Learning English – Volunteers Matter

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) commissioned the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) to carry out some small-scale development activity in Spring 2008. NIACE worked with key third sector organisations to look at how volunteers can help English language learners gain the basic language skills they need to settle and integrate in the UK, and to progress to further learning and or employment.

Organisations were supported to try out new ways of engaging with English language learners, by developing pilot training modules and arranging placements for volunteers. Their experiences inform the Volunteers Matter guide and supporting materials. The guide is for organisations who work with volunteers to help English language learners, and for organisations wishing to extend their work in this area. The guide has been written for those responsible for developing and managing volunteering schemes. It also includes information for strategic planners and potential volunteers.

There is a wide range of terms used to describe volunteers including mentors, buddies, learning assistants etc. We have used ‘volunteer’ throughout the guide to mean anyone helping an English language learner – helping with motivation, finding learning opportunities, supporting in the classroom or helping the learners stick at and complete their learning and progress. We have described the process of recruiting, training and supporting volunteers as a journey.

We know that many organisations working in the third sector already help English language learners, and that organisations will wish to develop this work within their own existing quality frameworks. The guide provides a framework for developing the volunteer journey for volunteers who help English language learners in a range of roles.

The Learning English - Volunteers Matter guide is in five parts:

We are grateful to the following organisations that have contributed to the guide.

= PDF files which require Adobe Acrobat to open them. .

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