ESOL students raise more than £1,000 for children’s charities through inspiring social action project

Students from New City College’s ESOL courses at Tower Hamlets and Hackney campuses have raised more than £1,000 for children’s charities after organising a series of events as part of the employability skills and confidence-building project, Headstart.

The learners, whose first language is not English, planned and led activities including henna painting, temporary tattoos, charity presentations and pop-up sales to support children affected by conflict in war zones around the world. Together, they raised an impressive £1,047.84 for charities including UNICEF, The Children’s Society and Human Appeal.

A special celebration event was held to mark the end of this term’s project and recognise the students’ achievements and the positive impact they have made.

One of the students, Maria Begum, spoke movingly at the event about how the Headstart Project had helped her develop confidence and gain valuable life experience.

She said:

“Headstart was a great experience. My group visited the law firm A&O Shearman, Barclays in Canary Wharf, and carried out volunteering work in Mile End Park. The staff taught us everything from basic tasks to employment skills. I had the chance to spend time with professionals and, most importantly, I had my first ever interview. I was very nervous, but that interview really built my confidence.

“Working with Headstart was wonderful. I will remember it for the rest of my life. Chantel, the leader, was excellent. Thank you so much, Headstart, for giving us these amazing opportunities!”

The Headstart Project, delivered in partnership with the charity Family Action, supports ESOL students through workshops focused on employability skills, confidence-building and teamwork. As part of the project, New City College learners are also involved in a social action initiative designed to benefit their local community or wider causes.

This term three groups of young ESOL students chose to focus on raising awareness of the impact of conflict on children and encouraging fellow students and staff to donate.

Events took place at Hackney Campus and in the pop-up shop at Tower Hamlets Campus, with students visiting classrooms to give presentations and speak passionately about the charities they had selected.

At the celebration event, Headstart representative Chantel Antonetti spoke about the importance of providing ‘equity of opportunity’ for disadvantaged young people in London and supporting them to build confidence for the future.

New City College ESOL Group Curriculum Director Jennie Turner also praised the students for their enthusiasm, teamwork and commitment throughout the project.

Students Angela Asong Nsogo, Arifa Azizi and Janath Ahmed also spoke at the celebration event, saying:

“We chose to support The Children’s Society because it helps children and young people. It was great to see so many people at NCC getting involved in the fundraising activities we organised and supporting our cause. We worked really well together as a team.

“As well as the charity work, through Headstart, we learned how to write a CV and how to answer questions at a job interview. When we visited Barclays, we really enjoyed it and learned so many useful skills which built up our confidence for the future. Thank you Chantel, you have made the project really special. We’ve learned so much and also made some beautiful memories.”

The Headstart Project has given students the opportunity not only to improve their English and employability skills, but also to make a meaningful difference to the lives of others – demonstrating compassion, confidence and community spirit along the way.