My name is Rufus James and I have been working with LASSN for the past 3 years. I initially made contact 2 months before finishing my initial teacher training at Leeds Metropolitan University and LASSN volunteering was enormously useful to me as I was able to put in practice the theory I learned in the classroom.

I was paired with an Afghan woman, about 10 years my senior. She lived with her husband and small child and was pregnant with her second. She now has three children under 5, one of whom is attending the local nursery. Her son's increased confidence with the English language made her more aware of the need to improve her English, and more motivated.

I have had the extremely interesting experience of seeing a student in her own environment. This made me far more conscious of the obstacles facing refugees and asylum seekers learning English. LASSN provides an invaluable service, addressing the needs of vulnerable people.

My LASSN experience was instrumental in getting my first job in a summer school in London and vital in securing a job at a Language College in Harrogate. The training and experience I received at LASSN is also immensely useful to me in my current role as an ESOL tutor at Leeds Thomas Danby College. During my LASSN teaching, I developed a far greater awareness of different cultures, and a deep friendship with my student. This opportunity increased my awareness of different learning styles and preferences and highly influenced my role as a teacher. LASSN has been an immensely useful and supportive organisation for me and I am grateful to them for providing me with support and inspiration.

I have recently been involved with training at LASSN, delivering workshops on being a volunteer tutor, and on the development and selection of materials to use with your student. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to give something back to an organisation that has helped me to develop both as a teacher and as a person.