Our Projects
MESH works to support both ESOL learners and those that work with ESOL learners across the Yorkshire and Humber region. We understand this work in a broad sense, focusing not just on ESOL learning but on other types of learning, and all the factors that affect the capacity of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to access the classes and resources they need to help them feel at home, secure and flourishing in our region.
We have a number of projects that help us to achieve our aims.
Learning English in Yorkshire and Humber
The Learning English in Yorkshire & the Humber (LEYH) website is currently the main project of MESH. With funding from Migration Yorkshire and the European Union Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and in partnership with the design team at Feel Created, we have developed a website that provides information and news about opportunities to learn English across the Yorkshire and Humber region. This includes community-based learning opportunities as well as more structured ESOL classes. This resource is used extensively by learners, providers and others who work with migrant communities.
Learning English Plus
We started Learning English Plus (LE+) as a sister site to Learning English in Yorkshire & the Humber. LE+ offers a range of support to ESOL tutors and volunteers, including teaching resources and information about training opportunities. Growth in online learning has made it increasingly challenging to locate the ESOL resources that are right for you quickly. We aim to provide a growing database of teaching resources, news, events and training opportunities to support ESOL provision across the Yorkshire and Humber region. LE+ includes locally references learning resources developed by MESH to deliver across our region.
Wider Learning Opportunities
As well as English classes, there are many wider learning opportunities available across our region which offer training alongside ESOL support. In this section of LEYH, you can access information about a range of classes, from gardening to driving theory, including where classes are held, times and dates and more.
Training and networking
Yorkshire & the Humber is a very big region, and ESOL and related support to migrants is delivered by a wide range of different providers and other stakeholders, working across a range of sectors. MESH works to promote coherence and spaces of collaboration in this context. We provide regular training and networking sessions, both face to face and online, that bring people together to talk and learn about challenges and ways forward to the provision of effective learning opportunities for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Yorkshire & the Humber. See our Events & News page for details of upcoming events.
2024 Supplementary Projects...
Exploring & Belonging
Our Exploring and Belonging project explores local heritage from the point of view of refugees and asylum seekers. The project encourages participants to think about places of value to them in the localities they are settled in, exploring their history and thinking about why these places give them a sense of belonging. This project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Key outputs will be new Learning Resources focused on local heritage across Yorkshire & Humber. Access the resource page HERE.
East Midlands ESOL
In 2024 MESH is undertaking work in partnership with East Midlands Councils (EMC). EMC is establishing a regional ESOL programme to look at widening access to and participation in ESOL. In order to establish an evidence-based benchmark of ESOL provision in the East Midlands, and to build their network of key local stakeholders, EMC have partnered with MESH to carry out a scoping and mapping project focused on ESOL provision in the region. Our report on East Midlands ESOL is now published and you can read it HERE.
Connect & Grow
In this project funded by the Hilden Trust we will deliver peer-assisted sessions for refugees & asylum seekers to facilitate access to learning and volunteering opportunities. Refugees and asylum seekers are frequently socially isolated, unsure of how to access training and volunteering opportunities and develop their employability. Sessions will build on LEYH to help participants access appropriate training opportunities, and provide direct access to volunteering opportunities offered by local agencies present at our sessions.