A Salford community group has held their first free English assessment for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers looking to learn the language.
The assessment, held by Speak and Belong CIC, took place at the Lowry Academy in Little Hulton on Saturday 8 November and is the first of five to take place this month, providing the first step for participants towards attending the group’s free English courses.
Speak and Belong CIC aims to help people build confidence, as well as allow them to make connections with individuals in a similar situation and feel part of the local community.
The group provides free and low-cost classes, hosted by experienced tutors, to prepare attendees for functional skills or GCSE English, with a view to ready them for writing job applications and attending interviews.
Monika Sulowska, founder and director of the group, said: “We mainly attract migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and residents who want to improve their English. Many are parents, professionals, or people needing confidence in everyday life.
“We reach out through schools, libraries, community centres, social media, word of mouth, and partnerships with charities and local organisations.”
Monika relocated to the UK 11 years ago as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher, offering free classes and workshops.
She said: “Having moved to the UK myself, I understand how challenging it is to settle in a new country, even with English, it can be isolating. For new arrivals without English, it’s even harder.
“I wanted to create a welcoming space where people could learn English, meet others, and feel part of the community. Personally, it’s very meaningful because I’ve been in similar shoes and know how transformative support and belonging can be for someone’s life.”
Monika established Whatsay? English Language Centre in April 2022. Many learners from the centre gained enough confidence to attend job interviews, attend further courses and be brave to start working. This inspired her to create Speak and Belong CIC in August 2025.
The group recently gained support from Salford City Council, which allowed them to start offering free English assessments throughout November, as well as support from Salford CVS through the Wellbeing Matters Community Asset Fund, which allows them to provide English for everyday life and conversation cafés, helping local residents feel included and improve their wellbeing.
The assessments cover functional English skills and everyday communication, helping learners understand their current level, track progress and set goals. It also allows the group to place attendees into different classes dependant on their level, to ensure participants are not overwhelmed, but also not overchallenged.
Alongside classes, Speak and Belong CIC provide conversation clubs, employability and job skills workshops, mental health and wellbeing support and digital skills workshops. In addition, support is offered to parents of English as an Additional Language (EAL) pupils, to create effective home-learning routines, communicate with teachers and assist with homework.
Monika said: “We hope participants feel included, improve their English, and gain confidence, which helps them navigate daily life, access services, and pursue further education or work. More broadly, we aim to strengthen social cohesion, reduce isolation, and foster cross-cultural understanding.
“Guided by our motto, ‘Speak freely. Belong fully,’ we encourage everyone to express themselves, connect with others, and feel a real sense of belonging. We are aiming to develop many more projects in the near future to continue expanding opportunities for learning, community engagement, and support for residents.
“One of the main challenges is funding and affordability, as many learners cannot pay for continuous classes. While we would like to run ongoing workshops and courses, everything depends on the success of funding applications, which can take time to secure.
“Language barriers and isolation also make it harder for some people to access support. Despite these challenges, we are committed to expanding opportunities for learning and community engagement as funding allows.”
The organisation are looking for volunteers to support those who need additional help, alongside translation and interpretation during ESOL sessions. You can find out more here.
There are still four further assessments throughout the rest of the month, taking place every Saturday from 15th-29th November.
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