Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation from Luljeta Nuzi, Programme Director and Founder of Shpresa, after which Members had the opportunity to ask questions.

Ms Nuzi began by reading a poem by the Albanian speaking community with which Shpresa worked. She thanked the Committee for their current funding, and detailed the work Shpresa carried out to bring together and support Albanians or Kosovans in the UK and help them integrate and engage with the wider community. Ms Nuzi advised that Shpresa acted as a mobilising platform, identifying partnership organisations to link together and provide specialist programmes and services; e.g. for victims of domestic abuse.

Members noted that the City Bridge Trust grant had allowed Shpresa to offer ESOL classes to improve the English speaking skills of 120 vulnerable and isolated women (40 per year) and, by doing so, better integrate them into the wider community, enable them to access mainstream services, and increase their confidence and self-esteem. Members also noted Shpresa ran Albanian schools in partnership with mainstream schools in five London boroughs, which worked to promote a positive Albanian identity, develop literacy and learning to improve the children’s attainment in mainstream schools, and also improve the children’s relationship with their own family and community.

The Chairman thanked Ms Nuzi for her presentation.