3: Migrants and Refugees: An ‘Outsider’ Group?

This chapter presents contextual information on migrant and refugees in the United Kingdom including data around asylum claims, experiences before, during and after arrival in the United Kingdom, as well as access to assessments and support, and ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) courses in particular (as learning English is identified as fundamental catalyst to empowerment for migrant groups). This chapter also presents contextual data on the specific community of women who used the women's project including demographic details and characteristics as well as additional details such as levels of literacy. The chapter draws on both secondary literature and primary data from the project. The primary data presented in this chapter were gathered from registration forms of the women attending the women's project. In addition, broader data from the charity's ESOL classes are used to provide a snapshot of the literacy levels and educational needs of women who engaged with the charity as well as the flexible and holistic approach to provision that was developed.