ESOL for Integration 2021-22 (New 2 English)

Tender description

The ‘ESOL for Integration Fund 2021-22' is funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Kirklees is a diverse and inclusive district and is committed to strengthening our communities to ensure everyone can progress no matter what their background. This means empowering those who speak little or no English, by boosting language skills, building confidence to unleash their potential, reduce isolation and ensuring everyone can participate in their community. Community based intervention has been proven to work with learners at New to ESOL level (pre-Entry up to Entry 1) evidencing an increase in both English language proficiency and social integration outcomes including confidence, social mixing and access to public services. This call is intending to deliver qualified tutor led English classes in local communities to support resident developing their English skills and integration in Kirklees. Lot 1: The Council with its delivery partners has delivered ESOL provision in Kirklees since 2013. This provision must build on previous good practice to ensure maximum impact. It should be designed to align with other ESOL provision, This Way for English, ESIF funded provision and wider mainstream ESOL provision. In addition other community learning based provision that may also support the target group should be taken into account in the design. The Delivery proposals should mitigate any issues that arose in delivering within a pandemic. Building upon foundations and partnerships created, the funded programmes will support all participants’ integration into British society and improve their connection to the local area. This can be achieved by building confidence to use English and engage with people outside their immediate community – mixing with those from different backgrounds and accessing services. We want to reach and engage learners who may be isolated or live within segregated communities with little or no English language skills. We know that community-based tuition is the most effective means of engaging people who are in greatest need of support and may not have previously taken steps to learn English. This fund will support place-focused resources and highly localised English language provision in community buildings that learners may already be familiar with, such as schools, community centres and places of worship. Supporting individuals to speak even basic conversational English as soon as possible on entry to Kirklees is fundamental in ensuring successful integration and ensuring the best use of resources. Translation services are expensive and extend the amount of time services need to support an individual therefore in the longer term, as learners’ progress, developing ESOL skills will reduce pressure on other services. The Project must have a meaningful and lasting impact on their learners, their areas, and on the future provision of entry level, community-based English language training. Taught classes must be delivered by a level 5 qualified ESOL tutor and where appropriate supported by trained classroom assistants / volunteers. The successful Delivery Partners must engage with suitably qualified tutors and volunteers for the delivery of the project. Successful Delivery Partners are expected to use volunteers to support delivery of learning. Delivery partners can utilise existing known volunteers and this programme will also be training volunteers separately in addition to this funding. The Council will be commissioning volunteer training activity in due course and delivery partners are expected to establish arrangements with the appointed partner. Where delivery partners are using existing volunteers, Delivery Partners should ensure they have had received safeguarding and prevent training. Volunteers must be also DBS checked. The emphasis of provision will be on building language skills (speaking, listening and reading and writing), knowledge and confidence to engage in the local community The programme of delivery should be interactive and engaging to support engagement and retention. It will be made up of three distinct type of courses. 1. 60, 30 and 12 GLH ENGLISH COURSES Courses should have a scheme of work / lesson plan curriculum developed with a focus on developing speaking, listening, reading and writing English. We recognise that the pandemic has had a major impact on our communities and residents, with this in mind, Delivery Partners could offer a blended offer of learning. This could include a combination of face to face classroom delivery, virtual face to face delivery, and individual tutor support / one to one mentoring.