants, most latterly Romanians. It is a very well-attended
resource, with individuals coming to get help with housing, finance and other issues, as well
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as a social time. Within the venue there is an ESOL table which is open to anyone, staffed by
a qualified Slovak national teacher. Despite their regular attendance at the drop-in, the
Roma communities do not use this provision, although various other nationalities do. This
aspect has not improved even gradually despite the years that they have come to trust the
venue and the teacher.
Conclusions
Overcoming many decades of discouragement, low aspiration and poor attainment, with
the goal of creating a culture of self-belief and openness to integration is not something
which easily lends itself to any “quick fixes”. This report identifies certain elements which
have seen some success:
Building trust over a number of years, through a consistent approach rather than
with short-term initiatives
Employing nationals from within the community to promote engagement
Use of native language rather than insistence upon English
Using local venues which are already known to the community members and where
they feel safe
Adapted, informal teaching styles based on conversational English
Free childcare provision offered in a flexible way
ESOL class in partnership with the Riverside
Community Health Project in Benwell
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Note: The above images do not relate to the project described within this report
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6. Bangladeshi, Pakistani and other BME communities in Newcastle
This report explores the experiences of black and minority ethnic (BME) women in the West
area of Newcastle upon Tyne in relation to existing provision for English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) using conversations with learners and providers. With a focus on
Bangladeshi women identified as a hard to reach group, it depicts perceptions on the
challenges, successes and barriers faced by them and other BME women. A total of 30
women were spoken to individually and in groups using semi-structured informal
interviews, and 6 service providers were contacted for their input. The majority of the
interviews were face to face with the exception of two which were on the phone and one by
way of e-mail.
Introduction
The vast majority of the BME community resides in the inner West area of the city which,
according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010 (IMD), is the 40th most deprived
authority in the country. Within this area BME people are over-represented in the most
deprived neighbourhoods that have the worst rates of child poverty and health and social
inequalities in the city, according to Newcastle City Council Equality reports. The ward of
Elswick has the highest concentration of Bangladeshis in the city while other wards of
Wingrove and Fenham show Pakistanis as the largest non-white group – many in both
subgroups speak little English or none at all. The vast majority of notably visible
Bangladeshis originate from the mostly rural North Eastern city of Sylhet in Bangladesh and
the Pakistani community largely has its roots in the rural area of Mirpur in Northern
Pakistan – both groups have much in common with regards to their faith, culture and
lifestyle and lead largely segregated lives for purposes of mutual aid and support and as a
result of racial discrimination.
BME women face particular challenges and are less likely to access services due to cultural
attitudes, lack of information because of low levels of English and lack of family or other
support networks. Cultural norms mean they often have sole responsibility of caring for
children and adults and this is seen as one of the most significant barriers to their equality
and independence (Angelou Centre). This, coupled with religious beliefs, often dictate
where women are permitted to go by their husbands and families. Sylheti Bangladeshi
women are considered a difficult group to reach because of the characteristics of their
cultural environment and religious considerations both of which are relevant when looking
at their activities related to English learning. Women’s organisations in the West area of
Newcastle leave no doubt that commitment to women’s work not only helps to develop it
but is necessary for BME women to obtain support, advice, education and training with their
families’ approval while feeling comfortable and safe. However, there are also potential
threats to this work due to the lack of recognition of such work with women’s services, the
current economic climate being an added pressure and the closure of some groups. Despite
Page 20
services becoming more short-term, women’s organisations are finding that demands in
many areas of work and services are increasing including ESOL provision.
Who is seeking ESOL classes, including potential learners?
