Education

For Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) communities, education unlocks potential, builds confidence, and creates pathways to leadership that might otherwise be out of reach. It’s through education that GEM voices can be fully respected and valued across society.

At PEP, our commitment to education is both practical and personal. We’ve partnered with leading education providers such as the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) to offer bespoke ESOL lessons. This includes specialised courses like ESOL for driving theory, ESOL for employability, or additional ESOL programmes which were designed to bridge gaps for those who struggle with English, and those currently on an accredited ESOL course but requested extra tuition to help them through their course. These programs are designed to break down barriers, helping individuals improve their language skills and boost their confidence, enabling them to step into new opportunities.

For instance, research has highlighted significant educational barriers faced by GEM individuals, stemming from our collective casework and evaluation for Lancashire County Council (LCC). After assessing a cohort of refugees who completed three years of ESOL, we discovered two critical gaps: the elderly and illiterate were being overlooked, and many individuals required further tuition to progress. Alarmingly, nearly 50% of those who qualified at one ESOL level were later deemed unqualified, preventing them from advancing due to a lack of funding.