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MIRA works to expand access to high-quality ESOL through legistlative advocacy, programming, and our leadership role in the English Works Campaign.
For more information, please contact Claudia Green at cgreen@miracoalition.org.
![]() The English Works
Campaign (as highlighted in the Boston Globe) is a unique coalition of immigrant community leaders, labor unions,
business and civic leaders, educators, and advocates across Massachusetts working toward a Commonwealth that provides all residents with a pathway to economic
self-sufficiency; ensures a stable, skilled workforce for Massachusetts
businesses today and in the future; and integrates immigrants into the fabric
of our economy, communities and shared civic life. English Works
recognizes the key role and contributions of immigrants to the Commonwealth.
The campaign targets English proficiency as a critical tool for achieving
economic success for immigrants and an essential ingredient to the growth and
flexibility of our rapidly changing economy. The English Works Campaign calls upon business,
labor, community and government leaders to dedicate the needed public and
private resources to ESOL programming. English Works Campaign MaterialsFor a General Overview of the Campaign: For Businesses Interested in Providing ESOL for Employees: To Become an Endorser of the English Works Campaign: English Works Campaign Endorsement Form ESOL Fact Sheets:
English Works Profiles in SuccessThe English Works Profiles in Success series highlights successful workplace ESOL programs across the Commonwealth.
English Works in the NewsMayor, English Works Campaign Award 11 Businesses, Labor Management Partnerships for Support of English language classes for Immigrant Workforce
2/25/2009
- Boston - On February 18th, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the English Works Campaign awarded the first 'City of Boston/ English Works Campaign Certificate of Recognition' to 11 unique local businesses and labor management partnerships for their support of English language classes for immigrants in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Other key labor, community, and educational partners were also recognized. The press conference was covered by media across the state, including Univision. Click above to access links and attached press release.
English Works, JVS, and Citizens Bank Event Listed in Boston Herald's Business Outlook
7/ 7/2008
- Click above to access the July 7, 2008 Boston Herald's "The Outlook," which lists the English Works, JVS, and Citizens Bank forum on "Investing in the Massachusetts Immigrant Workforce" among weekly business events to attend.
English Works Leadership CircleThe English Works Leadership Circle includes high-profile and influential business, labor, civic and community leaders who speak to members of the media, elected officials, and other opinion leaders about their experience and core belief in the efficacy of workplace and other ESOL programs. They are a strong voice advocating for ESOL with their peers.
Mayor, City of Boston
President & CEO, Legal Sea Foods
Carline Desire Executive Director, Association of Haitian Women
Mike Fadel Executive Vice President, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East President, The Boston Foundation
President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Warren Pepicelli International Vice President, UNITE HERE! New England Joint Board
Executive Director, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Rocio Saenz President, SEIU615
Juan Vega Executive Director, Centro Latino de Chelsea
Ellen Zane President & CEO, Tufts Medical Center
(List of Leaders Expanding)
English Works Campaign CommitteeThe English Works Campaign Committee comprises a broad network of community leaders, labor unions, business and civic leaders, educators, and advocates across Massachusetts. 1199SEIU United
Healthcare Workers East Asian American
Civic Association Boston Centers
for Youth and Families Boston
Education, Skills, and Training Corporation Cambridge
Community Foundation Catholic Charities - El Centro del Cardenal La Communidad,
Inc. Dominican
Development Center Dorchester
Nazarene Compassionate Center, Inc. Federated
Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. Governor’s
Advisory Council on Immigrants and Refugees International
Institute of Boston Jamaica Plain
Community Centers, Inc. MA Alliance for
Adult Literacy MA Coalition for
Adult Education MA Convention
Center Authority MA Worker
Education Roundtable MA Workforce
Board Association Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council Literacy Works
Project of Hampden County St. Mark’s
Community Education Program
Worker Education Program, Inc.
