From Forced Migration to Royal Recognition
Ahmad is standing face-to-face talking with Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
He’s one of City Lit Deaf learners. A refugee, he fled Iran for his safety, ensuring not only his own safe passage, but that of a group of Deaf women. He reached the UK in 2023. Three years later he’s stood in front of a member of the Royal Family.
He told her his story, as well as his goal of one day being an electrician and his hobby of wrestling. He also shared how much City Lit had helped him. It’s where he first learned BSL, met a community of like-minded people and eventually learned English.
This was not the only story told to royalty that afternoon. The event, hosted by Learning and Work Institute, brought together many adult education learners. Students got the chance to share their learning journeys, and their experiences of developing essential skills. The biggest takeaway was the difference it has made to their lives and careers.
City Lit Principal Mark Malcomson was at the event. He said, “Meeting Her Royal Highness today was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our Centre for Deaf Education. Students and colleagues shared how learning British Sign Language and English opens up many opportunities to work and establish a community.”
Inclusive education is vital for ensuring that every adult has the chance to thrive.
Much-Needed Change for Essential Skills
Her Royal Highness is well aware of the transformative power of adult education. She is a strong advocate of making sure every adult has the skills needed for life and work. She received a Centenary Fellowship from City Lit in 2019 for this support.
Speaking back then, she said: “If education can be defined as ‘training for life’, then lifelong learning and its ability to unlock potential throughout people’s lives should be accepted as part of life.”
Today, this statement rings as true as ever. According to Learning and Work Institute, almost nine million working-age adults in England have low literacy or numeracy. The number of adults improving these skills has fallen by two thirds over the past decade.
It’s why events – like the one hosted with The Princess Royal – are so important. It helps in elevating adult education to a national priority. City Lit is proud that both its hearing and Deaf students are at the forefront of enacting this change.
Pursuing Accessibility on a National Level
Ahmad and other students meeting The Princess Royal is not something that happened in isolation. For over a century, City Lit has opened the doors of education to people from every walk of life. Deaf refugees, like Ahmad, are welcome like everyone else - and even take part in events with some of City Lit's valued partners.
The learning environment is one where Deaf culture and language are actively encouraged. Essential skills like English, maths and digital confidence are accessible to all learners.
At City Lit, all British Sign Language classes are taught by Deaf tutors. This Deaf-led approach creates a culture where learners’ experiences are recognised. It helps remove the barrier to learning and skills. The commitment to accessibility is something City Lit are trying to push outside of the classroom.
Recently, Head of the Centre for Deaf Education Mark Hopkinson addressed sector leaders at an Association of Colleges event. Presenting in BSL, Mark placed Deaf communication at the centre of a national conversation around adult education. Interpreters supported the session, and the fully hearing audience took part in signing basic greetings and phrases.
Asking national education leaders to experience Deaf communication for themselves offered a rare reversal of the usual experience. Rather than Deaf people adapting to hearing spaces, hearing leaders stepped into a Deaf-led learning environment.
That shift in perspective matters. It reflects the real impact of accessible learning on people’s lives. A Deaf refugee confidently sharing his ambitions with The Princess Royal, or an adult learner overcoming a long-held fear of maths, shows what becomes possible when access comes first.
By championing Deaf-led education and inclusive teaching, City Lit is showing how essential skills can change lives and shape national thinking on adult learning.
Learn Skills for Life at City Lit
Whether you are Deaf, hard-of-hearing or hearing, at City Lit you can learn the essential skills for life and work.
