Gurkha Resettlement Education and Adult Training (GREAT) project

This project has now closed.

Over the life of the project NIACE:

• Conducted a national research project to determine the language needs of, and existing ESOL provision for, the Gurkha community
• Drew together all providers, agencies and voluntary sector organisations working with Gurkhas, including other European Integration funded (EIF) projects, to share good practice
• Developed new ESOL provision and Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) for newly arrived Gurkha spouses, Gurkha families and newly retired Gurkhas

NIACE was awarded European Integration Funding (EIF) through the UK Border Agency to work with Greenwich Community College; Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association; Coleg Powys; Barnet College and the Gurkha Welfare Trust to develop and deliver new ESOL provision to Gurkha spouses living in England and Wales.

The GREAT project partners brokered new partnerships in the Nepalese community and voluntary sector to promote ESOL opportunities to Gurkha community groups and to form support networks and liaison between other organisations that share the same goals.

The GREAT project provide valid and reliable data for the future planning of adult learning for Gurkhas.

ESOL provision was set up for over 100 Gurkhas and their families living in England and Wales.

An Experts' Seminar took place on 30th November 2010 that brought together specialists who were working with Gurkhas to share good practice, examine the needs of the Gurkha community and contribute to a national strategy for Gurkha resettlement and adult learning in the UK. It also provided a unique chance for high-level networking with specialists from the Gurkha and Nepalese community, Army, MoD, ESOL providers, training organisations, Local Authorities and other interested organisations. Click on the link below to download a copy of the Experts' Seminar Report.

Documents
	Experts' Seminar Report - [PDF]

The impact of this project was:

• Gurkha spouses' English language levels improved, aiding integration and enabling them to participate more effectively in the community
• Elderly and ex-Gurkhas, newly retired, were better equipped to integrate into mainstream UK society due to enhanced language skills and better quality IAG

Al Lockhart Smith

alistair.lockhart@niace.org.uk