The first four Syrian families to be resettled in London through the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme graduated from an English language course this week – and are now set to begin study at Lambeth College.  

Nine adults and two children have graduated from the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course, run by two  local volunteers with support from SHP staff who acted as translators.  

Before enrolling, Lambeth College required the families to have a basic understanding of the English language. None of the families had prior English skills, and some could not read or write their native Arabic. 

The families are the first to arrive in the capital since the government announced that it would extend help to 20,000 Syrian refugee families in September 2015, with Lambeth Council committing to house 20 families as part of an initial pilot.

The scheme provides resettlement opportunities for those who cannot be supported effectively in their region of origin, including women and children at risk and people in severe need of medical care.

SHP is offering a range of practical assistance, from help taking children to school to arranging hospital and GP visits, setting up bank accounts and accessing benefits. 

The families are now looking to the future. Ibrahim, 17, has already been accepted onto a college course which started this week. He said: “I am very happy to have started college. I wasn’t expecting to be able to study so soon, but thanks to the ESOL lessons and SHP volunteers I’ve started my course after only five months of living in London. SHP haS given me a second chance, and I couldn’t be happier to be here.”

Zakia, mum of two, said: “The ESOL lessons have been very useful, and SHP have done a wonderful job of helping me to settle in to London life and culture. I’ve noticed an improvement in my English and I’m currently on the waiting list to go to Lambeth College.  I can’t wait to enrol.” 

Nahaa Alsubaie, a support assistant for SHP, has been acting as a translator. Nahaa said: “I’ve been working with the Syrian families since April, and I have seen such a huge change in all of them. When they first arrived you could see the fear on their faces, and you could tell that they were scared and didn’t know what to expect. Over the past few months we’ve worked hard to help build their confidence, and now they are happy, relaxed and feel supported. Their lives have been transformed after the terrible events that brought them here.”

“The ESOL lessons have been very useful, and SHP have done a wonderful job of helping me to settle in to London life and culture. I’ve noticed an improvement in my English and I’m currently on the waiting list to go to Lambeth College.  I can’t wait to enrol.”