By, Patricia Bedford 2/19/24
On any given weekday you can wander through the classrooms and witness a change happening at the City-wide Community Center on Canterbury Street in Concord. Once reserved for yoga, pickleball and ballet, there are now New Americans learning English. Some days it is only a tutor teaching phonics, but on a regular basis there are classes for beginners, high level English Conversation classes and a class for New Americans ready to study for their Citizenship exam.
This change was the result of a need that Karen Juall, a tutor from Second Start, saw in her community. Karen has been tutoring a Congolese woman who lives in the Royal Gardens apartments. Her tutee is a single parent who works full time. As with many tutoring situations, there were challenges, and in Karen’s case, her tutee oftentimes needed to bring her toddler to class. So, she needed not only a safe space for them but also for the baby. Second Start is located on Knight St. and the bus system does not run in the evenings which is the only time she can meet with her working mom.
Karen then contacted Councilor Byron Champlin and Patricia Bedford, the Volunteer Coordinator from Second Start and they began meeting regularly to address the issue. A proposal to provide 12 hours of free space for classes and tutors to Second Start was proposed to the City Council last year. With the gracious support of David Gill at Parks and Recreation the proposal was approved, and space was donated to Second Start beginning last fall.
A beginning ESL class was the first offering at the Center. This class was formerly all online due to Covid. Many of these students lived in the Heights and would benefit from in-person class. Research supports that beginning language learners learn best in person. Learning in person allows New Americans to support each other, ask questions and create a learning community. They may meet other students who have just arrived from their country and create new friends.
Last fall, the Good Neighbors group at Havenwood Heritage Heights supported the pilot by soliciting volunteers for tutoring and team-teaching classes. Ten new volunteers were trained and matched with new Americans at the Community Center. This was a win/ win for both the retirees and the students. As retired teachers, social workers and doctors, the volunteers brought their experience and wisdom to their tutees and their classes. As volunteers, they are dedicated and committed to not only teach English but support their students in adapting to our city, finding employment and having support. Volunteers are the lifeline that support many of our New Americans and the benefits go both ways.
The pilot has proven to be a seed of change that is changing the face of the Community Center. As the word gets out, more and more New Americans are stopping by the Community Center and seeking information. Whether they partake in English classes or not, they are exposed to the many programs the Center offers and know that it is there for them too. Thanks to Karen, we are changing how our “community” views our city buildings by providing programming for our newest arrivals.