My name is Rasa and I'm a Student Support Advisor and Business Recruitment Officer at ELATT. However, I actually began my ELATT journey as a student. Before coming to ELATT, I was unemployed and looking for work. I had never used a computer before, which was a huge setback for me. I popped into the Kingsland Road centre and the staff helped me understand my options and what would be best for me to study.

I studied IT for the Office from beginners to L2. My tutors were Ivo and Rita. Rita was extremely patient with all of us as we had many questions and most of the time asked to explain the task more than 2 times, it's not that we could not do it, but just making sure that we doing it right. Tutor reassurance helped us a lot.

It sounds funny now but, I was afraid to use the internet just in case I pressed the wrong button and all my personal data would be taken from my account! Even the word Google in big letters on my screen made me feel uneasy!

After completing the course I volunteered with ELATT for some time and then applied for a part time job as a Receptionist/Administrator. I have now been working for ELATT since 2007.

My job title has changed as I progressed within the company. At the moment my main job is supporting students getting on to ELATT courses - I work as a Student Support Adviser/Business Recruitment Officer. My experience from coming as a student to now helping students means I can really understand how it feels when you’re just starting out.

ELATT is one of the best places that I have studied and worked at. The staff and learners are amazing. It is wonderful to see people getting one step closer to their dream job or the dream career. I would like to keep working for ELATT as well as progressing within my job.

I would encourage anyone that needs computer skills come and study here. The staff are passionate about helping you reach your full potential and progress further. It does not matter if you feel that you tried somewhere else but did not succeed - just take one step at the time and say I can do it; I will try and do my best. All of us have to face our fears at one time or other, so please don’t give up on yourself. We are here for you, so make your efforts count.

We are now recruiting for September 2021. Take the next step in your career and join one of our free courses today.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, ELATT partnered with the Roma Support Group called Ketane to create a series of free online ESOL classes.  Important issues which are covered include; how to protect yourself and others during this coronavirus period, access to financial subsidies during this pandemic, employability and employment rights,  how to access essential services in the UK such as those provided by the local authority, the healthcare system and education among other important topics required to live a successful life in the UK. The videos are available in English/ Romanian and English/Polish and all ESOL learners across the country are welcomed to access them online free of charge 

The first of a four part video series is available here in English/Romanian and here in English/Polish

The second video is available here in English/Romanian and here in English/Polish

More on the project

Over 200 attendees join charity event with world class speakers; Dr Thomas Mensah, Judge Chantel Fortuin and Marva Rollins to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day and reflect on Black Lives Matter movement

ELATT, an award-winning training provider and charity offering Digital Skills, ESOL and other courses across London, welcomed speakers from around the globe on Friday 17th July, to join their online student celebration. The event focused on the themes of Black Lives Matter, International Justice Day (17th July) and Nelson Mandela Day (18th July).

Dr Thomas Mensah, one of the key inventors of the fibre optic technology that allows us to use the internet, joined the event from Ghana, and had attendees chanting the title of his book and mantra, “The Right Stuff Comes in Black Too! I can do anything I put my mind to!”. His story of growing up in Kumasi, Ghana, studying with scholarships in France and the USA, and being inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in 2015 left the audience uplifted. Attendees left comments in the chat including “Thank you Dr Mensah - what an inspirational journey you've had in which we are all now benefiting” and “beautiful, what an amazing morning, from pain to purpose here I come”.

A focus on education was offered by Marva Rollins OBE, who shared her journey from being a single mother of three, to becoming the first black headteacher in the London Borough of Newham. Key messages from her talk included the importance of being kind, not only to others but to ourselves with our internal voice. She also gave practical tips to ELATT’s aspiring teaching assistants. Audience feedback included “It was very inspiring to hear Marva talk about the Windrush generation and how difficult it was” and “Yours is a wonderful and inspiring story, thank you Marva, for telling it with such warmth, honesty and clarity.”

Judge Chantel Fortuin, joining the event live from South Africa, offered some real gems of knowledge, highlighting that she didn’t realise justice could be used for means other than oppression for a long time. This realisation that she could make a difference and bring justice to the working class in her community gave her purpose to work hard in her studies, leading to her become an attorney whilst also working full time and raising a family. Comments from students included, “inspirational story and speech. Thank you Judge Fortuin” and “Thank you Chantel, for such a powerful, inspiring and massively positive speech.” Her story inspired us all.

