How a local organization is helping Ukrainian refugees learn English

Finding a job, booking an appointment, or asking for help at the grocery store are among the reasons Ukrainian refugees settling in Manitoba want to learn English.

“I want to learn English to find work,” Daria Borshch told CTV News.

Borshch and her husband arrived from Kharkiv in October last year.

She said tackling the English language over the past three months has been challenging.

“Hard experience, I would say. It was very hard for me and my family.”

On Monday, Borshch attended her first English language class at Oseredok –- Winnipeg’s Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre.

“Today we learned the alphabet, and we learned family members.”

Oseredok is providing a free 10-week English language course for newcomers. It focuses on basic conversational English.

"First of all, to overcome this barrier of speaking because this is a tool they need to find a job, go to the store, or do anything daily,” Oseredok’s executive director Yulia Zmerzla told CTV News.

The adult students are in the classroom for three hours a day from Monday to Friday. At the end of the 10 weeks, they will receive a certificate from Oseredok for successfully completing the program.

Zmerzla notes that it is not a government accredited diploma, but confirms to potential employers the students can speak, read, and write in English.

“They can show it as a reference when they look for a job,” Zmerzla explained.

This is the third time Oseredok has offered the English classes - the first two sessions were in summer and fall. Zmerzla said the need for more classes, more timeslots, and more seats is astronomical. Oseredok’s classroom only has space for 36 students.

“Demand is huge,” Zmerzla said. “The first day we advertised the course, it was 170 [applicants]. And besides the registration, they have people writing emails, calling, coming to the door, ‘please take me.’”

She said the waiting list has since grown to 320 people. To meet the demand, Oseredok is working to convert the centre’s basement into a second classroom.

“Hopefully will allow to have more people engaged in the classes and to provide more classes."

Oseredok is raising money to renovate the space through its ‘Stand With Ukraine’ initiative. On Sunday, the organization raised money for the classroom program at its annual Festival of Carols.

Zmerzla said she expects the basement classroom will be open by summer.