Community Spirit, Community Power: The Power of Education

In November 2023 we held an event at The Glasshouse, Gateshead, called ‘Community Spirit, Community Power’. Members of the GCB team gave speeches about their experiences, their work and their ideas. These blog posts are drawn from those speeches…

Discussions at our ‘Community Spirit: Community Power’ event.

From speech by Hakan Akarli:

It's common knowledge that humanity has certain fundamental problems    ignorance, poverty, separation. I want to focus on the most pressing of these issues  - education.  According to many sociologists and psychologists, the first pitfall of humanity is lack of education. Education, in the natural flow of life, should start from early ages and proceed without interruption. With regular support and motivation, from someone's help or self-motivation, it becomes a field where success can be achieved.

Academic education doesn't like surprises; it has a process, plan, and programme. Even the slightest disruption can lead to significant issues in the future. That's why educators mobilise all means to ensure these plans are uninterrupted. education stands firm and succeeds only with the active participation of parents, teachers, schools, fellow students and society as a whole. I remind you of these because I want you to imagine education with their absence.

People who have sought asylum in this country didn't plan their journey like a trip or vacation. This unplanned move often results in significant gaps in their children's education. Parents who prioritise the safety of their children and themselves, unfortunately, have not always been able to support their children's education due to the fact they get preoccupied by the asylum process. Imagine the children who carry not only their own challenges but also the weight of the life that their parents had to face, the same barriers. In this situation how can parents provide support? How can children concentrate on their education? It's very difficult...

Even after getting involved in the UK education system, everything doesn't get solved instantly. Overcoming language barriers and adapting to a new culture, education system, environment and school takes time. Also, making new friends is especially difficult with these barriers in play. But every cloud has a silver lining. There is a saying in Turkey “If you have sugar, flour, and oil, you should make halva”. Waiting for others to act is the easy path, but sometimes taking action is the only solution. If you feel you can't contribute to society directly, at least start by solving your own problems to the best of your ability.

This is the reason why and how our Saturday school came into existence. It all began about 5 years ago at the home of an asylum seeker, where my friend, also a maths teacher, decided to teach a few children maths lessons once a week. Over time, more and more children joined. The existence of the Saturday School is anchored in three main factors: Understanding the need, having the ability to meet it, and having passion and dedication to see it through. Saturday School is more than just an educational institution; It's a beacon of hope, offering teachers the chance to guide the next generation, parents see a brighter future for their children, and students get an opportunity to grow and achieve.

I want to tell you about Esra, a student who came here as a refugee with her family. When she was about 12 or 13 she had a hard time getting used to a new country. She found it tough to understand the language, keep up in class, and make new friends while missing her old ones. Her parents often heard about her struggles at school – falling asleep in class, fighting, and hurting herself, which often resulted in her having to stay behind for detention once a week. But things started to change when she regularly attended Saturday School. The teachers and friends there really helped her. They supported her in subjects like maths, biology, and chemistry, and got her ready for university. Now, Esra is helping others in her community. She works with the Literacy Trust to give out books and help kids learn to love reading. Her story shows us how helping each other can really change lives and encourage others to do good things.

We provide a small support to the regular education conducted in schools This motivates these children and has a positive impact on their lessons and behaviour. They see that they are not alone, and many students of their age are fighting the same battles, which becomes a source of motivation for them. As our resources expand, we strive to reach more students.

I'd like to thank all our hosts – Young Women’s Outreach Project, Youth Council, Learning Skills – for believing in this project from day one. As a Community Bridgebuilder, I cannot thank our host organization, the Comfrey Project, enough for their unwavering support to me and our community.

I am also deeply grateful to my team, the Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders (GCB), for their invaluable advice and the networks they’ve provided, which have helped us reach our goals for the Saturday School project. I'm grateful for the support the GCB has given to our communities, strengthening them to serve society better.

If you buy a book for £10 and read the years of an author's experiences, that's a great opportunity. However, working with the stakeholders of the GCB project is like reading a new book every week for me; I am working with a human library, and it's completely free. And of course, a project's continuity not only requires human resources but also financial support. The GCB project has been providing this support for two years. We believe that this assistance will enable the Saturday School to stand on its own feet in a short time. Being a Community Bridgebuilder is a unique opportunity to think, collaborate, learn, and move forwar