The
change we make
LEAH Annual Review 2014 - 2015
Through language LEAH empowers people to become active members of their local neighbourhood, contributing to stronger, more integrated communities. This report sets out the progress we have made over the past year, as well as outlining our objectives for the year ahead. This year has been a challenging one for LEAH, with changes in the local political environment and the end of some of our large grants in sight. However, it’s also been a very positive year. We’ve supported nearly 300 ethnic minority adults and our work has been receiving wider recognition. Just in the last few weeks we heard that LEAH won the Adult Learners’ Week South-East Project Award 2015, gaining national awareness of our local work. 2
CONTENTS WHAT WE OFFER WHAT WE SAID WE’D DO WHAT WE DID
We’re very optimistic about the year ahead, with funding from Reaching Communities and the Henry Smith Charity now in place, allowing us to focus on how we can develop as a secure, learning organisation and best support our clients to become active in their communities. KATE BROWN
WHAT WE WILL DO NEXT YEAR
friend tion is my best “LEAH Associa be to e help m in London. They can nfident. How I co be d happy an y m of ed not scar express myself t to e of them I star us ca English, be .” on nd re in Lo like my life he
[LEAH client]
Learn English at Home, Director info@leah.org.uk
www.leah.org.uk
020 8255 6144
WHAT WE OFFER
We provide the following services to ethnic minority adults in Kingston and Richmond, all at no cost to the user: One to one (1:1) English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) tuition in the client’s home. Group conversation skills classes in community settings, with crèche facilities. Provision delivered by volunteers who have undertaken a 10 week training course, designed and
run by LEAH with external trainers. Trips and social activities in the surrounding areas e.g. heritage tours of Kingston, visits to Kew Gardens.
Information about local statutory and voluntary activities and provision is embedded into all our services. Group health theory and fitness courses with embedded ESOL.
our young “Without LEAH hers would vulnerable mot at isolated and th become more ct fe detrimental ef would have a ”. on their health tor] [Health Visi
Watch our video www.leah.org.uk to learn more. 020 8255 6144
www.leah.org.uk
info@leah.org.uk
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WHAT WE SAID WE’D DO
We said we would: 1. Achieve all our targets of our 1:1 and community group funding, including: City Bridge Trust; European Integration Fund; Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity; Richmond Parish Lands Charity and the Royal Borough of Kingston Council (Equalities and Community Engagement, Public Health and Voluntary and Community Sector teams and Surbiton community fund). 2. Obtain annual feedback from clients and volunteers and use what they say in the strategic development of our services. 3. Increase our volunteers’ knowledge of local services to enable them to signpost the clients they support to relevant voluntary and statutory provision. 4
4. Ensure our safeguarding, confidentiality and information sharing policies and processes are up to date, meet the needs of the organisation and reflect good practice. 5. Maintain and update our resource library for volunteers and clients.
sses and ESOL] cla “LEAH’s [Health ision OL service prov fill a gap in ES a d to constitute and were foun the in n tio en interv much needed and social exclusion perpetuation of able gst more vulner isolation amon rs.” English speake groups of non’s English ation of LEAH [External evalu Dr Heidi Seetzen] by ct Health proje
for
6. Keep abreast with developments in commissioning of services locally and ensure the organisation is commissioningready. 7. Maintain funding for our work. 8. Develop LEAH’s internal management structure to strengthen the organisation, and build and keep internal talent. info@leah.org.uk
www.leah.org.uk
020 8255 6144
WHAT WE DID
Isolated clients supported with 1:1 tuition in the home, including 6 homeless clients from our partners SPEAR, Richmond and St Peter’s Church, Norbiton.
112
183
Participants supported via group classes.
New LEAH volunteers trained to teach English to clients with very low levels of English.
39
Women enabled to feel happier and fitter through our Health Club, incorporating physical exercise, health messages and ESOL.
