2. Introduction
Pearl Education Foundation (PEARL) is a UK-based charity which delivers
functional English and IT education, primarily to immigrants. This enables
them to integrate into wider society, build self-confidence, go into higher
education, gain employment and bridge the gap between parents and
children. ‘From Margins to Mainstream’ is the ethos of PEARL; our diverse
volunteers’ work has drawn in thousands of marginalised beneficiaries from
different communities by giving them the ability to engage independently,
thereby benefitting them, their families, and their wider society.
The History and Origins of PEARL:
While Pearl now is an organisation that works with and helps people of every
age, gender, background and culture, its roots sprang from a pilot project,
started in 2006. This aimed to enable British Muslim women to develop their
leadership qualities, talents, skills and knowledge, thereby allowing them to
achieve better economic integration.
The project was initially operated from 9 centres in the UK, giving women the
English language and IT skills that are basic to economic activity.
The pilot project far exceeded its target of attracting 100 women to the
project. It has provided education and training to an average of more than 900
beneficiaries each year since 2006. This demonstrated not only the extent of
the need but also the capacity of our leadership team and volunteers to reach
those that most required help.
The original plan was to deliver the project with just 12 volunteers. We
attracted nearly 300 volunteers in the first year, which enabled us to reach
many more women, and their families too.
Many elements of minority communities, particularly women belonging to the
newcomer category, or who have not had a chance to learn English, tend to
experience multiple disadvantages through a combination of factors: lack of
fluency in English, high level of illiteracy and financial dependency.
However, given the opportunity and encouragement, even the most
marginalised people can develop the confidence and skills to undertake
further education or become economically active.
After the success of the one year pilot project, it was extended for another
year and then ran until May 2008 in centres in Bolton, Bristol, Bradford,
Leicester and five centres in London. Limited funding meant that by the end of
2009 classes were carried out on solely on a voluntary basis in London alone.
To date we have managed to recruit more than 7,000 students and around
500 volunteers across Britain. Pearl is the next phase of a project that has
already proved its importance and should now be extended to other centres.
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3. In view of the success of the pilot project, two years ago Pearl decided to
open to women from all walks of life. In our classes we see students from
almost every region of the world, notably conflict regions such as Syria and
Afghanistan. After great demand from male members of the community some
men have started participating in the programme as well.
Through Pearl, thousands of women, men and families from disadvantaged
backgrounds have been liberated from illiteracy and isolation. We teach
functional spoken English, reading and writing and computer skills plus simple
life skills.
Committed students go on to learn business and enterprise skills.
Our beneficiaries are able to use these skills to understand and support their
children’s schooling, earn an independent income and assist in the integration
of their families into British society.
All our teachers are volunteers, assessed and registered against
professionally approved standards.
We utilise teaching materials from BBC English Learning and other recognised
sources. Pearl has created its own curriculum and building on that. And we are
grateful for additional teaching materials donated by BBC English Learning.
Our classes, based in libraries and community centres, keep costs low and
bring previously unreached groups into civic centres and library locations.
We are building on years of experience to expand our work to new centres
and subjects, enhancing social harmony and the empowerment of women and
minorities.
Our detailed monitoring and assessment systems provide valuable feedback
and statistical information for future projects.
I.T. Classes and Award Giving Ceremony, presented by Andrew Thompson,
Head of BBC Learning
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4. The major benefits received by the people who
have taken part in the PEARL programme are:
• Increasing fluency in English which in turn enabled them to:
• Become independent communicators and leaders
• Engage with the wider community
• Gain access to further education
• Become economically active
• Become more confident
• Explore new options
Durdana Ansari Founder and CEO of PEARL says: “The
importance of this work goes beyond bringing these marginalised
individuals into the mainstream; It is also about their children – the
next generation, who surely can’t feel comfortable with their identity,
especially if their mothers, the major influence in their young lives,
are unable to participate fully in British society. It is possible that this
marginalisation is one of the factors affecting the ability of the younger
generation to be confident British citizens. The PEARL project is
designed to enable beneficiaries who are at the margins of society to
develop their talents, skills and knowledge to better
enable economic integration.”
PEARL are currently delivering Basic English and IT at 9 centres
across London. We currently have an expanding team of 70
volunteers and around 1000 beneficiaries across London.
Every 6 months we hold an award ceremony for the students,
volunteers and the members of the library staff and other stakeholders.
