Refugee Youth Service is delighted to announce that it has secured funding for a new project in Athens, titled Living the English Language. The project is funded by the British and Foreign School Society and will run for two years.

It may seem strange to offer English language classes in a country where the first language is not English, however the rationale put forward by the young people who requested it was strong. Many stated that they were already familiar with the English language and that they could express themselves and make themselves understood. Being that English is an international language they explained how they were able to communicate and socialise with people from various countries, enjoy music whilst understanding the lyrics on channels such as YouTube, and watch TV series and movies with English subtitles. Moreover, those who played in football teams said that they have no problem communicating with their coach and teammates as they all spoke English and therefore practices and matches ran smoothly.

Perhaps most impressive though was their claim that by having a good enough level of English skills they could secure a simple job in Greece, or an even better future in countries such as England, France and Germany, through having high profile professions with good salaries which will enable them to support themselves and their families.

It was clear then that the young people were more motivated to build on their existing English language skills, as opposed starting from the beginning with a new language. The young people we support are generally in need of quick results in their education, and having to wait for a long time before they can see any progress only deters them. This is almost always the case with the Greek language as opposed to English. All participants agreed that they have many things to worry about and that adding one more such as learning a difficult new language like Greek is not possible for them. For those that had tried, they explained how upon enrolling in various Greek courses they could not keep up with the level of the class as it was advanced, resulting in them feeling discouraged and dropping out.

As a result, the new project was designed with the following three core outcomes:

1. Young people go on to attend further education and training opportunities
2. Young people secure jobs that use English as a vehicular language
3. Young people’s self-esteem and self-worth is increased, and they feel a greater sense of belonging in Athens

Over the two year period starting December 2022, over 1000 hours of teaching hours will be delivered, with an average class size of 6. Included in these hours are at least one cultural or community outing per month in which students will get to learn and practice English in, or in relation to, a specific context. Outings will include museums, concerts, libraries and local bookstores.

Students who attend a total of 80 hours of classes, which equates to a student attending classes 3 times per week for around 10 weeks, will receive a formal certificate of attendance, whilst those who commit to classes for a full year will receive the opportunity to sit the exam to receive an internationally recognised English Language program.

We look forward to seeing where the new students end up, and to sharing their stories!