Historia

Since ELATT started teaching East Londoners to build computers in 1984, we have continued working tirelessly to tackle poverty and social isolation in our city by providing free training and whole-person support for marginalized young people and adults.

Our vision is to make London a city where everyone can flourish in their lives, no matter their age, background or circumstances.

The skilled jobs in our capital’s economy offer financial security, stability and career development to millions. But many of the most vulnerable Londoners are permanently locked out of these opportunities simply because they didn’t get on at school or college – or were never given the chance to learn. We work with people who need an alternative to mainstream education. Our learners include young people not in employment, education or training; refugees, asylum seekers and migrants with no access to public funds; and people with long term mental and physical health issues, disability, learning difficulties or other barriers to achievement. We are here to connect all the talented and aspirational Londoners, who have not had access to the educational and career opportunities they deserve, with the workplaces in our city that need them.

Our approach: ELATT’s 4-step Learning Model for personal development combines classroom training, real world learning and one-to-one support:

Grounded – in the skills required to live an independent and fulfilling life in the modern age.

Skilled – in practical and in-demand digital and education professions.

Involved – in community through volunteering, community action or simply building supportive learning communities.

Ready – for their next step into work, further study or community involvement

Our community: Our 16+ Sixth Form supports 100+ young people each year who have not thrived in school, have dropped out or been excluded, as well as supporting students transferring from special schools to independence. 50% of our typical Sixth Form intake have EHCPs and most ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students are unaccompanied asylum seekers and refugees. We accept new enrolments throughout the academic year to ensure all young people can access the education they are entitled to. We adapt services and raise aspiration and skills amongst this incredibly diverse group through a range of highly responsive specialist support programmes and partnerships.

Daniel* arrived at ELATT with no qualifications, high needs and severe mental health issues. In the time he was with ELATT, he passed GCSE English, Functional Skills Maths and gained an Advanced Level 3 qualification in ICT which has led to an offer to study for a Foundation Degree in Archaeology and History at Birkbeck University.

*name changed for reasons of confidentiality

Our large Life Skills (ESOL, English) department offers courses to 700+ students each year who would struggle to access provision elsewhere. This includes courses based in hotels in Hackney and Tower Hamlets which currently house asylum seekers. Many of our students have young children and other dependents, and so we tailor provision so that parents have the option to attend online or at centres providing childcare. Additional fundraising in the charity sector enables us to cover these costs and ensure our programmes are accessible, high quality and personalised.

Dilek, a physical education teacher from Turkey, arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker and attended English classes through our New Roots programme. She progressed to our Teaching Assistant course and volunteered at ELATT as a teaching assistant supporting lower-level English learners. Dilek is now safely settled in London and working in a primary school.

Our Adult Vocational (Digital Skills, IT) provision supports 300+ students per year, of which 20% declare a disability or learning need. For many students, ELATT, with its comprehensive programme of wellbeing, financial and educational support, is where they go when they feel that other doors are closed to them.

Brunilda, a young refugee from Albania, started on an ESOL course and quickly progressed to Web Design and Development. Brunilda completed a Level 2 qualification in IT and volunteered for us both as a teaching assistant and in the admin department. She is now working in the tech industry as an Apprentice Programmer.

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