People and Skills

Aqoon Education Services

Aqoon Community Education and Training Services (formerly known as Aqoon Education Services) was set up April 2003 by a group of dedicated Somali professionals (two female, three male). The primary objectices of ACETS are social but any surplus funds are reinvested for that purpose in business or in the community.

As an expansion of services for the community, Social Enterprise East Midlands commissioned AES to conduct feasibility study on the educational and training needs of the newly arrived Somali population in Leicester, as a result of this study. Training has been added to the former name to reflect the expanded services. If you would like a copy of the feasibility study report, please contact us on e-mail: acetslimited@excite.com.

Organisation: Aqoon Education Services Ltd.

Completion Date: 31/03/2006

Location

ACETS is based in the heart of Highfields at the

Parent and Children Centre
28 Saxby Street
Leicester
LE2 0NE

Project Description

The project has been set up to support and help the newly arrived families with their resettlement in the city. The project will provide some culturally, suitable, and localy accessible services for the Somali families and their children such as;

• Information, advice and guidance for adults-workshops, family learning,basic and language skills training.
• Study support for children
• Interpreting and translation services

Background
ACETS' aims and objectives are primarily promoting education in the Somali community in Leicester through activities for newly-arrived Somali families and their children, such as homework club/study club, family learning, and basic skills for adults.

ACETS also carries out interpreting and translation work for the education sector.

Ongoing projects:
Homework club for children aged 8-12

• Number of children attending: 80.
• Classes are run throughout the year on Saturdays and Sundays.

Family projects

• ACETS had two family learning projects in Highfields to encourage newly arrived parents to develop their ability to support their own children's studying.
• 30 parents and 30 children take part in these family learning events.

Adult skills

• ACETS is developing a basic and language skills projects in partnership with De Monfort University and Leicester College.

Translation and interpretation

• Interpreting and translation work for education and other education-based institutions.
• ACETS acknowledges that there is a significant demand in sector- specialised interpreters and translators and it strives to fill that gap by supplying a specialised service for schools, colleges, and the city council's education department.

Outcomes

Help for children

• Raise educational achievements for Somali children.
• Provide behaviour management and support for those pupils who are at risk from underachievement and social exclusion.
• Provide information and advice for the schools about this particular community.

Information and Advice for families

• Provide support and advice for families who have children with learning and behaviour difficulties.
• family learning activities
• family advice and guidance
• Improve the basic skills for Somali adults.

Interpretation/translation

• Providing interpreting and translation services for schools.

Project Contacts

Director
Abdishakur Tarah
Tel: 0116 247 1144
E-mail: acetslimited@excite.com

Address:
28 Saxby Street
Leicester
LE2 0NE

LSEP contact:
Phil Durban
E-mail: phild@lsep.co.uk
Website: www.lsep.co.uk