Latest
Keep up to date with our latest news here.
ESOL classes at Belfast Metropolitan College
All new students wanting to take ESOL classes at the Belfast Met this year must complete an assessment first. These will be done online this year, and will take place in August 2020. Online bookings will open on Monday 3rd August at 12.00pm. Click on the link for more details: https://belfastmet.ac.uk/part-time/esol/assessment/
Call for ESOL Funding Applications
To All Further Education and Community based ESOL/ESL providers in Northern Ireland. The Department for the Economy has issued the ‘ESOL NI Call for funding applications 2020/21’. This funding is available under the Home Office Additional English Language Training Fund and is provided through the Northern Ireland Refugee Resettlement Scheme (NIRRS). Funding is available for initiatives catering for learners at Pre-Entry up to Entry Level 3. The deadline for submission of proposals is the 21st August. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to try and submit their proposal before the final date, so they can be checked and returned for amendment, if necessary. Please contact Ligia Parizzi, the ESOL coordinator, with queries or if you need further guidance.
Ligia Parizzi – ESOL Coordinator Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme NI
Girdwood Community Hub
028 9026 5233 / 07814 046391 | www.belfastmet.ac.uk
Homeplus Appeal
A Belfast-based charity has launched an urgent appeal for donations to help support some of the most vulnerable people in the city during the Covid-19 pandemic. Homeplus NI provide a daily drop-in and advice centre in Belfast for vulnerable refugees. They have set up a crisis fund to help refugees at this time. For more information, click on the link below: https://viewdigital.org/covid-19-pandemic-urgent-appeal-for-funding-to-help-some-of-the-most-vulnerable-people-in-belfast/
Applying for EU Settled Status
The UK’s decision to leave the European Union means that all EU, EEA or Swiss citizens living in Northern Ireland must now apply to have their legal status confirmed. They must apply for a new EU immigration status – ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status – in order to protect their right to continue to live, work, study or access the NHS or other services in the UK. This requirement applies to all the 88,000 (approx.) EU nationals living in NI, (unless they have already applied for British or Irish citizenship) no matter how long they have lived here. The deadline for applying is June 30, 2021, or December 31, 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The application for settled status is made online and the process of applying is relatively straightforward.
Information on this is available on the Home Office website here:
https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status
Read our press release here
Language Classes
In the past EMBRACE listed English language classes on this site. We are delighted that there is now a dedicated ESOLNI multilingual regional website for people looking for a suitable course. Click here for additional information and a list of courses.
It is important that church classes are on the new site. So please get in touch with regional co-ordinator, Ligia Parizzi, (LParizzi@belfastmet.ac.uk) to set up a member profile
