The Learning for Living Project was a 2 year project that commenced in October 2017 led by Southern Regional College (SRC). This project’s aim was to increase awareness of the barriers and challenges faced by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. The idea for this project and its materials can be traced back to the work the International Team have been carrying out to tackle racism and discrimination since 2007.

Alongside this work, SRC continues to deliver English language classes to over 1000 migrants and refugees each year, adapting our materials to make them relevant and meaningful to learners. SRC continues to train more ESOL tutors for formal and informal learning addressing the racism faced by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Project Objectives

The objectives of the project were to:

•  Work collaboratively with 6 transnational partner organisations from the UK, Ireland, Italy, Latvia & Sweden who have particular expertise in delivery of adult education to migrant/refugee/asylum seeker/ communities by developing, testing, adapting and supporting the embedding of innovative materials and practice.
• Develop innovative materials for adult tutors/practitioners which will be initially delivered to 23 adult tutors through a transnational training course based on Social Inclusion and Diversity.

Project Outcomes

The tutors from Latvia, UK, Ireland, Sweden and Italy all achieved a Level 2 qualification. Following this, the 23 tutors piloted the materials, giving on-going feedback on the benefits of the materials.

The Level 2 Social Inclusion and Diversity course which includes a pedagogical handbook, associated materials including film documentaries, podcasts and real life case studies (with refugees, economic migrants, asylum seekers) for adult learners and their tutors has now been delivered across European with all resources hosted on the project website. The project has enabled new networks of support for each partner organisation and their tutors developing their outreach, capacity and skills base for future joint collaboration as well as internationalisation. Each partner has been able to share results with wider networks within each partner country growing their capacity to tackle racism within their own country.

Impact and Results

The overall impacts to date have been:

• increased knowledge of the needs of new migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
• identified new approaches to learning about integration of new communities
• increased levels of confidence and skills in cultural awareness training
• improved the digital competencies of adult education tutors
• increased sense of well-being and inclusion
• increased level of digital competence
• increased levels of confidence, skills and cultural awareness
• increased bank of digital approaches, materials and case studies for use in the classroom/community

As a result, we have widened our scope from simply delivering language programmes to playing an active part in tackling racism and discrimination and promoting good practice in integration. All of the materials developed are published and promoted for maximum use on websites, social media, local and national press and though our membership of several EU forums and partnerships.

Originality and Innovation

We believe our originality and innovation lies in the fact that we respond to needs and gaps in provision, and provide opportunities within the unique context of Northern Ireland. We operate in a post-conflict agenda and still highly divided society. We understand that racism and discrimination exist across the UK, however, division in Northern Ireland is a daily reality which we have to take cognizance of in everything we do to insure we are part of the solution and not the problem. SRC has widely disseminated and shared innovative resources to support the integration of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees to challenge prejudice and discrimination.

About the author

External Funding & International Affairs Manager at Southern Regional College

For the past 25 years Diana has been working in the public sector and has taken a leading role in the development, implementation and management of Lifelong Learning, Community Relations and International Programmes.

Diana started her career as a Community Relations Officer for two local councils in N.Ireland before moving into the Further & Higher Education Sector.

In 2018 and also 2019, the External Funding and International Affairs Team were finalist in the AoC Beacon British Council Awards for International work, achieving highly commended status.

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