Women belonging to settled communities which are principally from the Asian sub-
continent, but not exclusively, Bangladeshi women being the majority
Spouses of migrant workers, many of whom are here to work and settle and thus
need access to ESOL for a fuller life
Spouses of students from the Asian subcontinent and the Middle East/North Africa
who have been settled here for a number of years and want to be more of a part of
the local community through the provision of ESOL courses but are prevented by low
income or family responsibilities
Women who are separated or divorced from their husbands
Asylum seekers whose chances of effective settlement would be improved by
learning English, and settled refugees who need English before they can get access
to education, training or work
Sylheti women from Bangladesh are a hard to reach group but are showing an increasing
interest in ESOL classes. Sylhet is a largely conservative and religiously significant part of
Bangladesh having a low literacy rate due to poor educational provision. Recently arrived
women can broadly be divided into two groups; those who come from the city equipped
with a basic education and some ready awareness of life in the UK and those who are from
rural areas and have little or no education. Both groups face specific challenges where
traditional roles of wife, mother and daughter-in-law can be seen as incompatible with
gaining education and training. Intense patriarchal systems and the wearing of the outer veil
(known as purdah) can result in the seclusion of women who are seen as bearers of culture
and faith in their role as mothers while most of the men work in restaurant businesses.
Newcastle Bangladeshi Association (NBA) and those working with the Sylheti Bangladeshi
community in Newcastle speak of closed networks where most women, whether they are
settled immigrants or new migrants, have strong ties with mainly their kin. Where older
settled Sylheti women may have learned English and some may be participating in
businesses that belong to their husbands resulting in wider networks, younger Sylheti
women are mostly embedded in large families and living with in-laws, busy with children
and expected to wait upon visitors who can be frequent. Many Sylheti women may even
prefer the home environment where there is more support from husbands who were born
and grew up in the UK - this generation of husbands has shown increased levels of interest
in wanting their wives to improve their English, to learn about British culture, be actively
involved with the community and have the ability to contribute. Having been shy and
dependent on husbands and families for prolonged time periods, there is now also an
increase in numbers seeking ESOL classes for fear of becoming isolated and increasingly
distant from their school going children due to the potential culture gap.
Page 21
Discussions with NBA have centred on having awareness sessions for families in their
community centre delivered by their own community members to further highlight the
importance and benefits of ESOL classes – this is considered a vital step before more Sylheti
women can be seen to show an interest in learning English followed by higher chances of
attendance on any English courses that may be offered in future.
“Some girls and women learn English then want more classes; those in their homes
don’t know anything about that. When they will come out and learn they will get a
taste and they will want more”. – S from Sylhet, Bangladesh
Motivations of BME women for learning English
The research conducted has shown BME women’s groups in Newcastle understand English
language is an important part of living and working in the UK and the majority exhibit a good
level of enthusiasm and keenness to learn:
“Now that we are living here in the UK we must learn English, it is important for
everything.” – R from Pakistan
“I’m educated in my country but I really need English classes here, they are so
important because now I live in the UK and they make life easy. I also want to look at
job opportunities in the future, here and in different countries.” – R from Libya
There is also awareness that the lack of such an important skill can lead to isolation, divided
communities, a lack of trust of one another and community tensions which have become
heightened due to an increase in hate crime based on race and religion.
“English as a common language is good for bringing everyone together.” – F from Iraq
The main motivations for BME women accessing ESOL courses are:
To simply be able to survive, live and cope in a foreign country and “to get by”. Most
demand is for beginner and entry level one ESOL courses.
To deal with official channels for accessing statutory services, healthcare provision
(talk with GPs) and supporting children’s educational progress (talk with teachers).
BME women are increasingly wanting ESOL provision for settlement/citizenship
purposes
Many women show an interest in accessing ESOL classes at women’s centres for the
social aspect – they want to meet others from diverse backgrounds to socialise.
English was seen as a common language that could bind people together.
There are also some women who come with qualifications from their own countries
and want to expand on them – to do this they need English with a view to gaining
employment.
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One of the most interesting interviewees for the study had the following to say:
“I need to get out of the house sometimes to fresh my mind. My husband has learning
difficulties and one of my daughters is disabled. I am a wife and a mother but
sometimes I want to be me. My in-laws didn’t like me going out of the house to learn
English in the beginning but I decided it’s my life, I’m going to do what I want to do.
