ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for Employability is a programme of grant-funded providers supporting clients in Edinburgh with employability.
A total of six projects began delivering support in October 2025 as part of a six-month pilot. These same six have now been successfully funded for 2026-27 offering ESOL across the city until March 2027.
These projects wrap around the larger, contracted provision and are funded by City of Edinburgh Council via the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind strategy. More details on each service can be found below.
Community Renewal’s Next Step ESOL for Employment offers New Scots either an ESOL Beginner class or an Intermediate level class once per week. Classes will not exceed 15 people for one teacher and the course runs for five months (twice per year).
Community integration forms a key part of the Next Step ESOL offer, with students immersing in community groups, and progression is actively managed through a tailored plan.
Beginners focus exclusively on foundational English and confidence-building through Community Learning and Development style provision, helping everyone to navigate local systems and access community resources safely before engaging in employability-focused activity.
Intermediate learners progress to work-focused English, preparing each individual for sustainable employment aligned to their individual aspirations.
Each participant has their own Employability Caseworker to help prioritise and address barriers including language, digital skills, welfare, housing, and integration into the community. Volunteering opportunities are provided to embed new learnings as well as build practical skills and social networks.
Fresh Start’s ESOL Provision programme delivers free English classes at three levels (zero English, Beginner, Intermediate) to New Scots and refugees living in the North West of Edinburgh. The delivery model blends formal tuition (classes of twelve) with community-based, experiential learning and includes tailored employability support and volunteering.
Learners will develop confidence, improve their language and work-ready skills with access to volunteering roles across Fresh Start’s Pantry, gardens, kitchen, or warehouse to further support gaining employability skills.
Furthermore, the programme focuses on reducing feelings of social isolation, particularly among women with young children, through peer mentoring and community outings and all learners will access Fresh Start’s wraparound services such as housing and benefits advocacy and affordable food.
One-to-one support to explore further education, training, or work readiness will lead to onward referral to existing training partners.
LINKnet’s English for Specific Purposes (ESP) project offers English classes at Intermediate to Advanced level with the aim of equipping learners with the language skills needed to secure and sustain employment. The specific focus is on the fields of care, social care, retail, admin and hospitality.
Learners will improve their vocabulary in relation to job applications and CV terminology, interview jargon, labour market culture and language skills related to the sectors mentioned above.
Intermediate and Advanced English language classes will run online twice a week with maximum 15 participants in each class, and these will be supported by a speaking club (conversational cafe) each week for 90 minutes.
The Centre for Open Learning at the University of Edinburgh is offering progressive semi-intensive English language courses for New Scots:
Each course lasts ten weeks and learners will meet twice a week in the mornings for two hours at the University’s Holyrood Campus in the centre of Edinburgh. Beginners will commence by learning to introduce themselves and ask basic questions, talk about everyday activities like shopping, work, hobbies and interests, health and wellbeing.
Learners will be provided with the course book and develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through a variety of learning activities in class and at home on our online learning platform. Learners will also explore the local area, participate in guided tours and visit cultural institutions such as the Scottish Parliament.
Upon completion of English Beginners and post-Beginners, learners will achieve the equivalent of A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). At this point, individuals will be ready to join ESOL classes offered by other providers across the city.
The Skills, Training & Education Progressions [STEP] project, delivered by The Welcoming Association, supports New Scots in Edinburgh in taking confident strides towards a brighter future by offering learners the skills of digital literacy and professional writing in English. Furthermore, the project will support a direct pathway into Further Education and link participants to additional learning and development.
Delivery is through three distinct workshops, the first is for two days to support New Scots to register for ESOL courses at Edinburgh College. The second is a three-day English writing workshop for learners who are seeking tailored support for writing cover letters and/or personal statements. The third is a six-day basic digital skills course for participants who wish to improve their digital literacy skills, in English, and offers a focus on roles within the technology sector.
Following completion of one or more of the workshops, the STEP project workers will support participants with their onward transitions into education at college, further digital skills development with partner providers, and/ or into sustainable employment.
The Skills for Success! project supports individuals to move into sustainable work through improving their English proficiency (ESOL) as well as developing essential workplace skills, such as teamwork, confidence in communicating and interview techniques. The course supports learners to obtain valuable transferable skills and build cultural awareness relating to the world of work.
Skills for Success! is a 10-week course that will run four times throughout 2026-27, supporting ten learners in each cohort. The programme will be tailored to each learner’s specific needs, with one-to-one support offered to address knowledge gaps and accelerate learning in a customised way, such as interview preparation or job applications.
This project is aimed at New Scots who are keen to progress and are seeking job opportunities or looking for access to sector-specific training, and support will be offered to achieve this throughout and beyond the duration of the course.
Learners will already have a minimum English level of ‘post beginner’ and by the end of the ten-week course will gain an accredited qualification in English language.
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