Former Gurkhas and families to learn English Thursday, August 12, 2010 - 11:36

The Gurkha Resettlement Education and Adult Learning project - funded by the European Integration Fund (EIF) - will be managed by NIACE who will work with Greenwich Community College, Barnet College, Coleg Powys, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) and the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

Alongside retired Gurkhas and their families being encouraged to take up ESOL courses, NIACE will conduct a national research project to determine the language needs of, and the existing ESOL provision for, the Gurkha community. This will be the first research of its kind.

Local Authority partners will develop new ESOL provision and specialist Information, Advice and Guidance for local Gurkha communities. This project will build upon the substantial progress made over the last three years by Gurkha families at Greenwich Community College, where there is currently a waiting list for this provision.

Marina Koniotou, NIACE ESOL Project Officer, said:

"Gurkha soldiers currently attend language courses; however their families, particularly spouses, are less likely to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses and are therefore isolated from their wider communities. Over the next 3 years this project will engage Gurkha spouses and their families and retired Gurkhas to improve their English language levels and ensure that they are better equipped to integrate into mainstream society."

Gerry Armstrong, Divisional Secretary at SSAFA, said:

"As we embark upon this new partnership with NIACE we are looking forward to enhancing the excellent progress we have made working with Greenwich Community College during the past few years. Interest levels from Gurkhas about the new ESOL provision is growing daily."

"We must focus particularly on the special needs of an increasing number of newly arriving Gurkhas' that have had no exposure to the English language. They are much older, have major health and social support needs and will find integration very difficult unless they are able to speak some every day English."

Kesh Gurung, the South London Gurkha Community Associations spokesperson on Community Education, said:

"The Gurkha community is very grateful for the introduction of ESOL classes which is very important to our plans to integrate into local society."

An experts' seminar will take place in November 2010 to draw together all providers, agencies and voluntary sector organisations working with Gurkhas to share good practice and provide one point of contact for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Army. The seminar will examine the needs of the Gurkha community across the UK and uncover new research that will contribute to a national strategy for Gurkha resettlement and adult learning in the UK.