An installation of student, staff and volunteer art and media work around the theme of equality and Black Lives Matter was also presented. ELATT are donating to Irie Minds in respect of this work. You can find the installation here www.elatt.org.uk/blacklivesmatter

ELATT are planning a series of events to celebrate black leaders and achievements – if you would like to attend or get involved, please click here or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We are always happy to partner with employers to offer work placements, volunteering or mentoring – if you’d like to support our learners, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you’re interested in furthering your education and joining one of ELATT’s free training courses, check out ELATT.org.uk 

ABOUT ELATT - Over 30 years of bringing diversity into the workplace in London.

We’re an award-winning education charity, and since we started in 1984, we’ve supported hundreds of students to better their lives through employment.

Our vision is a London where everyone can flourish in their lives, no matter their age, background or circumstances. We welcome students who want to develop their skills, gain confidence and learn at any stage of their lives. Our courses include Web Design and Development, Computer Engineering, Digital Media Production, Business IT and English and maths.

Please also contact Catriona (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you would like to cover the event and find out more information.

IMAGES - More images can be provided if you wish to run the story.

Presentations on the day (Credit: Catriona Salisbury)

Inventor and scientist Dr Thomas Mensah (Credit: Dr Thomas Mensah)

Marva Rollins OBE (Credit: Marva Rollins OBE)

Judge Chantel Fortuin (Credit: Chantel Fortuin)

Councillor Anthony Okereke, the Labour & Co-op Councillor for Woolwich Common Cabinet Member for Housing (Credit: Royal Borough of Greenwich)

A young viewer joining with with Dr Thomas Mensah (Credit: Catriona Salisbury)

The most outstanding individuals and institutions that the FE sector has to offer have been recognised in the shortlist for the 2019 Tes FE Awards.

Elatt has been shortlisted for the Training Provider of the Year award. Elatt have been shortlisted for these awards every year for the last four years. Elatt is based in Haggerston and delivers English, IT and a range of programmes for young people and adults, including refugees and migrants across five London boroughs. Elatt previously won Training Provider of the Year in 2016 as well as awards for Overall FE Provider and Employer Engagement. Last year Elatt won the award for Contribution to the Local Community.

Tes FE editor Stephen Exley said:
“Excellent practice exists right across the further education sector, and those shortlisted for the Tes FE Awards are the cream of the crop. Our judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entries. We had more entries for this year’s categories than ever before, and the standard was higher than ever. To be shortlisted is an extraordinary achievement.”

Elatt Senior Life Skills Tutor and Project Lead Tammela Platt explains
“It is important to recognise that charities play an important part in further education, too; that's why the Tes Awards are important for us. At Elatt, our range of funding means that we can provide free courses for many learners who would not be eligible, or not have the finances, to study at a college. At Elatt, we offer many different points of entry for our adult learners, which makes us able to place learners in the most suitable setting. The Tes Awards help raise Elatt's profile and thus the profile of other charity training providers.”

Lola, a current ESOL student said
“I like ELATT because I feel confident here. There is more communication between the students in English because people are from many different countries”.

Georgia, a former 16-19 student said
“they support you and they actually want you to succeed. I’ve always been determined, but now, thanks to ELATT, I have a real pride in myself.”

The winners will be revealed at a gala awards evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Friday 22 March 2019

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On Monday 14 January Sopra Steria Graduates will take part in a Tech for Good hackathon for our London charity partner, ELATT. In a day-long hackathon event, our grads will work in teams with Sopra Steria coaches to create solutions to one of ELATT’s critical business challenges. At the end of the day, the best ideas will be selected by the senior team from ELATT, and the charity plans to implement the solution or solutions that best meet their needs.

This event is co-sponsored by the Early Careers, Community, and Digital Innovation teams, and is part of our Tech for Good Programme, which is focused on using our digital, technology and business expertise to create positive impacts in the world.  It is also an important part of our hands-on, impact-focused approach to learning and development in our Graduate Programme.

ELATT is an award-winning digital skills training college offering opportunities for learning and qualifications to under-served people, helping them get the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

Anthony Harmer, CEO of ELATT, said,
‘As an education charity with big ideas but limited resources, this Hackathon provides us with an invaluable opportunity to draw on the insight and expertise in the Sopra Steria team to help us improve our services for our students and turn our ambitions into reality.’

Kaila Yates, Sopra Steria Chief Marketing Officer and board sponsor of our Community Programme said,
‘We know that digital technologies are transforming organisations every day.  We believe that our charitable partners like ELATT will be able to do more with digital, and helping them make a difference for their students and the London communities they serve is an exciting opportunity for us and a great example of our Tech for Good programme.’

For more information, have a look at the original blog on Sopra Steria's website:

Read more

“ELATT is a place that motivates you to achieve your goals. The staff are always happy to help you.” 

