Since 2016, we have offered English classes, practical skills workshops, psychological support, and cultural activities.
We work in collaboration with universities and different organizations to expand educational and employment opportunities for Hispanics. Our goal is to promote the inclusion, integration, and well-being of the community. All our projects are designed in response to the needs identified through studies and surveys, thus ensuring a positive and lasting impact.
In June 2024, we launched the Institute of Entrepreneurs, and since then, several business owners have already benefited from our guidance. We are focused on taking Hispanic businesses to the next level through education and empowerment.
In 2016, Centro Hispano embarked on its journey with the implementation of English classes for adults, taught by a group of volunteers committed to social change. This impact has been significant as breaking the language barrier is essential for accessing better job and educational opportunities.
Community cohesion and English courses were strengthened with activities aimed at older adults, considered the most vulnerable within migratory processes. Within this area of work, two workshops were implemented:
This initiative included sports or entertainment activities that brought together elderly people living alone or without an active social circle. Centro Hispano provided a family-friendly and welcoming environment, promoting social interaction and physical well-being, helping to build new friendships and a supportive community.
Centro Hispano took a significant step by participating in the “Connect Communities” programme in 2017. This programme provided us with the opportunity to learn fundamental elements for strengthening our organisation. Through workshops and training sessions, we acquired skills in organisational management, community leadership, and sustainability strategies.
The most representative activities were in education and included the consolidation of English courses that continued to offer beginner and intermediate-level training. Additionally, the training strategy was reinforced with two courses:
Environmental education activities were implemented, including the creation of a community garden, which brought together people of different nationalities throughout the creation and care process, with a common goal of learning and spending time in a friendly environment.
In partnership with the Borough of Haringey, ESOL and Functional Skills courses were offered to people from diverse nationalities.
Our comprehensive support included the creation of our small food bank working with donors and partner organisations such as Oka Community to address basic community needs.
The year 2018 was significant for Centro Hispano with the organisation of several projects for organisational strengthening and community empowerment.
Some initiatives positively impacted the organisation’s journey, with Centro Hispano’s participation in the Universal Credit Conference being significant. This event attracted over 200 participants and featured officials from the UK Department for Work and Pensions.
The educational offer expanded to cover other topics. Courses in healthy cooking were held aimed at integrating good habits and eliminating the use of sugar in participants’ diets.
Continuing the educational offering of English courses in Haringey remains a clear line of work to support people from diverse nationalities in improving their language skills.
This period was fruitful in achieving institutional agreements and strengthening the organisation in its strategic education line. Actions included signing agreements with several universities to create bridges between higher education institutions and people needing support to access these levels of education. Key players included institutions such as Anglia Ruskin University, Northampton University, Metropolitan, ApexCollege, Ebenezer College, and London College.
We continued with the educational structure of English courses in Haringey but added other objectives to progressively meet the community’s needs.
Within the educational offering, courses in information technology (IT) and advanced mobile usage were conducted to enhance the community’s digital skills.
Continuing with psychosocial support strategies, recreational activities were proposed. One such activity was a trip to London for senior citizens, offering them the opportunity to explore and share the visit to the city with others.
During the unusual period of 2020 and 2021, Centro Hispano swiftly adapted its services to address the challenges of the pandemic. Online English classes and psychological support were offered.
Psychosocial support activities were adapted and developed amidst an unfamiliar and unusual environment for both the organization and beneficiaries. Activities were tailored to new needs, bolstering networks and pivoting all actions through online platforms. The following activities were highlighted:
Contact was made with individuals needing support due to pandemic-related distress leading to suicidal thoughts. Approximately 50 cases were addressed, providing emotional support and necessary resources.
Virtual Course for Beginners: Spaces for communal sharing were created, including a virtual cooking course designed for beginners.
To reinforce networks as a means of communication and information sharing, a podcast channel was launched to address socially relevant topics. Experts from around the world participated, facilitating enriching discussions and offering global perspectives on contemporary issues, promoting understanding and public awareness on critical societal matters.
Centro Hispano collaborated with various organisations to establish an extracurricular club for Hispanic children aged 8 to 14. This program offered additional classes in English, Spanish, art, mathematics, music, and sports to over 200 children.
An online course for parents was conducted on understanding and managing childhood and adolescent conflicts, including parent-child relationship management. Workshops were led by a specialist psychologist in child and youth psychology.
Our focus groups and information meetings with experts were well received, and after the pandemic, they continued in person despite the restrictions and new post-pandemic prevention regulations.
Effective use of leisure time was crucial in managing conflicts, prompting the offering of an online singing class guided by industry professionals to develop vocal skills and performance techniques.
Online piano and guitar lessons were introduced for beginners and enthusiasts. Music classes continued to be a widely accepted initiative among families as an integration tool.
The exhibition and staging of the music courses was a family event that positioned our children’s courses among the Hispanic community.
Centro Hispano collaborated with various organisations to establish an extracurricular club for Hispanic children aged 8 to 14. This program offered additional classes in English, Spanish, art, mathematics, music, and sports to over 200 children.
Building on online work with children, in-person guitar, piano, and singing courses were conducted for 8 to 13-year-olds in Lambeth
A face-to-face course was conducted with a psychologist as part of the team, designing courses on this theme and integrating psychological questions into other courses. It should be mentioned that vulnerable families faced economic difficulties in their environment and origin, making it relevant to acquire tools to manage trauma and regain emotional stability, promoting mental health and well-being during times of transition.
