dundee

Meet the Volunteer: Lynne’s journey from learner to class tutor

24 May 2018 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Meet the Volunteer: Lynn’s journey from learner to class tutor

Having started out as a class attendee, Lynne made the decision to share her knowledge and time to become a volunteer at DIWC. This took her from learner to class tutor and she shares her story here.

How it all began

My story started 4 years ago, when I began attending DIWC’s cooking class as a learner. I started the class as a way to cheer myself up and do something a wee bit different. I was experiencing health issues and was feeling really sorry for myself, as my children were growing up fast and didn’t need me as much as when they were younger.

After about a year of attending the class, I was asked if I would like to become a volunteer in the Basic Arts & Crafts class, as I was a very crafty person with many art skills. I jumped at this opportunity!

This started my volunteering journey at DIWC, supporting the learners to take part in art activities in the class. I enjoyed this very much, as the group was very welcoming and friendly. And I was still able to attend my favourite cooking class, as well as volunteering.

How my role evolved into teaching

Over time, I found that, in the cooking class, I began acting as a mentor to new learners. I would take my time to chat with them and encourage them to participate in every session. The teacher noticed this, and offered me a new voluntary role, where I could assist her by supporting all the new learners. I was very pleased at this and it has really helped to increase my confidence and self-esteem.

The Basic Arts & Crafts class evolved from supporting the teacher to becoming the class tutor, where I planned and delivered the art sessions to the learners. I loved this role even more, as it used all my art skills and knowledge. I enjoy watching the learners creating art projects and seeing the pride that they felt once they had finished their project.

Teaching arts and crafts

As the Basic Arts & Crafts class was a success, I was asked if I could run a few blocks of crafts recycling sessions. I loved this idea and began volunteering another morning each week at DIWC, delivering Make Do & Mend sessions.

This was a great way for women to learn how to recycle old materials that they had at home. The class was a hit with learners and it now has a permanent place on DIWC’s timetable.

Fundraising so that others can participate in the classes too

Outwith the classes, I recently helped the Volunteer Coordinator to create DIWC’s fundraising group. We meet on a regular basis to plan new ways to raise funds, which will provide opportunities for more women to participate in DIWC classes and events.

As part of this group, I helped to establish the coffee shop as a way to raise money. I bake cakes and sell refreshments several times a week, alongside my other voluntary roles.

I feel that DIWC is an amazing place which is very uplifting and inspirational to all women who attend. It is a great pleasure to be part of. There are many ways you can get involved by donating your time and skills.

Impact Story: How Kristiana achieved her ambitions with the support of DIWC

10 May 2018 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Kristiana shares her story of how, with the support of DIWC, she was able to achieve her goals of improving her English and making a better life for herself and her son.

Feeling part of a community

Kristiana is from Varna in Bulgaria and came to Scotland to make a better life for her son. Back home, she worked as a Stock Control Worker at a shop.

She came to DIWC for several reasons – she wanted to learn new skills, meet new friends and feel part of a community. She also said that she would like to learn new skills and volunteer.

Pursuing dreams and making friends

In particular, she wanted to be in an English-speaking environment, to improve her communication skills. Fortunately, having our flexible childcare services at DIWC meant that she could bring her son with her and be confident he would be well looked after while she pursued her dreams.

After attending the centre for a few weeks, Kristiana quickly made new friends and felt a real sense of belonging. Kristiana was very determined and achieved her European Computer Driving Licence qualification in just 10 months (typically this could take 15-18 months).

DIWC staff were so impressed by how hard she worked, even coming in over the Summer holidays to study. When she got her certificate, she told Diaré: “It is done and I am so happy. I remember my first day in the centre one year ago, I didn’t speak, I was so scared. Thank you for being my teacher”.

Finding confidence through volunteering

At the same time, she looked for volunteering opportunities in Dundee. She worked on the front desk at DIWC but she wanted an even bigger challenge, so staff at the Centre referred her to the British Heart Foundation, where she was offered the post of Volunteer Merchandiser. Her motivation to give back to the community while developing her own skills, is such that she is now volunteering at Discovery Credit Union and holds a position as IT support at the Central Library.

Now, Kristiana is much more confident in herself and very happy that she is so busy. She feels more useful and helpful to her family and her Bulgarian community. She inspires others by explaining that believing in ourselves enables us to achieve our dreams.

Kristiana said recently that: “DIWC is still helping me. Since I have been coming to the centre, they have been supporting me, helping, advising and giving me new opportunities.” Her long-term goal is to maybe, one day, become a Project Worker at DIWC.

Impact Story: How Balgeis created a better life for her daughters

3 October 2017 by diwc-admin 3 Comments

Starting again in a foreign country that speaks an unfamiliar language is tough. Doing so as the mother of five young girls is even tougher. That’s the challenge Balgeis faced. Her husband, Salim, was starting a PHd. at the University of Dundee which meant uprooting the family from their home in Benghazi, Libya.

Fear of the unknown

Balgeis was excited, but understandably apprehensive. A classic case of fear of the unknown. She’d experienced Europe while visiting with her father on business trips, but she’d never been to Scotland. For Balgeis, this was an opportunity to give her daughters the best possible start in life – an opportunity to have an education that will set them up for the future.

