Hope: English UK members help record number of refugees to build new lives 

The annual impact report 'Hope' from our partner charity, RefuAid, shows a dramatic increase in the number of students supported by our member centres.  

Around 160 Accreditation UK centres have offered free tuition to RefuAid clients, with 819 supported in the last year – an increase of 37% from 2022-23. And 287 people graduated from the programme with the qualifications they needed to continue their studies or careers. This was the highest number since the programme launched almost a decade ago and a 49% increase on the previous year. 

>> Download the RefuAid 23-24 Impact Report

Giving refugees and asylum seekers the opportunity to reach their full potential 

Ilaria Tarulli, RefuAid's Head of Language Programmes, said it had continued to make significant strides in empowering refugees and asylum seekers by bridging language barriers and opening doors to higher education and employment. 'Our graduates leave the programme with greater confidence and capability to integrate and thrive in their new communities…we remain committed to expanding our reach and enhancing our support to ensure that every refugee and asylum seeker has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.'

Half of the students were returning to academia and half were professionals working towards re-accreditation.  

English skills lead to success 

The report also reveals that 298 people previously on the language programme graduated from university in 2023-24.  

One success story in the report is that of Dr Inna Soldatenko, a consultant rheumatologist in Ukraine until she was forced to flee to the UK with her parents and daughter. She told her story at our Members' Conference in 2023, later gaining her OET qualification with the help of the Wimbledon School of English. She got her General Medical Council registration and is now working as a doctor in a London NHS trust.  

Could your language centre help in 2025?