Now my English is good but more ESOL classes will be good to socialise and learn more
about things.” – R from Sylhet, Bangladesh
Service providers in the West area of Newcastle – challenges, barriers and successes:
Until 2007 ESOL classes could be obtained for free at colleges but these were gradually
removed so that now only those on benefits can study free. This is a huge barrier that
vulnerable groups such as BME women face when trying to access ESOL classes for
accredited courses at colleges or centres for citizenship purposes. Such an obligation itself is
considered a barrier to learning English where job centres determine the nature of ESOL
provision and employment outcomes become more important than language learning
outcomes. In 2010 the UK Border agency stated migrants entering or wanting to apply to
remain in the UK as the partner of a British citizen had to show they could speak and
understand a basic level of English. As the laws governing UK settlement and citizenship
have become tougher, BME women are faced with the choice of unaffordable ESOL
provision at colleges (and partner centres) or non-accredited classes (albeit limited) that are
free and at community centres within walking distance from homes.
“I like going to centres to learn English but most of the courses are very basic,
sometimes I feel like I’m wasting my time. My husband lost his job so we get benefits
now; the job centre sent me to Newcastle College but Westgate College is closer to my
home. I can’t walk that far as I have a problem with my leg and buses take too long
because I must change.” - S from Bangladesh
Action Language class at
The CastleGate
Page 23
Newcastle City Learning Skills for Life, Westgate College – mainly works with hard to reach
learners. Before mandated ESOL for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), the largest group of
students were from Bangladesh, there were women only classes, classes for refugees and
asylum seekers and conversation classes for the community at no cost. In 2007, the college
set up a learning initiative including a structured course in phonics to help mainly
Bangladeshi and Pakistani women with no formal schooling at all – the curriculum itself was
seen (and still is) as a barrier to learning due to the lack of Pre-entry materials and
qualifications and these groups were seen to be making little progress beyond beginner
levels. After the UK government’s funding system altered, the main BME women’s groups
gradually consisted of Bangladeshi and Pakistani widows and divorcees in their 50s and 60s.
Since 2012 the Roma community constitute the largest minority followed by Bangladeshi
and other BME groups.
Newcastle College – until 2007 the ESOL department was committed to working with
women from the settled Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian communities to combat the
exclusion such vulnerable groups face in mainstream society. This was done by forming
partnerships with community centres in the women’s local areas. Free/low cost study and
English language teaching being tailored to specific groups and needs showed high success
rates. Government funding was cut and the college started offering mandated ESOL for JSA
after 2007 and working in partnership with remaining community groups ceased in 2012.
Since then the ESOL service at Westgate College has sent their Bangladeshi and Pakistani
older widows and divorcees (having exhausted possibilities) to Newcastle College where the
same situation exists with little progress seen despite initiatives based on personalised
learning. Both colleges have seen some younger and better educated women from
Bangladesh and other BME groups; however both colleges have also seen these learners
disappear after failed job centre interviews.
“Things have changed nowadays. When I came to this country 10 years ago there were
free English classes but women were not interested, now women are interested and
there are no English classes. I don’t understand the government; older women in their
60s go to college and there is nothing for the younger ones who are the future.”
D from Sylhet, Bangladesh
Women’s organisations/centres – Angelou Centre, Millin Centre, West End Women and
Girl’s Centre and First Step. All centres work with BME women’s groups in the West area,
are committed to the empowerment of women and girls in Newcastle and deliver a range of
accredited and non- accredited training and skills development courses including ESOL.
English learning classes are delivered by staff employed by mainstream providers as
partners on programmes available to those on JSA; free courses are sometimes run by ESOL
tutors employed by centres with the aid of funding coming from various sources for
projects. At least one centre provides regular ESOL classes at a small fee; otherwise the help
of ESOL teacher volunteers is invaluable but not always available. Learner views include:
Page 24
“I want my entry level 3 certificate for citizenship but can’t afford the classes; I don’t
want basic courses for fun.” – D from India
“I don’t want to attend English classes once a week only sometimes. I want English
classes everyday 5 days a week.” – L from Afghanistan
“I go to a centre for English class once a week for two hours. I really like my teacher,
she is a volunteer but her work is hard. There are many students and many levels.”
