A school where students can learn an indispensable skill, the English Academy for Newcomers Groningen serves as a landing pad for refugees and immigrants who have recently arrived in the country, a place to quickly acclimate to the northern Netherlands before transitioning into the traditional educational system and the job market.
The specialized school is an essential aspect of the system since opening in January, 2022, and the need for such a school is greater than ever before. About 240 adult students have enrolled in the academy since last year – all eager to learn English in order to improve their job prospects and re-launch their careers.
“Refugees, asylum seekers and status holders: everyone is welcome here,” professor Marije Michel, one of the founders of the academy, told the Dagblad van het Noorden. “But we prefer to speak of newcomers. Participants must be at least 18 years old because we do not have permission to teach minors.”
While the school isn’t serving every refugee who wishes to learn English, Newcomer’s help with preparing so many adult immigrants is seen as an invaluable resource to Groningen.
The majority of the school’s students come from Turkey, but there also Ukrainians, Syrians, Afghans, Yemenis, and Nigerians. “Most of them are highly educated and well-qualified professionals like judges, lawyers, ICT professionals, engineers, and teachers. Many people worked for the government in their respective countries,” says Seyit Gök, another co-founder of the school.
Newcomer Academy’s mission
At the English Academy for Newcomers, all of the teachers have credentials to teach English as a second language. The school’s curriculum is geared specifically toward barriers immigrant populations face. “We believe that economic independence and full participation in society improve newcomer wellbeing and subsequently add value to their communities,” the school’s mission states. “We help newcomers achieve their full potential through a range of services, such as affordable education and mentorship programs.”
The lessons take place every Tuesday and Thursday between 6 and 8pm. It’s a challenging schedule, Michel admits. “Some live in places like Sneek or Coevorden. It takes them 2 hours to travel back and forth,” she says. About 60 students enroll every trimester, but only 20-25 complete the course. It is quite hard for many of them, professor Michel says, but those who do finish the course are much better prepared to meet the challenges of the Dutch employment culture and to gain a measure of control over their lives.
