Churches who have identified ESL classes as a potential Connect09 strategy could receive a boost through Anglicare’s new MARS ministry.
Cross-cultural ministry through the provision of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes has been given a boost by the merger of Anglicare's parish-driven ESL program with a host of other migrant and refugee services.
Celebrating over 100 years of the diocesan organisation's involvement in supporting new arrivals to Australia, the new Migrant and Refugee Service (MARS) incorporates ANGLICARE's ESL program with the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Services, Small and Emerging Communities programs, and a Southern Sudanese project.
ESL program manager Cathryn Thew hopes the merger will better assist parishes who wish to reach out to their culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
"Having closer relationships with Sudanese clients and staff workers from the Southern Sudanese Project, for instance, enables us to direct Sudanese people to our church classes and to have the Sudanese workers to train our teachers.
"This January, at our twice yearly ESL training day, our Sudanese workers will help our ESL volunteer teachers understand the background of their Sudanese students, what difficulties they face in Australia, and how to help their Sudanese students learn English," Ms Thew explains.
"Furthermore, not only will we continue to resource parishes and regional ESL co-ordinators, we will also be able to promote parishes that provide ESL classes to any new migrants or refugees assisted through different MARS programs."
According to Ms Thew, one of the great strengths of ESL classes is the gospel opportunities provided through positive relationships.
"It's not just a place to learn English," says Cathryn. "The aim is to structure the class in ways that would help build relationships and assist ordinary Christians in the pews do cross-cultural ministry."
Highlighting the valuable ESL partnership between MARS and the parishes, Migrant and Refugee Services Manager, Christine Ratnasingham, says ESL classes will be a significant service facilitated within the newly formed department.
"Sydney parishes have been long-time partners of the ESL program" says Christine.
"We have over 60 parishes across Sydney that host and coordinate English lessons for many of our migrant and refugee clients. Our ESL classes could not work without the partnerships we have with Anglican Churches, which includes just over 300 volunteer teachers".