Education related dignitaries are invited to distribute certificates.
The project is mostly promoted by word of mouth; however we
do distribute flyers in the local areas, i.e. shops, GP Surgeries,
Jobcentres, local schools, community centres and of course libraries.
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6. Case studies
Fatima Qurashi, volunteer
Working as an Associate in Deutsche Bank
Councillor - Slough Borough Council
“I feel very honoured and blessed to be part of the esteemed Pearl
team. I worked with a wonderful group of volunteers with different
skill sets that helped me to polish my professional skills. I am really
thankful to Pearl to make me feel even more confident and helped
me keep going to get where I am.”
Hamida Sharif, Beneficiary
18 years old, from Afghanistan. When Hamida was 15, she fled the
violence in the country with her parents, two brothers, and three
younger sisters. When the family first came to Britain, none of them
could speak English. However her younger sisters went to school
where they picked language up quickly. Whereas Hamida’s already
interrupted education was not immediately resumed as the local
college wouldn’t accept her, without basic language competence.
Fortunately she was introduced to our project where she gained ESOL
Level 1. This was her passport to further education and Hamida is now
doing English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) Level 2 at a
local college, in addition to studying maths and Geography.
Afsheen Malik, Beneficiary
Although 21 years old Afsheen has been living in the UK for only nine
months and spoke very little English when she first arrived in the UK,
she is now practically fluent.
Within a month of arriving in the UK to join her husband, she started a
basic English language course at our centres and did so well that she
has since been able to take and pass a Child Care and Development
course. She now has a part time job at an after school club. With the
earnings from her part time job, she now feels
independent and confident about the future.
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7. Kolly Ali, Beneficiary then Volunteer coordinator
“I’m from Bangladesh and I was in my teens when I got married.
Before I started coming to the Pearl Education Foundation
classes, I was not confident in speaking as I was a very shy
person, mainly because I was never used to speak to anyone
outside my family. I also found it difficult to mix with neighbours,
school teachers and Doctors. But ever since I have been
working as a volunteer, the experience has not only given me
an opportunity to help others but it has given me so much self-
confidence. Now I feel so useful. Whereas before, I was only a
housewife - I would cook and wait for my children and husband
to come home and feed them. I used to stay at home nearly all
day, every day, which was very dull & boring. But now, I have
found a purpose for my life and I feel proud of myself. I am no
longer shy and now can mix with people from other communities.
I am grateful to Pearl Education Foundation who has given
me a new identity of my life. My husband is also very proud of
me because I take an active part in my children’s home work.
And my children don’t feel shy about taking me to their school
because I can now communicate with their teachers confidently.
“As a volunteer, I help to maintain the record and registration of all
volunteers and beneficiaries in my area.”
Terence Lopez, Volunteer Chief coordinator
“I am always overwhelmed by the fact that at the classes we have
various nationalities attending the English Conversation Class
under ‘Pearl Education Foundation.’ For instance, in one class, just
at the Wembley Civic centre, we had citizens from the Congo, Italy,
Spain, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Afganistan, Syria and the Phillipines.
With such diverse backgrounds and different languages, learning
to speak English is a kind of a unifying element. It is a language by
which we are united in an English speaking country, feeling less
isolated as speaking English integrates one into society.”
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8. Centres
The teaching of Basic English and IT is currently running at the
following 9 centres across London. Since 2006 we have managed
to train more than 8,000 beneficiaries across the UK. We need more
support in funding to reach our target of up to 10,000 beneficiarie
in the next 2 years.
1. Willesden Green:
95 High Road Willesden, London, Greater London
English Classes Monday to Thursday 10.30 am - 12.30 pm
Fridays I.T Classes 10.30am - 12.30pm English 12.30pm - 2.30pm
2. Brent Town Hall:
Town Hall Forty Lane, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9HD
English Classes - Mondays between 10.30am - 12.30pm
3. Ealing Rd Library Plus:
Coronet Parade Ealing Road Wembley Middlesex HA0 4BA
English Classes Tuesdays, Wednesday, Fridays 10.30am - 12.30pm
4. Kilburn Library Plus:
42 Salusbury Road Kilburn Lane London NW6 6NN
English Classes - Fridays between 10.30am to 12.30pm
5. Harlesden Library Plus:
Craven Park Road. Harlesden. London. NW10 8SE
English Classes - Fridays between 10.30am to 12.30pm
6. Kingsbury Library Plus:
522 - 524 Kingsbury Road Kingsbury NW9 9HE
English Classes - Thursdays between 10.30am to 12.30pm
7. Botwell Green Library Hillingdon:
Leisure Centre East Avenue, Hayes UB3 2HW
English Classes - Mondays and Thursday between 10.30am to 12.30pm.
