ESOL brings Colleges together for second annual football tournament
The College was proud to host the second annual ESOL College Cup at Marine Drive recently, bringing together over 100 staff and students from ESOL courses all around Scotland for a day of football and camaraderie.
Put together by the various College Active Campus Coordinators, the event saw participants from the following Colleges facing off against each other in a day-long football tournament:
· Edinburgh College
· Glasgow Kelvin College
· West College Scotland
· Glasgow Clyde College
· Dundee and Angus College
· UHI Perth
· New College Lanarkshire
· Forth Valley College
With double the amount of Colleges taking part compared to last year, the event is proving a popular way to bring institutions together to share ideas, and promote the positive impact of ESOL in communities.
It was Dundee & Angus College that ultimately came out on top, on their first time attending and engaging with the project group, while fellow first-timers UHI Perth came in second. There was a medal for Edinburgh College, with Mustafa Ibrahim Abdullah scooping up the Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award.
As well as giving students a chance to show off their sporting prowess, it also allowed them to practice their English-language skills in a new and natural environment with their peers. The event was greatly enjoyed by the ESOL staff in attendance too, who said it was wonderful to see their students in a different light, enjoying a day of sport and being able to leave some of their troubles at the door for at least a little while.
Xsara Murray, Edinburgh College’s Active Campus Coordinator, said it was a very successful day for all involved:
“These events are not about sport, the sport is just what we use to create opportunity, connection and a support system for some of the students who need it most. Many of those in attendance are New Scots who have been separated from their friends since arriving in the country, and the tournament brings them together and gives them a chance to share their experience with others who know what they’re going through. All of the Active Campus Coordinators are so passionate about these projects, and we hope to see even more Colleges get involved in future.”