Part of the strategy to confront economic challenges was setting goals to strengthen entrepreneurship in the community. Several in-person courses were organised for entrepreneurs in Lambeth, training participants in effective business plan development and solid business strategies.
The educational offer continued to strengthen community development through English and other skills learning. The English and Functional Skills course in collaboration with Ebenezer College improved participants’ communication and educational and job prospects, strengthening their integration and capacity in British society.
This year of work with other leaders resulted in the opening of a new headquarters in Birmingham, which energised the Hispanic community and created networks with its peers in London.
Between 2022 and 2023, we collaborated with Bridge Renewal Trust on a crucial project for the prevention of cervical, breast, and intestinal cancer. This effort focused on increasing awareness among Hispanic women about the importance of health screenings recommended by the NHS. Surveys and informative sessions were conducted, reaching over 200 Hispanic women in London.
Building on online work with children, in-person guitar, piano, and singing courses were conducted for 8 to 13-year-olds in Lambeth
Our network of collaborators and new lines of work with other community leaders generated this communication tool, and it was the beginning of our social media channels to inform the Hispanic community in the UK.
In the second half of 2022, courses in the psychosocial support strategy began with an inperson course with our psychologist focused on managing stress and strengthening couple relationships. Participants learned techniques to manage daily stress and improve communication and emotional connection in their relationships, promoting emotional health and well-being, benefiting more than 200 families.
The entrepreneurship area has been a great support in the beginning of the economic crisis and the previous year to the cost of living, which at that time had not been identified. Women's empowerment courses focused on launching sales businesses were greatly beneficial to the growth of the gender-focused business fabric.
English courses opened doors for the community to other challenges, so we identified the need to delve deeper into university access courses that facilitated the entry of approximately 150 people into various universities in the UK.
Along the same lines of community empowerment, we have been working on courses in Lambeth focused on IT and English to strengthen CVs and personal statements. These programs offered fundamental technical and linguistic skills, improving job and educational prospects for participants by preparing them to stand out in the job and academic market.
Starting in 2023, after identifying needs, we began offering specialised advice on benefits and housing. Our services range from guidance on social benefits to assistance with housing issues, facilitating access to vital resources and improving the quality of life for our community.
Benefiting 180 People: Theoretical driving courses translated into Spanish were offered, benefiting approximately 180 people. These programs provided comprehensive preparation for the theoretical driving exam in an accessible language, increasing opportunities to obtain a driving license and promoting road safety among the Spanish-speaking community.
The migration processes of the community are now reaching levels of consolidation and rooting, so courses in “Live in UK” began for people aspiring to the British passport.
Current and Future Perspectives: Contextual knowledge is very relevant in such a young migrant community. The event educated attendees about risks and opportunities in the digital space, promoting awareness and online security.
During the Christmas season of 2023, we organized a special event for refugee families in vulnerable situations. This event focused on providing gifts to over 150 children from refugee families, bringing joy and hope during the festive season.
In December 2023, we organized the Christmas Latin Market on Chalton Street, Camden, together with the organization Our Little Market based in Camden. This activity took place over 12 weeks, bringing together more than 30 Hispanic merchants and entrepreneurs. This event provided a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products, promoting Hispanic culture and talent.
In 2024, the Camden City Council awarded Centro Hispano a grant to teach Spanish to seniors over three months. This project is designed to promote bilingualism and facilitate better communication between generations within the Hispanic community and with British society in general. The expected impact is to improve the quality of life for seniors by offering them new language skills and socialization opportunities. Additionally, this program fosters
cultural inclusion and mutual understanding, strengthening community ties and contributing to the cultural enrichment of both the Hispanic and British communities. Our core lines of work continue to be reinforced through ongoing courses as explained below:
The entrepreneurship network has been created and strengthened to become solid with several open lines of work, so a series of intensive courses for entrepreneurs have been scheduled, equipping them with practical and strategic knowledge to successfully launch and manage their businesses. Additionally, these same entrepreneurs have expressed their weaknesses, and English classes have been designed and taught by a group of volunteers, improving the participants’ language skills and strengthening their integration into the community.
ARUL University of London allowed us to highlight the importance of increasing the visibility of the Hispanic community. We agreed to create a Hispanic fraternity at the university, which would include Spanish classes for interested parties among professors and students, fostering cultural integration and educational exchange within the campus. Fifteen students, five administrative members, and five professors from the university signed up.
In collaboration with The Little Market and One More Chance, we raised funds to help homeless refugee families. This community initiative provided vital resources and emotional support, contributing to improving living conditions and integrating these families into society. We managed to help over 500 people in total.
In collaboration with Camden Given, we started entrepreneurship courses tailored to the Hispanic community in Somerstown. These courses offered the 20 participants essential tools to start and manage businesses, promoting economic development and business empowerment within the local community.
After working side by side through the entrepreneurship courses, a community of entrepreneurs is created, and the Institute is created to strengthen new initiatives and their small businesses.
Our integration into the host community also includes that part of the community in our areas of action knows the Hispanic culture and for which cultural activities and Spanish courses are carried out.
King Cross | Euston 19, Chalton St, NW 1 1JD | Elephant 333 Walworth Road, SE17 2TG | Phone: +44 7832 294229 | 02077031448 | Email: info@centrohispanouk.com
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