A big thank you to our 7 students from our ESOL and Functional Skills courses who shared their experience of arriving in the UK with visitors from the US Embassy: Pam DeVolder (Cultural Attaché), Britanni Eyre-Mitchell (Deputy Cultural Attaché) and Marie Kouyaté Verbeten, Programme Manager and Coordinator in the Office of Public Diplomacy along with Deputy Leader of Wandsworth council, Cllr Kemi Akinola and Cllr Sarmila Varatharaj who works to support refugees within the Borough.

Students shared their experience of College, studying English and settling into life in the UK including some of the challenges they face such as finding employment and building a network. The discussion generated lots of ideas on how refugees can be supported further with their new lives.

John O’Shea, Principal of South Thames College, commented: “We are so proud of our students who spoke so eloquently during the discussion and we are looking forward to putting some of their great ideas into practice through our partnership working with the Council and US Embassy.”