Refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant children are arriving in the UK and going straight into schools with little or no English language. They struggle to settle-in, understand their teachers or take part in lessons. They also can't make friends easily or develop their social skills. Many of these young people have fled conflict and experienced trauma and arrived in the UK with few possessions and live in temporary, crowded accommodation. Having a stable school life is so vital, somewhere they can feel secure and valued and have some sense of normality. But they need to quickly learn English language skills to start with.
Jacari is a small charity based in Bristol and Oxford which matches these children with a volunteer tutor, who visits them at school or in their home every week during term-time, providing them with fun, informal tutoring and building their confidence. Their volunteers are university students who become an important role model and friend for their young tutees.