EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Language lessons for women by women

Language lessons for women by women

Introduction

In 1978, two members of the ABC project looked into the possibilities of providing language lessons to immigrant women. This was the beginning of the Stichting Ontmoeting met Buitenlandse Vrouwen (OBV) (The Institute for Meeting Foreign Women). The OBV was founded as a women’s project in 1983.

Problem

How can volunteers stimulate these 'invisible' women into taking the first step towards participating in the society of The Hague?

Description

The distinguishing features of the OBV are:

Lessons at home and in the neighbourhood.
The objective is social participation and the empowerment women by the provision of language lessons.
The target group consists of more than 25 nationalities.
Big differences between participants: ranging from illiterates to the highly educated.
Various types of volunteers: young, old and from various backgrounds.
Tailored work: the background and learning desires of the student are taken into consideration.
A professionally managed volunteer organisation.

Approach

From the beginning, volunteers were taught about both cultural differences and language teaching. The number of volunteers grew such that district groups were set up and district contact women were appointed. These district contact women hold the intake interviews with the foreign 'invisible' women.

The volunteers within the OBV are instructed to observe the division between teaching and providing a service. Besides the lessons at home, the OBV also organises group activities to improve the social skills of the students. They organise a location in the neighbourhood and intensive volunteer support is provided. Little publicity was and is still a condition: otherwise there will be too much demand.

Results

In 25 years, more than 6,700 immigrant women have received lessons from approx. 2,000 volunteers. In 2003, an intake visit was made to 318 women. Of these, 139 women were referred to another institute and lessons were given to 171 women at home.

A number of women prematurely stopped taking lessons for widely differing reasons.
86 women completed the home lessons.
81 women completed the group lessons.
Of the students in 2003, 42 women can now manage independently.
80 women proceeded to a follow-up activity.
27 did not do a follow-up.
18 are again on the waiting list.

Contact info

The OBV (The Institute for Meeting Foreign Women)
Phone: +31 70 3456005
info@obvdenhaag.nl

Project start date

01/01/1983

Links

The OBV (The Institute for Meeting Foreign Women)Dutch National Network of 'language meetings at home' organisations (in Dutch)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Skills improvement