Sheldon’s experience of helpful tutors and mentoring during his studies shows our dedication to students getting first-rate support; that’s why our tutors are among the only 5% who received Grade 1 (outstanding) at our last Ofsted inspection and are here to support you through your studies. 

Martina also turned to her mentor when a challenge arose, and a solution could be found that allowed her to both work and make it through her course successfully. “I got a job and thought I would have to stop the course as my shift pattern fell on my study day. My advisor said I could continue with the course and arranged for me to have support on my days off to cover the course and class hours.” 

Starting a course or developing your skills is a process of discovery and is, often, a struggle. It may be that mentors lending you a hearing ear or advising you during your studies is just what you need to get support and complete your course successfully.

Meet Oran

“I believe it is important to understand what is going on for our learners, in all aspects of their life, to help them to achieve. This is why our provision is so successful”. Oran is here to mentor students or provide coaching when they need it, and has been doing so for 15 years, 5 of which have been at ELATT. He has qualifications in counselling for both young people and adults, has trained in coaching and mentoring, and is currently training as a SENCO.

Whether you need information on how to improve your practical life circumstances, coaching sessions or solutions for learning challenges, Oran is here for you. He offers one-to-one sessions to find the tailored support you will need to complete your course to the best of your ability.

Although it can be a challenge to find the time to study, if you want to get ahead in your career or change direction, we are here to help you find ways to balance your life commitments.

Ask Janet about your options

Martina’s advice as a student is to “talk to one of the advisors to get out of the negative place you may be in. The services can give you a wider knowledge of all the different resources, help and advice out there.”

Speak to Janet and she can advise on your choice of courses and the support you may need to take that next step. Feel free to set up a one-to-one meeting with her to discuss your options in more detail. 

Call Janet

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our graduates:

Fundamentally, our students graduate thinking differently about themselves and their future.

"Instead of saying I was too old, ELATT helped and encouraged me every step of the way..."
Mike, Marketing Strategist

"I don't think I would be where I am today if ELATT hadn't helped me take those first steps..."
Frankie, Game Designer

 "ELATT gave me the confidence and new technical skills that were so valuable to me for my studies and at work..."
Charles, IT Manager

ELATT is a community created by students who take the lead with their future. Let us help you develop your skills and potential that will get you where you want to be.

Join our learning community today.

Browse our courses

Not only can you study towards a qualification with us, but you can also receive personal employment and careers advice to take you to the next level!

“When I first came to the UK, I felt like I was taking my first step in a journey towards my future career. [...] These courses have helped me a lot, gave me more confidence in my skills.”

Watch Salma's Video

Building skills and confidence

We are a learning community that looks after your learning needs as a whole so that you enter the employment world not just with more knowledge, but also with more skills and confidence.

Martina studied our Introduction to Photoshop course and found that “during my short time at ELATT I received a lot of support that has helped immensely.  I was initially given advice and support to revamp my CV, which was far too long. Refreshing my interview technique and preparing for interviews in advance helped and without the practice I wouldn’t have done well.”

Joining ELATT, you could be one of the 88% of our students who felt that they improved their workplace skills when they graduated. Martina reflected that the support helped her “feel so much more confident in my skills and presentation.”

Our students graduate thinking differently about themselves and their future.

Watch Maureen's Story

We go the extra mile for your employment

We understand the needs of today’s workplace and have experts and professional industry insiders to guide you through the learning journey and your professional development. We know that it can feel like a big task to prepare yourself for job applications, interviews and skills. That is why, apart from regular classes, we also offer students one-to-one support for job application and interview skills.

Our advisors go the extra mile to connect you with what you need in order to do your best in your search for employment. For example, Martina’s journey benefited from the personalised support we offer. Her ELATT advisor “sent my CV to a GP surgery and I was invited for an interview.  She arranged for me to visit Smart Works to get interview clothing. I got the job and thought I would have to stop the course as my shift pattern fell on my study day. My advisor said I could continue with the course and arranged for me to have support on my days off to cover the course and class hours.” 

This extra support helped Martina and almost 80% of our students progress into new employment or studies last year. If you are looking for both professional training and personal support from tutors and advisors who care, have a look at our courses and ask us your questions today!

Advanced Learning LoansMeet our GraduatesContact Us

We supported Loredana and Sheldon through their study challenges. They are now employed and here to tell you how we can help you too.

Thinking of developing your job prospects by getting further training is a big step! But it is one that we can help you make smoothly. At ELATT our friendly staff, outstanding teachers and learning community are there to support students through their learning journey. With this support and a little bit of patience, you can be empowered to get ahead.