English Works Certificate of RecognitionNominate for the English Works Certificate of Recognition The City ofCertificates will be award to private, public and non-profit employers and joint labor-management programs. Other key labor, community, and educational organizations who, in partnership with awardees, have demonstrated leadership in the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services will also be awarded. The certificate will recognize the valuable contributions and efforts by businesses and labor-management partnerships to make employees, members, customers, and industry peers aware of their leadership, good civic and corporate citizenship, as demonstrated by their commitment to the immigrant workforce and related successful business practices. All awards will be presented by Mayor Menino or his designee and announced publicly. Nominations for the award are being accepted now by the English Works Campaign Steering Committee. The nomination deadline isDownload the English Works Certificate of Recognition Nomination Form here.![]() |
MA Workforce Board Recommends Changes to ABE/ESOL SystemThe English Works Campaign is pleased to share that on September 10th the MA Workforce Investment Board’s Sub-Committee on Adult Basic Education/English for Speakers of Other Languages presented a report to Governor Patrick, recommending significant changes to the Commonwealth’s ABE/ESOL system. The full MWIB, which is the Governor's key workforce policy advisor, voted to support the recommendations, including the establishment of a dedicated fund for workplace ABE and ESOL. The Governor has already approved the creation of a coordinating body with state-level policy-making authority to undertake the tasks laid out in the report. Other recommendations are to increase provider capacity and improve linkages to post-secondary education, training and employment. When implemented, these changes stand to open significant new opportunities to immigrants in the labor force who are in need of English language classes. To see the full report, click here. Rep. Honda Introduces Immigrant Integration Bill
EventsAction Alerts and UpdatesESOL in the NewsOne Workforce - Many Languages
1/ 6/2009
- Article in HR Magazine's January 2009 issue highlights the increase in workplace English programs across the country.
College-Educated Immigrants Underemployed
10/24/2008
- A recent Boston Globe article highlighted the struggle of college-educated immigrants from Africa and Latin America. Click above for a link to the story.
ESOL in the News (Continued)
PublicationsReports and publications related to ESOL and ABE. Invest in English, invest in the futureAs published in Metro Boston By Thomas Keown Nothing stands taller in the list of factors governing an individual's succes in this country than the ability to speak the English language. That ability opens doors, climbs stairs, scales buildings and a host more metaphors that wouldn't otherwise be possible. So highly does the federal government regard English proficiency that is is a prerequisite for obtaining U.S. citizenship. So importantly does Congress view it that it has been a requirement in every comprehensive immigration reform bill produced in the last two years. So relevant does the state of Massachusetts consider it that on April 12 our House budget reduced funding for adult English classes. Quite a short-sighted move in a state populated by immigrants from a hundred nations and where one in four Boston residents is foreign-born. Typically, you want to maximize your return on what resources you possess. Well, since 2000 the Massachusetts labor force has grown by just 1 percent. Without immigration, it would have shrunk. As people leave high rents and low temperatures in search of the opposite, newcomers eager to work are the most precious resource we have. Our economy depends on them. We should be wooing them, nurturing them, enticing them to stay here, work here, buy houses here and start businesses here. But there are almost 20,000 adults on waiting lists for English classes in Boston alone. Waits of six months to two years are common. The Irish Immigration Center started offering classes last year because, well, because nearly 20,000 adults that Massachusetts needs to be as productive as possible were waiting for them. Not every immigrant is going to learn English and become governor of California. But every enhanced contribution improves our state. Immigrants who speak only English at home earn 2.5 times more than immigrants who don't - so they also pay more taxes. Mothers enrolled in ESOL classes spend more time talking with their kids about school and about doing homework and meeting with teachers than those who aren't. This is not only about this generation; it knocks on to the next. State Reps. Daniel Bosley and Denise Provost have filed amendments to increase the budget for Adult Basic Education (ABE) - Bosley to restore it to last year's level and Provost to increase it by $7.5 million to $40 million. Helping newcomers learn English is a small investment in a high-yield product. These amendments should be supported. Clearing language barriersAs published in the Boston Globe October 3, 2006 EDGARD SANDOVAL, Lenita Farias, and Juan Ortiz -- all of whom work at the Massachusetts Convention Center -- are the new face of Boston. It is these workers, and 89,000 other immigrant Bostonians in our city's labor force, who carry out the essential jobs that make Boston and its businesses work. Employers in Greater Boston can support future success for new residents and businesses