ESOL learners and financial capability
In partnership with the National Skills Academy for Financial Services
Focus group members
Birmingham Met College, Lambeth College, Rotherham College, Tower Hamlets College, Wirrall Metropolitan College.
Aim
To trial ways of promoting money management skills and personal finance to those learners engaged on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
Background
Many ESOL learners are on low pay or manage on benefits, and sometimes they cannot use or access mainstream banking services. In addition, the individual abilities of ESOL learners vary enormously. Some people are professionally qualified but without English-speaking skills, others are refugees and asylum seekers with little experience of formal education. As a result, teaching resources must differentiate both between and within ESOL learner groups.
Action
Lambeth College worked with around 100 ESOL learners, who each attended a series of structured personal money topics delivered as part of the learners’ main programme over several weeks.
A key part of the pilot included bringing in a representative from the credit union. This organisation plays an important role in advising people in low-income groups about borrowing and saving. They are keen to ensure vulnerable adults do not borrow from ‘doorstep lenders’ or take out ‘payday loans’.
Once the programme had been delivered, a post-questionnaire was used to assess the learners’ knowledge and understanding of the topics contained in their personal money sessions, and to find out how far they had progressed in their learning.
Outcome
The research collected through the focus group indicated that ESOL students are less confident about their personal finances despite being slightly older than other learners.
The practical skills required for effective management of personal and household finances, and an understanding the UK tax system, were key needs that have been incorporated into the How To Guide.. ESOL to give more effective support to learners. The guide will also help other ESOL practitioners interested in introducing Money for Life themes to their learners and, in turn, help the ESOL community to feel confident in their money management skills.
Lambeth College is organising further meetings between staff and credit union representatives so they can become more informed about their work and pass on advice and guidance to learners. They are also making information available about credit unions as part of a staff development and training session during the summer term, and exploring how to strengthen the relationship between them to make sure they are fully equipped to meet the needs of the students.
Testimonial
Carlos Reyes de Leon, student, Lambeth College
“It has made it easier to budget – I particularly liked the lesson on managing money while you work. I have a job and using the budget planner on one of the websites made me realise how much money I was spending on food and transport in connection with my work.”
