How We Work

We are passionate about our children’s educational success and teaching them about heir mother tongue. We believe that promoting a positive Albanian identity and teaching our children the Albanian language will not only build their self-esteem and confidence, but that it will also improve their relationship with their own family and community.

We believe that parent’s play a key role in the education and progress of their children so we use a range of proven methods to engage parents in their children’s learning there mother tongue. We also work in partnership with mainstream school partners in two London boroughs: Enfield, Haringey and Barnet and are hoping in future collaboration with many other primary schools within these boroughs.

What we provide

We arrange and provide weekly Albanian language classes in several areas of North London mainly teaching to Albanian-speaking children (children are divided in age groups).

• Within language classes special time is dedicated to the Albanian History lessons.
• We arrange and provide weekly Albanian traditional dance lessons teaching children of particular ages different dances from all Albanian regions.
• To develop IT skills children are also encouraged using computers within language classes- this is assessed as a part of their learning programme.
• We hold a series of workshops for children and parents in order to develop leadership skills and help them grow to be mature British Citizens. Setting your goals and priorities, importance of work, who is my community, why do I matter, and how to contribute are some of the themes of these workshops.
• Albanian speaking children take part in leisure activities and provide opportunities for respite from responsibility for family members.
• We provide opportunities for Albanian speaking children to meet with other youngsters within their community and wider community.
• We work to reduce the stigma and enable young Albanian speakers to develop a sense of identity and feel proud of cultural and heritage with class discussions and other activities.
• We help the children make their voice heard by arranging class discussions concerning several issues that concern children.
• We promote role models through different events and awards such as end of term or end of year recognition ceremonies.
• We enable them to undertake take the leadership roles by organizing role-play activities.
• We prevent young people from engaging in antisocial behavior through in class activities, talks with parents’ and group discussions

Other services include

• Training to support teachers’ continuing professional development on how to work with Albanian-speaking pupils and parents
• Advice and guidance on accessing rights and entitlements including welfare benefit and education opportunities
• Free interpreting and translation services, for members of the Albanian community with limited English skills.
• We raise issues that affect members of Albanian community to Local Authority such housing and schooling etc.
• We organize health promotion events and sessions for members, raising awareness of healthy eating and activities
• We organize sessions for both children and parents raising awareness and advising of internet dangers
• Achievements events are organized at the end of each term were the teachers hand out and reward children with certificates and medals for their classroom efforts in their learning.
• Through out the year we organize lots of cultural events such as The Albanian National Flag day, Mothers day, End of School Year etc where children, parents and other community members participate for a get together celebration.

Supporting parental engagement

Nene Tereza’s parental engagement programme aims to:

• Increase parent’s knowledge and understanding of their children’s experiences in the UK – especially in relation to education by holding several meetings with parents
• Develop the confidence of Albanian speaking parents – through training and volunteering programmes
• Providing dedicated parenting programmes to increase parental communication skills and access to resources
• Raise awareness of the needs and experiences of Albanian speaking parents among mainstream providers.

Recognition

Nene Tereza’s unique approach to supplementary schooling and family support for families with children and young people places parents alongside their children at the heart of our work. As we develop the confidence and self esteem of children and young people so we support and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents. Our dual approach has been positively evaluated (see reports below) and is seen as a pioneering and a model for other refugee communities. We are delighted to be sharing our empowering way forward with other communities such as Arabic, Somali, Chinese, Polish, Turkish/Kurdish and Greek parents and children. We also collaborate closely with Haringey, Enfield and Barnet education departments and in process we have gained many achievement certificates for our voluntary services provided to the Albanian community.

Children and young people are the future of the Albanian community in the UK, and that is the slogan of the Nene Tereza Organisation. As they learn to feel pride and a sense of ownership of their dual heritage as Albanian young people growing up in the UK so we learn to celebrate and build on the future of the Albanian community in this country. Children and young people are actively involved in agreeing the values and directions to inform Nene Tereza’s work with young people.