R from Pakistan
As the large majority of BME and Bangladeshi women are not able to access ESOL provision
at colleges or centres who work in partnership with them, this leaves women’s centres to
address the existing need at a time when there are funding issues and gaps in the provision
extending to long periods. This leads to long waiting lists which result in large classes with a
wide range of language levels restricting student interaction and oral practice:
“Women are coming in asking about English courses every day. We only have an
English conversation class run by a volunteer at the moment. When we have ESOL
classes we have large classes of mixed levels with those who have never been to school
to those who may have been to high school or university in their country.”
Local centre worker
“The classrooms are crowded and too many levels so how can I practise speaking? They
give me a headache.” – N from Bangladesh
“Women come into the centre every day to ask about English classes but we only have
a very limited number of sessions running at any one time with a limited number of
places in the crèche. Classes are large and waiting lists are long.” – Local centre worker
A significant barrier to accessing ESOL classes has been the lack of free childcare which is
provided inconsistently or not provided at all. Both in colleges and centres crèche places are
always limited; when the facility is available many women can be dissatisfied with the
service due to lack of registered crèche staff of same culture/background and a general lack
of trust in the service:
“I want ESOL classes but where are they? Once I got a chance but the crèche was too
full for my 3 children. I also had a problem with the crèche woman. It was too much
stress and I stopped the class.” – F from Libya
Page 25
For those women who will not have a choice and must travel some distance for their chance
on an ESOL programme of study at a centre, travel costs must be considered:
“I waited, finally I got a chance on a good English course at a centre. I wanted help with
travel but they said no. I walk 45 minutes to class everyday with my baby in the
pushchair in the winter months because I didn’t want to miss my chance.”
M from Pakistan
Not all BME women express a desire for classes at women’s centres only and some will take
advantage of other initiatives in the West area of Newcastle. One such example is Riverside
Community Health project (set up with Action Language) which offers free ESOL and crèche
provision in a mixed gender teaching-learning environment:
“The class is close to my home, easy for me because I have a baby and need crèche. I go
one time a week. I really want more.” – R from Egypt
Both colleges and centres can avoid certain types of funding for projects because of intense
monitoring which may require extremely lengthy periods of time and effort spent resulting
in a further decrease in the possibility of free ESOL provision.
“There is coffee morning at the centre I go on Wednesday morning now. I miss TIMA
where I went for English classes couple years ago but it closed. I go to the mosque to
learn about Islam or Newcastle Bangladeshi Association for cultural events or my
children’s Bangla language classes.” – F from Sylhet, Bangladesh
Action Language Christmas
celebration 2013
Page 26
A success story:
Blueberry CAKE (Community Action Keys for Empowerment based on the New Economic
Foundation recommendations to improve mental health) was offered to BME women at the
Angelou centre from 2013-2014 over the course of 18 months and assessed as highly
successful. Partly paid for with the European Integration Fund and partly funded by the
government (4 programmes were delivered for each strategic region of North East, South
West, Midlands and London), it was designed to provide free accredited ESOL courses with
free crèche provision for newly arrived third country national women (NATCNW) in the UK.
Their particular needs being addressed for their personal benefit as well as for the
community. 60 learners benefited from the programme of which over 50% were
Bangladeshi women. Core ESOL lessons were embedded with topics on health and
wellbeing; a mentoring scheme ran alongside to further support them and to offer them a
platform for networking with likeminded women to facilitate their integration in the UK.
Additional activities were offered in the form of awareness sessions delivered by health
organisations and outdoor trips to get to the city better. In the words of the project co-
ordinator:
“Participants enjoyed the ESOL classes and the integrative activities, made friends in
the class and with other service users and connected with each other outside the
Angelou Centre as well. They felt more independent and more able to take on new
challenges. Most Learners were desperate to progress onto more advanced ESOL levels
however this was not possible due to the eligibility criteria imposed. Some pre entry
and E1 students said before joining the programme they were completely dependent on
family members to interpret for them. Throughout the programme their confidence
increased and they are now able to make doctor’s appointments, buy bus tickets and do
their own shopping. One student specifically reported how she was able to explain to
her child’s school teacher an incident which had happened in school and had affected
the child emotionally. Another ESOL learner expressed a real interest in joining the
mentoring programme and become a champion to support women in the community
more effectively. Unfortunately the funding has come to an end which has been very
disappointing to many women and service users.”
