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Routes to Learning Project

Women tend to miss out on language learning opportunities because they are less able than men to leave the house: they may have childcare responsibilities, lack confidence, be unaware of the learning opportunities available or be influenced by cultural norms with regard to attending events in public places.

Refugee Action has discussed the language needs of asylum seeker women with various community groups and in response has set up the Routes to Learning project to attempt to reach these women in cooperation with refugee community organisations.

What does the project do?:

works with education partners to develop and deliver a 10-week course in practical everyday English for asylum seeker women, to enable women to learn together with their children in a community setting or via local radio
links local education providers and refugee community organisations to tailor a language course to the requirements of asylum seeker women, including those who find it difficult to leave their home, to deliver this course and to encourage asylum seeker women to enrol for it
supports a refugee community organisation in delivering the course via local radio and enable course materials to be produced and made available from the radio station
recruits female asylum seeker volunteers and train and support them in assisting in the delivery of the course.

What we aim to achieve:

Our learners will be better able to communicate in English in everyday situations; they will be more confident in accessing opportunities where English was a barrier and going out of the house to use community services.
Our volunteers (also asylum seeker women) will be trained and more confident in helping others learn and taking an important leadership role within their community.
The refugee community organisations involved will gain experience in delivering activities for asylum seeker women and be more able to deliver similar projects in the future.