Balgeis heard about Dundee International Women’s Centre (DIWC) through a friend of her husband’s.

I was told that DIWC was very good and that I’d get the chance to learn and meet new people at the centre. It was more than I expected. I felt very welcome.

Determination to learn

Speaking to Balgeis today, it’s hard to imagine that seven years ago, she spoke no English. She grew up in Libya at a time when relations between the West and her homeland were at an all-time low. All reference to the West was cut out of the Libyan school curriculum, including learning English. English books were burned as the US and the UK tightened sanctions as a result of the Lockerbie tragedy.

The politics and conflict cost a complete generation the opportunity to develop their English speaking skills. Taking the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course was the crucial first step on her journey. It was hard, but she was a determined student.

With her new found English skills, Balgeis embraced the opportunities. She enrolled in a number of different classes. She got creative with art, got practical skills in sewing class and she learned new cooking and baking skills.

Although, it’s fair to say that, when it comes to culinary skills, Balgeis is as much a teacher as she is a student. She’s shared with the women of DIWC the wonders of traditional Libyan and north African cooking.

Motivation to help people

It’s a sign of Balgeis’s character that she wasn’t satisfied with her English skills. She wanted to take them to the next level. Taking the English for Life class gave Balgeis the opportunity to improve her English skills by building on her ESOL qualification.

It also gave her the opportunity to help more people, which is such a core part of what motivates her. She demonstrated this, when after two years as a user of the Centre, she asked if she could become a volunteer at DIWC.

As a volunteer Balgeis has helped women, just like her, find their feet in Dundee. Women, who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have found themselves alone and isolated in a country whose language they can’t understand, let alone speak. She helps these women settle in the city by sharing advice based on her own experiences.

Her English speaking skills have developed so well that she now acts as translator for many Arabic speaking women. And it’s not just translating from English to Arabic, by virtue of her Syrian mother, she’s ideally placed to help translate from Syrian Arabic to other variants of Arabic. She’s used this to help a number of Syrian refugees access the services they need to settle in the area.

That might mean helping them understand letters from the council, schools, utility companies or doctors. It can even be helping them understand and select the right mobile phone tariff – something that’s challenging enough for people that speak English.

A pillar of the community

She’s become a prominent figure in the Arab community, and that extends beyond Dundee. Each Saturday morning she travels to Edinburgh as a volunteer to teach English and maths to children and young adults.

All the while, she encourages them to retain their Arabic speaking skills. Balgies is passionate about this point. For her, learning English and embracing the culture of the country you live in is important, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of their own heritage.

For the young especially, having both English and Arabic language skills gives them something that Balgeis and many of her generation didn’t have – choice. If they want to return to the country of their birth, they need to have command of Arabic.

Inspiring confidence in women

Balgeis is an inspirational woman with a warm and welcoming personality. She’s given so much to the Arab community since arriving here for the very first time. Balgeis’s focus now and for the future is to simply help more people in any way she can. She thrives on it. It’s her mission. And, we’re delighted that she remains committed to DIWC. She adds so much to what we at the centre.

We asked Balgeis what her experience at DIWC has given to her. She paused and thought about it for a long time, and then, she summed it up in one word – “confidence”. And, that confidence is something she wants more women to enjoy, especially her 5 daughters.

Impact Story: How Dilsa achieved her dream to work with children

3 October 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

A journey from Iraq to Dundee

Dilsa came from the Iraqi Kurdish community, which suffered appalling human rights abuses under Saddam Hussein’s regime. She never had the opportunity to go to school and couldn’t read or write.

She managed to escape to the Netherlands at 13 years old and came to Scotland a few years later. Dilsa faced a lot of barriers; she did not speak any English, her confidence was low and her three small children tied her to the house. She felt very lonely and couldn’t see further ahead than the next day.

Then someone told her about DIWC. Dilsa felt so comfortable at the Centre she encouraged other Kurdish women to come…

the Centre helps me so much, they help everybody, I’m very happy there.

Dilsa’s dream to work with children

Dilsa’s dream was to work with children, so she applied to join the National Progression Award in Playwork and Childcare. Unfortunately, staff felt that Dilsa would not be able to manage the necessary written work, but she was determined and agreed a plan to continue with her English and IT classes and reapply the following year.

By that time, we knew that she would be able to cope, but Dilsa was unsure and, although she started the course, she felt shy in class and found it hard to contribute.

With the support of her friends and the DIWC staff, Dilsa kept going and was happy that she had. Her teacher said:

Dilsa threw herself into DIWC, she took every opportunity open to her and her determination was phenomenal.

As part of her course, she had a placement in the Rise and Shine Creche. Dilsa really impressed the staff with her hard work and interaction with the children…

She was so keen, ready to learn and motivated.

She achieved her goals

In 2015, Dilsa achieved her goal of passing the NPA and became a Childcare Support Worker at Rise and Shine. She says:

I never thought I would get a job in Dundee, my family ask me why I don’t go back to Holland, but I’m so happy now, I would never leave.