51
AH gives me “Learning with LE k to friends, confidence to spea helps my life” family, children. It [LEAH Client]
Participants in our Social activities or events 5 for clients, including a Cook and Eat group New Year Children’s Party, a trip to were able to learn the Richmond Poppy Factory, and about healthy eating and tours of Kingston town centre and relevant English vocabulary. Kingston museum. Walks introducing 28 Volunteer development 6 clients to local training sessions heritage, services and nature as covering topics including mental they took exercise and practiced health, careers advice, digital inclusion and walk leader training. their conversational English.
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020 8255 6144
www.leah.org.uk
info@leah.org.uk
Based on a sample of outcome questionnaires for 1:1 clients in Richmond and Kingston.
100%
Made an improvement in at least one of their language skills.
95%
Have increased in their confidence to speak English.
75%
Have improved their wellbeing and reduced their isolation.
75%
Progressed to college or ESOL classes in the community. 5
WHAT WE DID
Carried out annual client and volunteer feedback surveys and created a plan to develop the following priority areas including: greater focus on client targets, sample client exit interviews, certificates for leaving clients, volunteer cohort meetings, creating a more comprehensive events calendar on our website and introducing a pairing agreement. Completed cataloguing our resource library for volunteers Reviewed and updated our safeguarding, confidentiality and information sharing policies with support from a specialist consultant.
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Implemented regular staff meetings to review vulnerable client cases and appointed a designated safeguarding trustee. Joined Kingston Community Commissioning Consortium and updated internal policies to prepare for commissioning. Created a new Head of Programmes position at LEAH, reducing the vulnerability of the organisation to loss or illness of the Director and growing internal talent. Louise Gibson was appointed to this role two days per week from May.
Secured grant funding for our 1:1 ESOL support in clients’ homes from Reaching Communities (Big Lottery Fund) and the Henry Smith Charity. We have also secured funding for innovative new group ESOL projects, which will launch in September 2015. Santander will fund a ‘Communicating with School’ project based in two local primary schools for EAL parents and People’s Health Trust will fund a community group in Ham.
info@leah.org.uk
www.leah.org.uk
020 8255 6144
WHAT WE WILL DO NEXT YEAR
Next year we will continue to support ethnic minority adults in Kingston and Richmond who cannot access adult education to learn English, gain confidence and build social networks. We will: Provide bespoke 1:1 English tuition in the homes of 100 clients. Offer a programme of social activities and visits for clients, at least one per term. Review the ‘journey’ of a LEAH client and make relevant improvements to our internal processes.
Review volunteer training to ensure signposting information and activities are embedded. Develop a set of transition pathways for clients (for example, college, volunteering, other ESOL provision) to embed support along these pathways into our provision and to collect client destination data more consistently. Continue to build a community of trained, engaged volunteers to enable LEAH’s provision.
Support our clients to access other services, advice and activities they need. 020 8255 6144
www.leah.org.uk
info@leah.org.uk
Continue to build personal relationships with networks of referrers (midwives, health visitors, other charities etc.). Develop our ‘supporters’ group, through email communication and invitation to events. Increase LEAH’s use of social media and, where opportunities arise, media profile. Develop our community class provision trialling innovative new projects. Explore ways to further diversify LEAH’s income streams, for example through paid-for services and fundraising activities. Develop consistent processes for trustee and staff development. 7
“When I came to England from the Sudan I couldn’t understand people when they talked to me. I stayed at home for two years and I felt very lonely. My husband’s friend told me about LEAH and a tutor started coming to my house once a week. She helped me understand the school system and told me about a nursery for my daughter. She taught me vocabulary and step by step she helped me learn English and feel more confident. Then I went to LEAH conversation classes
and practised speaking and learned new words. I felt better and I no longer felt scared about going out alone. LEAH has helped me so much.”
H of being a LEA “The best part on n eing light daw volunteer is se e m co ce as things my student’s fa g ing I’m helpin together....feel in ve a better life someone to ha this country”.
eer]
[LEAH Volunt
[LEAH Client]
Registered Charity No. 1153425
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS, VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
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info@leah.org.uk
www.leah.org.uk
020 8255 6144