English Café

English Café support refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who are living permanently or temporarily in Wolverhampton and Telford to improve their English Language skills and enable them to progress to IELTS (International English Language Teaching Scheme) preparation courses and eventually onto a university level course or into higher level employment. We also aim to support community cohesion, combat isolation amongst refugees and asylum seeker communities and to signpost to different agencies, services and free cultural activities in Telford and Wrekin, and Wolverhampton.

Learners have been offered opportunities to visit the University to look at the facilities, speak to subject staff and have one-to-one Information and Guidance sessions with an Education Guidance Advisor in Wolverhampton or online, and meet with Council Job Box staff in Telford. The project has aimed to overcome concerns that university study may not be accessible for these groups. These groups of students are traditionally underrepresented in Higher Education, so we have engaged with learners to ensure they understand the opportunities available to them, and more importantly that they understand Higher Education is available and accessible to them. There is often a feeling among refugees that they might not be welcome in Higher Education, and we have been working to remove this.

The classes are taught by experienced tutors from the University of Wolverhampton. In Telford, they take place on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm at our Telford Campus in Priorslee. In Wolverhampton, the classes are taught on Thursdays from 10am-12om at our City Campus in Wolverhampton.

If you would like to join English Café or you know someone who would, please email Paula Harrison p.harrison6@wlv.ac.uk