Dilsa’s tenacity and determination to learn, coupled with the support from DIWC has helped her achieve her goals. And, in doing so, she’s become a role model to the women in her community.

Names in this story have been changed to protect the person’s identity.

#WomenOfDundee: How Abeer found happiness in furthering her education

23 May 2017 by diwc-admin 1 Comment

Living under a regime where you are not allowed to talk about politics and where education is controlled can be harsh. So, you can see why a move to a country where freedom of speech is accepted and education for women is promoted is a way to find happiness and purpose. This is what Abeer found when she married and moved to Dundee, finding happiness in furthering her education.

Living under a regime

“Originally I am from Iraq. I have two sisters and a brother and I grew up in Bagdad.

I do not remember Iraq the way it is portrayed in the media. People would talk about the conflict in the country, the war between Iraq and Iran, but I grew up in a big house with a big garden, my father had a good job and we all had access to education.

While growing up I read books about my country and learned more about what was happening, which initially I was ignorant to. For example, I learned about the chemical attack which killed more than 5000 people including women and children in the North of Iraq. When all this happened I was at school having fun with my friends, totally unaware.

We weren’t allowed to talk about anything against the government in school. We had to support the President, Saddam Hussein. There was a poem we would read in school and we would go every week to raise the flag to honour him. On a Thursday we would wear army style clothes to pay respect to Saddam Hussein.

It was confusing as a child, for me, I was fourteen and of course, there were so many bad things happening but it was expected of us to support this man and his regime – so conflicted or not, I did. Of course, then, we had little access to news other than mainstream media. There was no access to the internet, social media or even foreign news channels like there is today.

Realising the truth

People would come and tell us horrors about the war but we never really believe them. It was so peaceful where we were and there was no way to prove otherwise.

My parents were scared to talk about the war and the government. They would act like everything was normal despite me hearing different things from my friends and neighbours. I heard that those who did not fight were hung to death. But my parents would lie about it as they feared for all our lives. If I noticed someone was missing or had died, my parents would tell me that it was a heart attack – but I would notice the family being scared.

When I was about 25 all my friends were getting married and having children. They pushed me to get married, would joke about me settling down, but I wanted to finish my Masters first. But this was to change as soon after I met my husband through close family friends.

Getting married and leaving home

My father arranged to meet an old friend of his in Jordan. As a family, we went along and my father’s friend brought his son along from the UK also – and this man became my husband!

My husband had lived in the UK since 1993. He was 13 years old when he came to Dundee and started high school here, so he has lived most of his life in Scotland. We got married in Leeds. I wasn’t happy in Iraq at this time so I didn’t mind coming to Dundee. The education seemed much better here than it was in Iraq.

We lived with my in-laws in Broughty Ferry -a beautiful place, but my in-laws told me to not go out alone or use the buses alone. My English wasn’t very good so I felt quite vulnerable too, but then I gained a little confidence and started going for English Classes at Mitchell Street.

I had my first child in 2004 at 27 years old. I was struggling after the baby to go to college to complete ESOL and couldn’t afford childcare, so we stayed with my in-laws. They looked after the baby so I could attend my classes. They were really generous and hospitable to us but for a growing family, a small single bedroom was getting a bit cramped. My husband and I saved some money and we bought our own house.

I believe happiness comes in many different forms. Some people get to find happiness in their families and some in their jobs. I have missed out on things but I cherish the things I have.

Finding a place to make new friends

I was feeling low and depressed after I gave birth to my third child. My midwife told me about Dundee International Women’s Centre, so with two kids in a double buggy and the other on my hip I set off to look for it.

The first day I came I could not find the centre and no one could give me directions. This was in 2008 and not many people knew about the centre back then. I had to go back the next day and I met Dana at the door – she could speak a little bit of Arabic – and I almost cried!

I was so happy to hear someone speaking my language. I had no friends here, my in-laws had since moved to Arbroath, and I was lonely and depressed so finding the centre was a big change for me. Everyone was so nice to me and my children and I was able to put them in the crèche so I could start English classes here.

New opportunities

I was then invited to try the childcare course and I decided to give it a go. At first, I found it really boring and I wondered if I was in the right place. I worried I would struggle to complete it, but, as it turned out I was really good at it. I got good grades and great feedback and in 2014 was offered a job in the crèche.

Sometimes I wish I had stayed in college or went back to University. I see my friends a lot on Facebook and I miss it. The lifestyle they have that I could have had. Maybe if I was not married I would be like them – my friends – winning awards and having great careers. But, I believe happiness comes in many different forms. Some people get to find happiness in their families and some in their jobs. I have missed out on things but I cherish the things I have.

Now that I am qualified childcare practitioner I am looking for other opportunities. I am thinking about maybe being a teacher assistant.

The future

I go back to Iraq every two years, but my family don’t come over here. They never have. There is a lot of paperwork to arrange their visas and that is expensive to do. The children love visiting Iraq. It is Summer all year round and our family is over there, but my husband’s job is in Scotland. He can’t go over without a job and house and things and it is still not really safe. I look forward to the next stage of my life and I will take things as it comes. Scotland have given me a lot and I am grateful to be here.”

Abeer Al Hussein #womenofdundee