When a migrant arrives to a country with a different language, the barriers they face multiply. Basic and fundamental tasks such as grocery shopping, attending a doctors appointment, talking to their childrens' teachers or registering for public services become great obstacles to navigate. Directly or indirectly, all of these activities are related to basic human rights, threatened by the inability to communicate in the local language.

Birmingham has an existing migrant and refugee population of circa 250,000; of which a great majority does not have English as their mother tongue. Birmingham City Council through Birmingham Adult Social Care are aware of this situation and offers migrants the possibility of receiving free English training courses. Migrants can develop their language skills in order to facilitate the integration of migrants in the city.

However, for migrants who do not speak any English (beginners/pre-entry level), enrolment on a course is a burden in itself. Firstly, they cannot understand the information on the website or any flyer or poster, so they do not know if they are entitled to free education. It is only through relatives and other members of the community that they hear and eventually get supported to enrol on the course/s. Then, the registration process includes either a call – that they are afraid to have as they do not understand what is said and if they are missing important information – or a visit to the centre, where they have to go through an assessment process. At the centre, they need to complete the registration by filling up a form with some personal details and do an assessment task in English. Providing your name, your age or your address in a questionnaire may not sound burdensome to most of us, but when you cannot even read and understand what you need respond to, the whole situation becomes an enigma impossible to approach individually. As a result, a large number of migrants do not join the courses.

Your challenge

It is not uncommon to find migrants that, many years after their arrival, are still unable to speak English. Everytime they do an errand, visit their GPs or apply for a certificate, they lack the confidence and skills to do it by themselves, having to depend on someone from their community to steer them through the process. Therefore, create a technological solution which will allow migrants (who speak little or no English) to equip them prior to attending the language centre for the registration and assessment to be able to know and recognise key words/sentences that will give them assurance to ask questions with confidence and independence.

More information on the website.

Hackathon format - The hackathon will take place via MS Teams.

First day: Thursday, December 2nd, 8:45-16:30 GMT

The teams will be introduced to the topic, the easyRights technical solutions, and will start working on their ideas. Mentors will be on hand to support teams.

Second Day: Friday, December 3rd, 8:45-16:30

Teams will work on their prototypes. Mentors will be on hand to support teams.

Third Day : Saturday, December 4th, 8:45- 16:00

Teams will work on their pitch and polish their prototype. They will upload their final videos for the live show. The Jury will come to a decision, followed by the closing ceremony and final awards. Mentors will be on hand to support teams.