English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes in Truro, Cornwall, are attended by approximately 70 students of a range of nationalities, many who are Eastern European in origin. English teachers and local agency staff had found that many new migrants were unaware of how to access services in the area.
In addition to this, the police were concerned about breaches of driving regulations within the new migrant worker population, for example around inadequate insurance. The college and police shared this information to other agency members of a Migrant Worker Task Group, which is part of the Cornwall Strategic Partnership.
Members of the task group used ESOL classes at the college to pass information onto local migrant workers. The police made visits to explain English laws and driving rules to students, and representatives from the Trade Unions Congress and trading standards went with them to provide information on employment rights.
The task group recognised the need for information to be disseminated more widely to new arrivals and so decided to compile a welcome information pack. After agencies such as the council, police and fire brigade had drafted information for the pack, ESOL classes were used to determine whether migrant workers themselves thought the information was useful and easy to understand. The task group felt the student feedback was invaluable. The Welcome to Cornwall booklet includes information in four languages.
ESOL classes have now been adapted to include useful information for new arrivals, such as how to register with a GP, how to obtain a National Insurance number, and rules around drink driving.