Students like Loredana and Sheldon have been in the same situation. For them, getting back into that student frame of mind felt less tricky with the support of our helpful tutors. Loredana explains that she herself is “impatient and I get frustrated when I struggle with my work. Luckily, my teacher delivered the class at a pace that wasn’t too fast, going step by step through the coursework. This method of teaching made me enjoy the class much more.”

Find a course for you

Supportive tutors

Our highly-skilled and qualified tutors aim to create an environment where you feel comfortable to learn. “The teacher's style of teaching was great, she made the work easy to understand and explained the work in such a way that everyone understood,” explains Loredana who studied Digital Business Skills with us as part of our Web Design programme. “I liked my teachers, they were very approachable and friendly. The lessons were easy to understand. The teacher’s delivery was clear and coursework was explained in detail. The teacher set us challenging work, which made us feel more confident about our skills and ability.”

If you have difficulties with learning, we can support you through your chosen training or study path. Sheldon, who did our apprenticeship programme and went on to be an IT Support Technician, feels “the staff are always happy to help you – they supported me with my dyslexia to complete the English and Maths qualifications and my Computer Engineering teacher helped me with spelling and reading.”

Mentoring

We also have projects to offer mentoring, help with fees or other support for the challenges that life throws your way. We aim to do the work that will create the ideal learning environment for you to focus on your development. Here you will see our motto in action: “learning works when you're in the right place to succeed.”

Get in touch

Where to get the support you need

“When I first came to ELATT I was in a dark place. I didn’t realise that there was so much support available to me.”
Although taking up a new course can feel like a big step at first, as Martina suggests, there is support that you can help you get there. It can be a challenge to know where to look for the support you need so that you can take the next step in your education and career. We can help with that. In just one free meeting with our Student Support Coordinator, Janet, you can be guided to identify the various sources of help and support available to you so that you can focus on your development.

Whether you are looking for financial help with traveling to and from your classes with us, need child support, to work around your job Centre check-in times, or if you just need some advice on which course to study, we are here to listen and point out some of the options you have that enable you to start studying.

Call Janet for advice!

Just call and set a personal meeting to talk to Janet about your options and you’re on your way to taking your next step.

Mentoring

“I wasn’t able to see the skills I had, and through ELATT's support I feel more confident and my future is so much brighter.”
Martina’s study experience with us reflects how a personal difficulty can be turned around to build on your strengths with the right support. At ELATT, you do not only have the opportunity to gain educational qualifications to improve your employability. Our approachable staff, with their own diverse backgrounds and experiences, give you one-to-one mentoring to help you find what you need within the large pool of services offered by different organisations.

Ask Janet!

Martina’s advice as a student is to “talk to one of their advisors to get out of the negative place you may be in. The services can give you a wider knowledge of all the different resources, help and advice out there.”

Worrying about the level of English language, or whether you are eligible to study with us? Not sure if your qualifications allow you to study with us? Wondering how you will pay for your travel to your studies or day care for your children?

Call to set a free, one-to-one meeting with Janet, and she will gladly share some of the solutions that exist in your situation to empower you to take the next step in your career.

Call Janet for advice!

21st of June marked National Writing Day, and students from our E3 ICT Learning Champions contributed to this fun and positive occasion.

Len, Adi and Jacqueline all wrote short stories on the themes of busy lives in London and, randomly, working as a prime minster.

Their teacher, Segs, said: "It was great to see the creativity from the students. They felt inspired by National Writing Day and came up with ideas of what their short stories could be about. It's great to see how creative writing can help literacy."

Please read the short stories here:

‘Maria lived in London 2 years ago. She loved to go to the parks, museums and beach. She was happy when visiting these places. She told me that she became unfriendly because her job was stressful. Now Maria lives in Ibiza, she has another job which it less stressful and she lives in front of the beach. She feels more comfortable, relax and happy.’
By Jacqueline

‘Bibi walked in the street and he sees every one busy and stressed. Bibi is unfriendly because he haven't got time to talk with people. He is working as the Prime Minister and he likes his job. He is married to June. He is married 10 years or more and he is happy in his life.’
By Adi

‘Steve lives in London. He lives in Hackney his job is a park cleaner. Some days he is miserable and some days happy. He works in the open. He moans about the weather, I told him today it is 34`c. That made him more miserable. He said laughing and joking to me sling your hook. The last time it was this hot was back in 1976. I told him if you don`t like heat pack up the job and get a job indoors. I laughed and joked with him and said you should get the Prime Ministers’ job.’
By Len

'I saw in the google fly cars that is new technology I like that. For future is very nice because save the time received to the place very fast that is good. The world technology is going very quick let’s see future how money changes come in the world.'
By Sharafat