Education Empowers Refugees
Last updated: 08/01/2007 - 16:28
This feature supplied by:
The Open University (OU)
Refugees and migrants in London are being helped to take their place in the working world, as a result of a pioneering partnership among key education and training providers.
Twenty students took part in the first phase of the POWER programme, and a further 44 students will commence their studies this winter. The POWER programme is delivered by a partnership of Paddington Development Trust, The Open University (OU) and City of Westminster College. The programme aims to help refugees and migrants, many of whom are Arabic-speaking, to gain employment through developing their English language, vocational skills and professionally-relevant qualifications.
The programme’s students are now studying for qualifications with the OU in the areas of:
Other students are studying English for Speakers of Other Languages courses at the City of Westminster College, with a view to starting their OU studies subsequently.
Paddington Development Trust also sets up work placements for OU students who are taking part in the programme, so that they begin to gain work experience in the UK within their chosen area. Mentoring is also provided to participants; other services, including childcare support, computer training and advice on other issues, are also made available.
Research shows that while many of the project’s potential participants already have qualifications, they are not accredited in the UK and therefore cannot be used to gain employment in the fields and at the levels they are looking to work.
POWER Programme
Among the OU students is Kamal Tahir, who said: “The POWER Programme has given me the opportunity to find the right course – and with the programme’s continued support – I know I can do it.”
Fellow student Zohra Wahdani said: “As a mother of three, I’ve found the programme’s supportive environment has enabled me to have time for myself, my children and my husband while I am studying with The Open University. I am looking forward to going further in my studies with the POWER Programme and to work in the field of health and care.”
Rosemary Mayes, Regional Director of The Open University in London, welcomed the success of the project. “I am enormously encouraged by what has been achieved to date,” she said. “We have learned an enormous amount in the process and I look forward to carrying on this work with the Paddington Development Trust, the City of Westminster College and other groups of students in the future. We also hope that it will be possible to use the model of collaborative working we have established here with other development trusts throughout London and even more widely.”
Neil Johnston, chief executive of Paddington Development Trust, said: “The POWER programme demonstrates what can be achieved by black and minority ethnic groups working with community-based organisations, national higher education partners and regional further education partners. We are seeing an unprecedented demand from people previously excluded from FE and HE opportunities who are now accessing career learning paths because of our community-based partnership with The Open University and City of Westminster College.”
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This feature supplied by: The Open University (OU)
The Open University (OU) was the world's first successful distance teaching university.
Born in the 1960s, the OU was founded on the belief that communications technology could bring high quality degree-level learning to people lacking the opportunity or desire to attend campus universities.
It continues to be the United Kingdom's only university dedicated to distance learning. We have around 150,000 undergraduate and more than 30,000 postgraduate students. The Open University's style of teaching is supported distance learning. Nearly all students are studying part-time. About 70% of undergraduate students are in full-time employment. More than 50,000 students are sponsored by their employers for their studies.