Drawbacks included an eligibility criterion which was responsible for turning away many
disappointed women and large mixed level classes.
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Conclusion:
This report has identified BME women’s experiences when accessing ESOL provision in the
deprived West area of Newcastle and the challenges and barriers they’ve faced and
successes they’ve enjoyed. All groups, including actively involved Bangladeshi women, have
reported back with the main barrier to successful English learning being their inability to
access free accredited ESOL courses at colleges and community centres. Preferred women’s
centres in the community are struggling with adequate free ESOL provision to meet the
needs of these women’s groups due to a severe lack of funding. Courses that are run are not
always free, those that are free are not offered consistently. An eligibility criteria may be
applicable on some courses leading to the exclusion of some groups and lack of good and
free childcare provision adds to the existing barriers to learning English. With regards to
Bangladeshi women from Sylhet who belong to very closed networks, awareness sessions
for ESOL classes have been discussed for families in the NBA community centre – this has
been described as an essential first step before any hope can be seen in terms of their
accessing ESOL provision.
Evidence from the research points to the need for smaller funded learning programmes to
cater for the need in the diverse population of BME women ESOL learners. Those who come
from backgrounds with minimal education have more than a new language to learn, they
need funded programmes which can enable them to learn English with different approaches
to improve their confidence in smaller steps whilst gaining experience of living in a new
country before a qualification route can be explored. Those who arrive with established
study skills may not need to spend much time in English classes but still have other needs
that must be addressed. Smaller funded ESOL programmes for BME women’s groups loosely
based on a successful project like Blueberry CAKE and using women’s centres and venues
which they regard as safe spaces can be effective in addressing the needs of BME women
including their English language learning needs if they are to be integrated into life in the
UK.
Action Language class at
The CastleGate
Page 28
Page 29
7. Victims of Human Trafficking
“Human trafficking is the recruitment and movement of people by means such as
violent force, fraud, coercion or deception, or abuse of their vulnerability with the
aim of exploiting them. It is modern slavery.” Andrew Wallis, It Happens Here:
Equipping the United Kingdom to fight modern slavery, Centre for Social Justice 2013
The EU estimates that there are 880,000 people working in forced labour across Europe. In
its report cited above, the Centre for Social Justice gathered evidence of a wide range of
forms of modern slavery practised in the UK against adults and children – within the sex
industry, forced labour, domestic servitude in the home and forced criminal activity;
exploitation that it witnessed occurring in factories, fields, construction sites, brothels and
houses. Figures obtained only reflect the small number of known cases and do not give a
true sense of the scale of the problem – an estimated 1,000-1,500 adults and children in
modern slavery in the UK in 2012 likely to be a small fraction of the actual numbers.
Human Trafficking in the North-East
The National Crime Agency identified 212 victims where the exploitation had taken place in
the North-East in 2013. The largest categories were labour and criminal exploitation,
followed by sexual exploitation. By far the largest national group found to be exploited in
the North-East region were Slovakians (48%), whereas nationally the largest group are
Romanians. This report focuses on 2 cases of survivors of human trafficking who have been
rescued into the North-East, that is to say their exploitation did not take place here, but
rather this has been a region for their rescue and rehabilitation, after they had exited the
National Referral Mechanism’s 45-day “reflection and recovery” period.
