The latest group of participants setting out on their journey as volunteer English language tutors completed their training recently.
The session, in Belfast, on April 20th was the first in the latest series, organised by the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre (BURC).
The Volunteer Induction Training is a short programme designed to provide new volunteer tutors with basic skills, techniques, and materials to support learners from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds.
There are plans to offer follow-up online sessions, to check in with new volunteers and provide further support.
Some of the new tutors are already observing new classes and one of them has been a Zoom host for online courses for a few weeks already.
Claudia Belloni, volunteer coordinator, said: “It was a real pleasure to meet some of our new volunteers in person for the first time.
“A few had already started working with BURC but hadn’t yet taken part in this training, and I hope everyone found it useful.
“They’re a fantastic group, bringing a wide range of skills and such interesting, diverse backgrounds.
“I’m really looking forward to working with them and continuing to grow the ESOL Programme as a valuable resource for our learners.
“A very warm welcome to you all!”
Picture: Volunteers, a skills facilitator and BURC staff at the session