Housing associations 'in unique position' to tackle ESOL crisis » Housing » 24dash.com

Housing associations are in unique position to help ease a chronic shortage of English Language classes which is making it hard for many refugees and migrants to find work and integrate in British society, according to hact.

Partners in Opening Doors, a hact project aimed at improving services for refugees and new migrants, have reported waiting times of up to two years for ESOL classes, or a lack of English language teaching at a time and place that makes it accessible to those who need it.

In Bolton, the local college has 1000 people on its waiting list for ESOL classes, and applicants can expect to wait between eighteen months and two years for a place to become available.

In Lincolnshire, the absence of local classes, combined with poor public transport, means many refugees and migrants find it impossible to attend an English class.

Some housing associations are stepping in to the fill the gap, providing classes themselves or funding for local community organisations to offer teaching that fits in with the work schedule and other needs of refugees and migrants.

Alex Ray of Longhurst Homes in Lincolnshire, says the onset of recession has made English skills more important than ever to Longhurst’s migrant and refugee tenants - the lack of appropriate classes means many have little choice but to rely on benefits in a competitive jobs market.

“At a meeting of migrant workers earlier this year we heard how people were being laid off by packing factories and from the agricultural industry which is struggling like all other businesses,” she says. “The jobs that are available now are ones where English is needed.
"One migrant who was looking for work was a fully qualified mid-wife but she didn’t speak English and couldn’t find a place on a course to learn.”

Alona Tirzite, Community Engagement Officer at Lincolnshire County Council agrees.

“A few years ago there was a big demand for migrant workers and they didn’t need English so much for work. But now, because there are fewer vacancies, the employment agencies are demanding English skills even for jobs in packing factories.”

The English classes which are available are often not suitable for migrants and refugees.

“Classes at the colleges tend to be at a fixed time and quite formal,” says Tirzite. “Agency workers never know when their next day off is and can’t dictate their hours, so they don’t want to pay for a course of classes they can’t attend.”

Many in rural areas find it impossible to get to an English class.

“I know migrants in the Holbeach area of Lincolnshire, who were very keen to go to classes in Spalding, but couldn’t get there because there was no public transport in the evening.”

St Vincent’s Housing Association in Manchester and Rochdale has sought to combat the shortage of English classes by offering language lessons of its own to migrants and refugees, but much more is needed, according to Maureen Walsh, St Vincent’s Community Project Manager.

“We have known what a big problem the lack of ESOL provision is since last year when local organisations like CAB and CVS kept bringing it up at the Bolton Refugee Forum we attend,” she says.

“We offer classes at our Urban Care Centre in Bolton, but the centre is only a terraced house and the classes take place in a room that can only take ten people. So compared to the demand, what small providers like us can offer is relatively limited in terms of numbers.”

But because the Urban Care Centre understands the needs of migrant and refugee tenants, it can offer classes that meet the special needs of these groups.

“We work with a lot of refugee women who sometimes lack confidence, may have stayed at home for many years, and would not go to formal classes at the college even if they were available. We have been able to improve their language skills and confidence and have extended the classes into numeracy skills and even art – they recently painted a mural.

"Because we know them, we can offer skills training at a time and pace that suits their needs.”

Longhurst homes in Lincolnshire has also helped increase the number of ESOL places, but this time by funding Spalding International, a local community organisation. The lessons were offered on a flexible drop-in basis, so migrants who worked shift patterns could easily attend.

Sarfraz Hussain, Projects Director at hact, said: “Some progressive social housing providers are playing a small but important part in addressing the current problems. But if the government and local councils are serious about the integration of refugees and migrants, we need to ensure there’s adequate ESOL provision for all those who want to take it up.

"Lack of ESOL provision has a knock on effect on a whole range of other integration indicators - refugees will struggle to find work, be isolated from their neighbours and find it difficult to navigate or access housing, health or other key services. More social exclusion, not less, will be the obvious outcome."

Hact is encouraging more housing associations to make links with community organisations and ESOL providers, to increase the supply of appropriate ESOL provision for refugees and migrants.