RefuAid partnerships help create more diverse, inclusive school communities
English Path, one of the largest school chains in the UK, has welcomed RefuAid students to its classroom since its earliest days.
RefuAid, the charity which works to restore independence and dignity to refugees, has worked with around 90 English language centres to give their clients access to the language learning they need to pass the IELTS or OET exams, allowing them to continue their careers or education in the UK.
While most RefuAid students are on IELTS or OET courses, English Path also offers General English for those starting at a lower level. The chain also offers a package to Ukrainian students who have left their country as a result of the war.
Supporting students to return to their careers
Head of Operations of English Path's five UK schools, Sian Matos has a long history with RefuAid students, working with them in her previous school.
Sian said: "The RefuAid students add diversity to our classes and the students seem to have a great attitude to learning and are very conscientious; they are so focused on their goals and what they can achieve in the UK. It's amazing to be able to give them these opportunities so they can return to their careers and hopefully build our country up as well. They are all highly skilled - quite a lot of them are medical professionals - so we're crying out for them. And they're all incredibly grateful to be here."
Giving students a global perspective
She added: "Imagine what these students have gone through to get here: it's fantastic to give them the opportunity to improve their skills. It often doesn't take them all that long to achieve their goal. They are really astonishing people."
Working with RefuAid is very simple, Sian said, and the students' caseworkers are always helpful. "We would definitely encourage other schools to sign up and offer places because it offers a more diverse school community. It makes it a lot more inclusive. When students come to us we want to teach them about British culture and it's important to give them a global perspective as well."
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