East Lothian Works provides advice on jobs, training, and skills development for East Lothian residents.
With the grant from the Supporting New Scots Fund, we ran conversation cafes and a ‘buddy’ system for refugees to support integration, community engagement, and language skills.
Our conversation café project aimed to provide informal learning opportunities to support both integration and employability.
We successfully achieved our main goals – hosting online conversation cafes and regular drop-ins for Syrian and ESOL learners, and offering General English programmes for Ukrainian learners.
East Lothian
May 2023 to November 2023
Male and Female Refugees (Syria, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Sudan), UASC, Migrant Workers (and family members)
In- person Conversation Cafes and a ‘buddy’ system for refugees, both to enhance integration and community engagement
With support from the Supporting New Scots Fund, we focused on running two Conversation Cafes: one at the Town House in Dunbar and the other at the Fisherrow Centre in Musselburgh.
We also provided ESOL support to several UASC young people and held drop-in sessions open to all ESOL learners.
Much of this work built on our AMIF-funded projects, which were interrupted by Covid-19, limiting us to an online-only presence.
As our projects built on our previous AMIF-funded work, we were confident in the demand among East Lothian’s New Scots community. Through both our mainstream and refugee provision, we surveyed our learners to identify the most suitable days and times for the cafés.
Once the cafés were established, we encouraged participants to help with their operation, whether by assisting with set-up, tidying away, or serving coffee and biscuits.
The immediate impact was creating a space for people to meet, socialise, and relax, especially in Musselburgh. With mainstream ESOL classes on break from June to September, it was valuable for returning learners to maintain their language skills over the summer.
It also served as a place for new learners and arrivals to connect before joining a class, as well as a space for former learners, particularly Syrians. Some attended only the café and not other services, but they were still aware of what we offered.
Sustainability was a challenge, particularly in Musselburgh, where there was a weekly venue charge. Due to limited staff capacity, we struggled to engage local volunteers for the cafés.
Another issue was covering holidays during the summer, given the small ESOL team.
However, the team’s goodwill meant even tutors not directly involved volunteered their time, so we only had to cancel one café during the funding period.
There was also little opportunity to explore new directions for the cafés due to time constraints, not lack of funding.
An organisational challenge arose as I work from home post-pandemic. Managing funds for coffee, tea, and biscuits required careful planning. We used a kitty system, managed by one tutor per café, and replenished as needed.
Tutors sent photos of receipts until I could collect the originals. Thanks to the goodwill of the tutors and volunteers, this was never a problem, and a warm welcome was always assured.
We offered a space for new learners and arrivals to connect before joining classes, and for former learners, especially Syrians, to benefit. Some attended only the café, though they were aware of our other services.
Having ESOL provision in Dunbar has been very positive, as there are no mainstream ESOL classes there. Since the pandemic, our strong online presence has supported learners from Dunbar and North Berwick, but in-person service is highly valued. The Town House has also been a supportive venue for us.
The drop-ins and classes for UASC learners were successful and well-attended. While UASC provision will continue, it lacks direct funding and will rely on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) or possibly No One Left Behind (NOLB) – details are still being finalised, but we are committed to continuing in the new year. Unfortunately, the drop-ins have ended, but tutors continue to offer pastoral support through ESOL classes, with the Employability Intervention Officer addressing other issues raised.
Challenges were met creatively, resourcefully, and through the goodwill of the team for New Scots.
At East Lothian Works, we collaborate with Connected Communities (Community Learning and Development) to benefit from their contacts and support. We’re particularly interested in their ‘buddy’ system, with offers of assistance from our Ukrainian learners, who could help those with limited English or employability skills, including Syrian learners who often feel isolated. This would be a rewarding experience and enhance CVs, potentially leading to a reference from East Lothian Works.
Our Ukrainian learners bring diverse skills from backgrounds such as psychology, teaching, and community work. The ‘buddy’ system, supported by colleagues, would be managed by our Employability Intervention Officer, with oversight from an Employability Development Officer.
The success of the cafés has prompted us to explore ways to continue them, especially through the winter. In Dunbar, a new Syrian family has joined our service, and community sponsorship covers their ESOL costs. The group has offered to fund the café until the end of the tax year, benefiting the new family and other learners.
In Musselburgh, attendance remains high, and we’re applying for funding from the Musselburgh Common Good Fund to promote the café and attract more locals. If unsuccessful, we’re looking into UKSPF funding to continue into the new year, with a commitment to keep the café running until the end of the tax year.
