Exploring Liverpool and the Wirral: Building Confidence Through Travel with ESOL into Work
For many refugees and asylum seekers, navigating public transport in a new country can be overwhelming.
As part of Transform Lives Company’s ESOL into Work programme, we organised a travel training day to help participants gain confidence, independence, and local knowledge. Starting at Liverpool Central Station, we journeyed “over the water” via the Wirral Line to New Brighton - a popular commuter route and a great opportunity to explore job prospects across the region.
Following on from our classroom-based session around water safety we stopped off at the lifeboat station to add extra depth to our learning. The group was really surprised to discover everyone of the crew volunteered. They enjoyed having a good look at the lifeboat and learning more about the service the RNLI provide.
One of the group brought some lovely Ukrainian treats to share with the crew, including some home-made desserts. We sat in the crew room and shared them with the volunteers. They went down a treat with the crew!
Then, it was time to roll our sleeves up and get stuck into some beach cleaning. The PPE was provided by CleanEvent – who are continuing to support our projects. The group were off and filling their bags with as much rubbish as they could find, whilst enjoying being on the beach in the sunshine and the lovely views of Liverpool. We LOVE this action shot!
After all that hard work, it was time for a reward and chilling out in the sunshine with an ice cream. It was lovely to have our TLC ambassador, Adele with us who has been supporting the group. She was on hand to take some fantastic photos.
We had a brilliant day with the group saying it was ‘fabulous’ and ‘a day I’ll remember forever.’
Days like this are so important to our project as not only does it build confidence and independence but there is something very special about seeing a young lad from Ukraine and a young lad from Iran messing about on the beach, laughing and having fun. We can’t change the past for our participants but what we can do is create some positive experiences from their time with us. Everyone needs a bit of TLC.
Our course leader Bev said 'I am so proud to work on this project, I learn just as much from them as hopefully they do from me.'
Want to support our work or learn more about ESOL into Work?
Get in touch with Transform Lives Company to find out how you can get involved, volunteer, or refer someone to the programme. Together, we’re building brighter futures - one journey at a time. Email