CASE STUDIES
One-to-one ESOL classes for a trafficked woman: Action Language
During the summer of 2014, Action Language received a request to offer bespoke, one-to-
one lessons to a young Eastern European woman, a survivor of sex trafficking, who was
referred by the housing charity Oasis Aquila Housing. For 9 weeks she was paired with an
experienced lady teacher for once-weekly lessons, which she attended in full, bar one
sickness absence. At the end of the individual lessons she was encouraged to join the
accredited, group lessons (ESOL for Work), but after one introductory meeting she
discontinued attendance. Discussions with her key worker indicated that she had enjoyed
individual lessons but didn’t feel she needed additional English skills (not a view the
professionals shared) and that she was keen to find employment. With the benefit of
hindsight, both Action Language and Oasis Aquila Housing felt that a “phased” introduction
to group lessons, perhaps accompanied by her own tutor for a period in a “buddy” capacity,
might have better enabled her to continue with her learning.
Page 30
One incident from that Summer experience stands out. During the time that this student
was attending classes at The CastleGate we were made aware that a man was waiting
outside the building for her, and on one occasion he entered the building and asked
whether she was here. CastleGate staff (separate from Action Language staff) were uneasy
regarding this man’s demeanour and appearance and at one point were on the verge of
calling in the Police. Subsequent enquiries made through Aquila Oasis established that,
contrary to our concerns, this man was not trying to draw our student back into the abusive
relationship from which she had escaped, but was in fact a man with whom our student had
formed a relationship that appeared to be good for her.
Group Conversation Club lessons for a group of trafficked individuals: Kings Church,
Darlington/Hope for Justice Manchester
At the request of a rescue and advocacy NGO, Hope for Justice, Kings Church launched an
"English Conversation Club" in July 2014, to provide conversation opportunities to ten men
and two women who had been rescued from forced labour trafficking by the NGO and who
were being housed in the County Durham area by RocSolid (an accredited supported
housing provider which offers accommodation to vulnerable young people and young
families in Co Durham and Teesside). This was a pilot within Hope for Justice's "Purpose
Project" which aims to move its clients from the position of "victim" to that of "over-comer".
Gaining a functional use of English is an important part of this process, as well as a
JobCentre requirement.
The church community assembled a group of trained, volunteer teachers to lead the classes,
and RocSolid provided transport for these individuals. The overall intention was that this
Conversation Club would supplement formal ESOL teaching which the clients were due to
receive. However, when the Conversation Club classes started it quickly became evident
that the clients weren’t attending any ESOL classes at that time and so in the main their
level of English was at a "beginner" stage – as such it was difficult to hold even simple
conversations with them and classes tended to focus on new vocabulary rather than
conversation. The formal ESOL lessons due to start in September at Bishop Auckland College
didn't start up as they should have done. A further difficulty was that clients would often be
unable to attend as they were required to go for interviews at their Job Centre, or had other
commitments. Some of the individuals were eventually able to start ESOL classes at
Darlington College, and so the Conversation Club has continued with a much smaller
contingent of students.
Despite the diminishing numbers from this particular group who have been unable to fully
take up the English classes, Kings Church has decided to broaden its ESOL provision into
2015, and with training from Action Language in how to set up structured classes, intends to
offer ESOL classes twice weekly and a Conversation Club once a week, not only to Hope for
Justice clients but also throughout the Darlington area.
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Conclusions
Given the range of the exploitation that has occurred, as well as the differing ages, gender
and nationalities of its victims and the degree of mental and physical trauma suffered, it is
difficult to offer generalisations as to how to gear ESOL provision across the board. Both
case studies above indicate a need as identified by the “rescue partner” that improved
proficiency in English is a key element in their client’s recovery and their integration into
British society, where they have chosen to stay in this country, as in these examples.
Despite this, to facilitate more active engagement with ESOL there are a number of factors
that should be addressed. These include:
Creating a learning environment where a relationship of trust can be nurtured
between the client and those providing ESOL
A 1-1 or very small group approach in the early stages to provide the required safe
and secure environment
Awareness that for these clients the teacher must have a clear understanding of the
issues and background and be able to deal sensitively with the difficulties and
challenges that might arise
Supported and gradual integration into larger and more mainstream ESOL provision
Action Language class at
The CastleGate
