London LEAFEA, 2014 - 148 pages.
SpEC is creating and supporting a network of conversation clubs, or SpEC Clubs, all over London, in the heart of local communities. Meeting in libraries, community centres, schools and places of worship, the clubs will help London residents from all backgrounds who have little or no English come together and make friends from outside their own family or community. Learning for as little as two hours a week and practising essential language skills in a relaxed environment helps promote health, happiness and builds stronger communities.
The project is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and is one of the six winners of the national community-based English language competition. The DCLG recognises the importance of improved language skills in supporting both social and economic development. All SpEC Clubs will be run by trained volunteers and supported by London-LEAFEA, the association of London's 33 Local Authority Adult and Community Learning Services. Each borough has a strategic claim in helping us develop work around our six key project themes:
• Getting Healthy
• Getting IT
• Keeping Up
• Keeping Safe
• Getting a Job, and
• Getting Involved.
The SpEC project draws on established good practice, and encourages creative innovation in areas where service providers have identified a need or an opportunity. The project will build capacity at grassroots level to facilitate informal clubs for adults who are vulnerable, hard to reach or struggle to integrate into the wider community. The approach to the project is based on a "learn by doing" model to give volunteers the skills and confidence to facilitate their own conversational clubs.