alike by ensuring that everyone who lives in the area has a shot at a good job. Boston must call on its rich history -- and the experiences of generations of immigrants -- to provide the basic skills that workers need. The most crucial skill is English. For all the controversy over immigration, at both the federal and state level, there's been too little attention paid to teaching the language to the thousands of non-English speakers who are working in all sectors of Boston's economy. Employers can play a vital role. Communication in the workplace is critical to any company's success. Add a language barrier, and fundamental workplace communication becomes more difficult. As hospitality, healthcare, financial services, and other industries become more and more dependent on new immigrants to staff positions, English for Speakers of Other Languages programs are no longer a goodwill or humanitarian gesture. They are a business necessity. Since 2005, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority has partnered with its workers and their union to provide English classes. Employees attend class for two hours a week -- half on work time and half on their own time. They learn basic grammar rules and build their vocabulary. Employees have gained confidence in their English, which allows them to work with colleagues more effectively and, in turn, help guests more efficiently. English classes won't just make businesses stronger. They will also strengthen the families of our employees and union members. Far from not wanting to learn English, our immigrant employees want these opportunities and the time to take classes. Improving their English skills improves their children's prospects in school and boosts their family income. And, learning English is a key step toward US citizenship -- and toward the civic engagement that makes Boston a better place for all. Thousands of other immigrants in Boston are also enrolled in English classes operated by community-, faith-, and labor-based organizations, many of them funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education and English for New Bostonians initiative. Across the city, in church basements, community rooms, and school buildings, adults are learning English. Dedicated teachers provide everything from ``survival English" to higher-level, media-assisted, and job-related English. Regardless of the industry, human capital is a precious asset. People need to come to work feeling good, positive, and glad to be there. Employers have long complained that the challenge of embarking on an English-education program is dealing with the high degree of employee turnover. As with all training programs, there is a risk to employers who invest in employees' language skills, only to see them move on a short time later. But there are solutions. A living-wage job with training and education is a job with a future and a job to stay in. An industrywide local or regional training program -- for tourism or healthcare workers, for instance -- can help create a career path for these employees at a lower cost to individual employers. Boston has an opportunity to create a model for the nation with such a program. Now more than ever, the success of the region's businesses and civic institutions depends on immigrants. Foundations, corporations, unions, universities, and others must step up to support programs, innovation, and public policy that fosters the skills to guarantee our collective wealth. James E. Rooney is the executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Rocio Saenz is president of Service Employees International Union Local 615. |
English for New BostoniansEnglish for New Bostonians (ENB) is a public-private-community solution initiated by the Mayor's Office of New Bostonians and committed to expanding the city's long-term capacity to meet the demand for English classes. ENB Fact Sheet: Investing in the Next Generation ENB Fact Sheet: A Catalyst for Access to Good Jobs
ENB Phase 2 EvaluationEnglish for New Bostonians (ENB) Phase II Evaluationby Liz O'Connor of Strategy Matters, Inc. ENB Phase II Evaluation Report ENB Portraits of SuccessThe English for New Bostonians Portraits of Success series highlights the achievements of students that are using English to live up to their portential, and the programs that help them do so.
English For New Bostonians ProgramsABCD, Southside HeadStart ESOL Program Asian American Civic Association Boston Educational and Skills Training, Corp. Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center Catholic Charities/El Centro del Cardenal Catholic Charities/Haitian Multi-Service Center East Boston Ecumenical Community Council Education and Training YMCA International Learning Center Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses and Higher Education Resource Center International Institute of Boston Jackson Mann Jamaica Plain Community Center Adult Learning Program Neighborhood of Affordable Housing Saint Marks Community Education Program Thomas Gardner Extended Services School English for New Bostonians SupportersCity of Boston Neighborhood Jobs Trust Frank W. and Carl S. Adams Memorial Fund (Bank of America Charitable Trusts) The Boston Foundation The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation Citizens Charitable Foundation The Clowes Fund Hyams Foundation Liberty Mutual Foundation The McGrath Family/Highland Street Foundation State Street Foundation UNICCO Services Company Verizon Foundation Anonymous Donor Walter and Alice Abrams Family Fund |
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