Keep our community connected during this crisis

For many of our beneficiaries, and especially some of the women, attending the ESOL classes is one of the only forms of social interaction outside of the household that they can access and a chance for them to learn new skills, access new services and meet new people to better integrate into British society. The coronavirus outbreak is seriously disrupting the community's routine of meeting people regularly, which unfortunately makes them even more feel isolated and alone. Some of them are suffering even more so, because of their limited access to technology or simply the inability to use technology efficiently. Isolation may also be compounded by the fact that they do not have internet at home and have to rely on mobile data or only have a basic phone, so even if we offer alternative online provision they may not be able to participate. A second effect on the community that we work with is the sharing of misinformation, which increases the feelings of anxiety and fear. This community seems to be particularly worried about COVID-19 and its spread. Although they do listen to the news and follow the instructions, we work with lots of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who struggle to understand information given in English and therefore much of the information circulating in the communities we work with has been inaccurate or based on hearsay, opinions and misinterpretation. This also makes the community particularly vulnerable to scams and ‘fake news’ that has emerged in recent weeks. In light of the current situation and most recent advice from the government, we have temporarily halted face-to-face classes in all delivery areas, postponed planned events, and suspended our Community Advice Clinic. Despite this, the core belief at the heart of the ACAA is bringing communities together and we still intend to serve the needs of our ACAA community. We are working hard to provide alternative provision for our beneficiaries. In our attempt to maintain student and volunteer engagement, we have made the move to online ESOL lessons, using Zoom, although this has come with new challenges. The online ESOL lessons are very important for students’ wellbeing and they are an opportunity to socialise with others, at a time when the lack of social interaction may be dangerous to people's mental health. The use of our existing Whatsapp groups and other familiar online resources is a lifeline for many of our isolated beneficiaries – we have made it clear that we, as an organisation, are there to support them, and staff/volunteers are always available to help. We also use these groups to check in with students and ensure that they are keeping happy, healthy and safe. As a frontline organisation in direct contact with vulnerable people, we feel that we are in the best position to gather specific concerns and experiences, and have a responsibility to combat the spreading of misinformation, especially amongst groups for whom English is a second language, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our beneficiaries. We hope to continue to build bonds of support during difficult times. Being kind, offering support and thinking of one another makes our community stronger, safer and happier. This is particularly important for Afghanis who are more vulnerable and isolated, and we feel that the ACAA is addressing this gap in community support. And this is where we need your help – to make sure that we can keep our services running right now and ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community stay connected and informed. There is a real risk that we won’t be here in a few months when the situation is settled to help our community get back on their feet, without your help. For many of those who use our services, the ACAA is a lifeline and we don’t want this support to be taken away. So, please, help us to help our community, and support us now.