Well done to International Projects Officer Bronagh Fikri who was named Anti-Racism Teacher of the Year at the Advancing Race Equality Awards 2024.
Now in their fourth year, the awards were established to celebrate the efforts of individuals and grassroots community groups working to tackle racism and break down barriers.
Student Frank Nwanonenyi was a shortlisted finalist in the Young leader award.
Bronagh is currently employed as NWRC's International and Projects Officer and she provides support and advice to every applicant that is deemed as international or is classified as an asylum seeker or refugee. Annually Bronagh works with hundreds of international students and teachers from across six continents, this includes those enrolling on our further education and higher education courses and those visiting the region for short study and training periods.
This year Bronagh has supported over 200 asylum seekers and refugees registering to study ESOL and Essential Skills at the College. She has over 20 years’ experience in international education, including working in Morocco for 4 years and in addition to the management of compliance for the Home Office takes an active role in providing one to one support for all students including advice and support, linking them with support services in the College such as Careers and Students Services and support and advice from curriculum staff. In addition, to ensuring that the students have appropriate support and inclusivity within the College, Bronagh also signposts to other external organisations to ensure that support is also provided for the students at home and in the communities which they reside. Bronagh designs and delivers international training and study programmes for incoming and outgoing mobility projects aimed at building global competencies, enhance cross-cultural understanding, foster networking and collaboration and promoting personal and professional growth. In their evaluations, students are often quoting the programmes as 'life changing experience'. It is also worth noting that her work attributes to the successful inclusion of all international students to the College this has resulted in one parent thanking the College for the support their daughter received during the application process but was unable to take their place due to other commitments back in Mexico. Another parent thanking Bronagh for her support in her daughter securing a Student visa from Zimbabwe, being offered the opportunity to undertake a Turing Scheme training mobility to Spain and successfully graduating from her Business course at NWRC.
Bronagh was keen to get back into the classroom, in addition to her main role at the College she is also an ESOL lecturer and feedback from students regarding support received from Bronagh is not isolated - she demonstrates exceptional care and support for her students. She ensures her classes are fun, interactive and welcoming, differentiating for the various learning needs and styles of her students; encouraging her students to develop confidence in their language abilities and providing them with English Language skills required for every day living. A further student offered their thanks to staff including Bronagh for all the support, they and other asylum seekers receive at the college, in light of the unfortunate situations asylum seekers have experienced in recent months.
Bronagh has also being an invaluable asset to all Curriculum staff in order to support them in ensuring that they provide the correct support and advice to international students and students from ethnic minorities who are on their courses.
Bronagh was instrumental in developing partnerships with external bodies to the College in order to ensure that the best support mechanisms both in the College and in the Community could be provided for our students that were international, asylum seekers or refugees. She has developed relationships with a range of relevant stakeholders such as North West Migrants Forum (NWMF), Strabane Ethnic Community Association, Foyle Friends of Ukraine, Red Cross and British Council to name a few.
Bronagh is currently leading the college's bid for College of Sanctuary status.