IT Classes - Fridays between 10.30am to 12.30pm
8. The Harrow Womens Centre
Andrews Close, Harrow, Greater London HA1 3GE
English Classes - Wednesdays between 10.00am to 12.00pm
9. The Mill
7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow, London E17 7HA
English Classes - Thursdays between 12.00pm to 2.00pm
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9. Our Volunteers
All the Pearl Education Foundation basic English and IT classes
are delivered by volunteer teachers. They too are beneficiaries:
many of the volunteers feel that they too have gained much from
the experience of working at the project with reported benefits
such as:
• Work experience leading to employment
• Enhanced prospects
• Increased confidence
• Experience of working in a team
• Organisational skills
• Get more involved in the community, make new friends
and gain new skills, by taking up volunteering.
• Volunteering is something that you have to want to
do – if you want to help people and you care about the
community you live in.
A significant number of the beneficiaries qualify to become
volunteers themselves, thereby gaining the confidence and work
experience that improves their prospects of becoming
economically active.
Young Volunteer Team visiting BBC Radio - Bush House London
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Andrew Thompson
TRUSTEE
former head: BBC English
Learning
Bobby
Jutley
TRUSTEE
HP Finance Manager
A world-renowned tabla playerDr Javaid
Sheikh
CHAIR
Community Leader
Pearl is also grateful for the support of the EKTA (Education and
Knowledge Towards Awareness) foundation, which is working
towards “A world where social change via education can empower
every child to have greater control over their life in adulthood.” http://
www.ektafoundationuk.org/. Other supporters include Brent Council,
Hillingdon Libraries, Harrow Womens Centre and Waltham Forest
Brent
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11. Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II awarded Pearl Education
Foundation’s CEO Durdana Ansari the OBE - Order of the
British Empire - in 2012.
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12. An 80 year-old Woman learns to send emails
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17. Centre
First Name(s)
Surname
Age
Postcode Sex ☐Male ☐Female
Home Tel No. Mobile
Nationality
Country of Origin
Marital Status ☐ Widowed ☐ Divorced
☐ Employed ☐ Unemployed ☐ Self-Employed ☐ Student
☐ Retired ☐ Asylum Seeker / Refugee
I declare that the details given on this form are true to the best of my knowledge.
(Information that you have given is strictly confedential and will be kept secured, in accordance with Data Protection Act 1998)
Signature
Date
I/We declare that the details given on this form are true to the best of my/ our knowledge.
Coordinator Date
Project Director Date
YRS
National Insurance Number
☐ Housewife
Address
☐ Married
Date of Birth
Declarations
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Beneficiary Declaration
support programme will be given FREE of any costs.
The Beneficiary agrees to attend training classes at the centres provided by PEF. The training &
☐ Single
Personal Details
BENEFICIARY APPLICATION FORM
21 Queens Walk Ruislip, Greater London HA4 0LX
Current Status
☐ British If Other,please state below
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18. Centre
First Name(s)
Surname
Age
Postcode Sex ☐Male ☐Female
Home Tel No. Mobile
E-Mail Address
Nationality
Country of Origin
Marital Status ☐ Widowed ☐ Divorced
☐ Employed ☐ Unemployed ☐ Self-Employed ☐ Student
☐ Retired ☐ Asylum Seeker / Refugee
Company Name Contact #
I declare that the details given on this form are true to the best of my knowledge.
(Information that you have given is strictly confedential and will be kept secured, in accordance with Data Protection Act 1998)
Signature
Date
Coordinator
Date
Title/Position
Curent Employment
☐ Degree☐ GCSE(s) ☐ A' Levels
Date
Project Director
VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORM
21 Queens Walk Ruislip, Greater London HA4 0LX
Address
PERSONAL DETAILS
☐ Diploma
Current Status
☐ British
EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT
National Insurance Number
☐ Single
☐ Housewife
Date of Birth
YRS
If Other,Please state below
☐ Married
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Volunteer's Declaration
DECLARATIONS
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