The Bradford-based organisation, QED-UK, has been praised by a European Commission Ambassador for its work delivering English language classes to third country national women, who are mainly from Pakistan.
QED tackles grass-root problems by offering services in health, education and employment to disadvantaged sections of Britain’s eight million ethnic minorities.
Its flagship ‘English for Work’ ‘Unity Through Diversity’ and ‘Living in Britain’ courses help migrants improve their English language and job prospects to promote better integration into British society.
Jacqueline Minor, Head of Representation at the European Commission Representation in the UK, visited QED’s offices in Bradford to see first-hand the educational programmes in action and QED plans for the future.
Ms Minor said of her visit:
“I learnt a lot about QED and the projects which it’s involved. I was delighted to visit and meet one of the English for Work classes where I was very warmly welcomed. It was a great pleasure to meet the women on the course, and I was very impressed by the determination the class showed to improve their English language skills. They all told their stories with different levels of fluency; it was really very heart-warming to see how much effort goes into this important work, both from QED, their lovely teacher and the participants.”
She added: “The courses are part funded by the European Union. The story of Europe is a story of integration. In order to make the most of the opportunities and possibilities for residents of the EU there has to be a capacity to integrate, that starts with language.”
Jacqueline Minor’s chief duties are to be the ‘voice of the UK’ to the European Commission, reporting back to the Commission in Brussels on the political, economic and social developments in the UK.
Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, founder and chief executive of QED, said: “We were delighted to have a visit from the EC ambassador to discuss the EU funded integration courses we deliver in the UK and Pakistan. It was also an opportunity to discuss the EU Pakistani diaspora and ways it could potentially help to alleviate poverty in Pakistan.”
