Newcastle University Students Union - N.E.S.T

North East Solidarity and Teaching (N.E.S.T) are a student-led volunteer project within Newcastle University's Students Union, with the sole aim of fostering integration and empowering Refugees and Asylum-seekers in the North East through education.

N.E.S.T runs English classes for sanctuary-seeking adults five days a week, at five different levels of fluency, both on campus and online. These classes follow a curriculum which both reinforces service-users' College ESOL learning, as well as fosters opportunities for more informal and conversational development, equipping sanctuary-seekers with the vocabulary and confidence to achieve their personal goals - whether that be work, academics or family-related etc.

The N.E.S.T Community Project then runs alongside this, offering rounded support to the whole family, with our GCSE homework club for teenagers, a range of sport and activity clubs for all ages, and seasonal opportunities.

Thus we are now beginning our fundraising efforts, in preparation for the new academic year at N.E.S.T - October 2025 to May 2026. In the 2024/25 year we have pushed the boundaries of what we thought possible for our sanctuary-seeking community, and so we have big dreams for what we can achieve in this new year - but we need your support to make this happen!

Donations make a huge difference in the wraparound support we can offer - From our Winter Appeal, in which we source and donate suitable clothing for the North East Weather conditions, including appropriate school wear for children; to the holiday programmes we can offer during half-terms and the summer break, ensuring that every child has access to a balanced meal and doesn't miss out on key learning; to supplementary resources for our curriculum which can be used both inside and outside of the classroom to enhance the standard of learning.

For more information check out our LinkTree and follow our Instagram to stay up to date with our work