Programmes in the UK:
National Portrait Gallery – My Magical Journeys
Since 2013 DIL Trust UK has been supporting the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), which offers a programme for sick children and their families to engage in creative and cultural participation and encourage the development of art, creativity, visual literacy skills, ideas, and communication. This is done using the NPG’s collection of works and a group of artists and volunteers who lead structured workshops.
A stay in a hospital is likely to be difficult for a child of any age. Illness and hospital stays are stressful, and they disrupt a child’s life and can interfere with normal development. While they are in the hospital, children may miss their friends and family, they may be bored, they may miss school, and they may be afraid. Children may not understand why they are in the hospital, or they may have false beliefs about what is happening to them.
The NPG delivers its creative and engaging arts programme utilising its network of experienced artists. The programme is run during the school holidays when the hospital school is closed.
The programme enables children, some of whom might never have been to a gallery, to have first-hand experience working with an artist and be connected to the work of the NPG. The programme draws on different artistic skills using more aspects of art, media, 3D and music than alternative programmes, thus ensuring that all children can join in regardless of ability, disability or need, physical or emotional.
Crest Academy – ESOL
In 2011, DIL Trust UK developed an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programme at Crest Boys’ Academy for mothers of underperforming students. The programme covers the teaching costs, examination fees, books and materials.
The ESOL project has been active for the past 7 years in Neasden. Nearly 648 women have graduated from the course. This area has a large migrant community from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Morocco and Somalia. Given the language barrier and cultural constraints on women’s mobility, integration into the UK community remains difficult.
The ESOL programme is the only ‘Women Only’ project in Brent Borough which focuses on women’s language and social development. The majority of students are from the local area, as it is the only ESOL Project that starts at a beginner’s level.
Every year, the number of students varies, usually ranging from 80-100 students a year across the levels, with 78% choosing to complete further education. Some indicators that capture the impact are:
- These mothers go on to complete skills training courses.
- These mothers can get jobs (teaching and child care).
- Mothers are confident in using public transport to increase mobility.
- Mothers can access basic services like health care.
- Mothers are pursuing degrees & vocational courses in local colleges.
- These Mothers can take a driving licence test.
- Mothers participate in their children’s school activities and parents’ functions.
- The school has engaged with the mothers easily and without the cost of translators and improved student performance.
The impact of the ESOL and mentoring programme is dramatic. We see education change these women’s lives as they integrate into society. Still, we see an increase in women pursuing further education and training to increase their earning capacity, and they are willing to engage with their community.
It is worth remembering that this ESOL programme provides a critical service to a group of women whose mobility and time constraints are not accommodated by other mainstream programmes.
Twins Project
The Twins Pakistan project is a cooperation between DIL Trust UK and the UK charity Twins. The project links schools between the UK and Pakistan for practical support, educational interaction and cultural understanding.
One of the underlying principles of Twins is that every penny raised by a UK school is spent directly on its own ‘twin’ school in Pakistan. The purchase of items such as IT and sports equipment, generators and water-coolers is carried out by project management according to strict controls (Twins Pakistan never gives cash to schools).
Much effort is made to avoid dependency and co-dependency mindsets by balancing such giving and receiving with a strong focus on educational and social interaction. A fundamental aim of Twins is to establish mutual understanding and friendship between children of different cultures and religions. This is achieved through various collaborative programmes, some of which are compatible with inclusion in UK national curricula, in recognition of how little spare time schools have available.
For a list of schools taking part in the Twins Pakistan project, links to where donations can be made, more details of the project and how to join, visit the Twins Pakistan page of the Twins website.
*DIL Trust UK reserves the right to annually assess all programmes for viability and impact to continue funding the programme.