Going the extra mile to support refugees

Leeds City College staff have been going the extra mile to offer a welcoming hand to refugees.

One of the college’s key values is to provide an inclusive environment where all are welcome, valued and respected.

The Health Science and Social Care team put that principle into practice recently by laying on free English language classes for a local group of refugees.

And they also provided a free bus pass to ensure everyone could get to the Quarry Hill campus.

The initiative was led by Programme Manager for Health, Science and Social Care, Frances McClean.

Frances, who spoke about her work with Care4Calais at the college’s Refugee Film Festival in June, said: “I volunteer for Care4Calais and it was through them that I got involved with this.

“These guys, who were lovely and from all kinds of different backgrounds, didn’t have access to education. But they really wanted to improve their English, and talked about what jobs they would like to do in the future.

“So we put on informal English classes for them and gave them a monthly pass so they could get here, and see the sights of Leeds.

“Then on the last day we provided some food and signed them up for college.”

Care4Calais is a volunteer-run charity that works with refugees in the UK, France and Belgium.