Helpful organisations and resources
ESOL
Developing English speaking, writing, listening and reading skills can be a lifeline to help people integrate into their local communities, improve social interactions and get into employment.
Refugees and asylum seekers are entitled to attend accredited and unaccredited English classes in Gateshead.
Accredited providers in Gateshead are Gateshead Council Learning and Skills and Gateshead College (opens new window).
For community based ESOL please see OurGateshead (opens new window).
Employment
Welfare benefits
Citizens Advice Gateshead (opens new window)
Report a hate crime
Education
Community groups
Peace of Mind
Drop-in Wednesday 11am to 1.30pm
- food, clothing, household items
- practical, emotional and educational support
- tea and coffee, chat with friends and volunteers
- help with finding a solicitor
- help with registering with a GP
- advocacy
- English classes
- warm space
Whitehall Rd Methodist Church
Whitehall Rd
Gateshead
NE8 4LH
07595 300 326
Peace of Mind North East (opens new window)
Alive Church (St George's at Hope House)
Drop-in Thursday 10am to 2pm
- weekly drop-in with Gateshead Council, Mears, Citizens Advice Bureau and Red Cross
- practical support, English classes, art and crafts activities, games
- tea and coffee, chat with friends and volunteers
Alive Church
St George's Office
Hope House
Durham Road
Gateshead
Tyne and Wear
NE8 4AR
0191 340 4844
The Comfrey Project
- community garden
- physical and mental wellbeing support
- free drinks and wifi
- English classes
- social space
- food-growing workshops
- volunteering opportunities
Windmill Hills Centre
Chester Place
Gateshead
NE8 1QB
0191 477 7801
The Comfrey Project (opens new window)
Salvation Army Gateshead
- food, clothing, household/hygiene items
- practical support
- community hub
- tea and coffee, chat with friends and volunteers
- children and youth sessions
Gateshead Community Church
Tennyson Court
Sunderland Road
Gateshead
NE8 3EY
Salvation Army Gateshead (opens new window)
Red Cross Newcastle
- international family tracing system
- asylum support
- appeals Advice
- ages assessments
- family reunion
Croft House
Western Avenue
Newcastle
NE4 8SR
0191 273 7961
The British Red Cross (opens new window)
West End Refugee Service (WERS)
- information, advice and advocacy
- destitution support
- Skills Match - volunteering
West End Refugee Service
St Phillips St
Phillip's Vicarage
St Phillip's Close
Arthur's Hill
Newcastle
NE4 5JE
0191 2737482
West End Refugee Service (opens new window)
Multilingual Library (Borderline Books)
- library with books in 120 different languages
- language classes (including English, Italian and Spanish)
11 High W St
Gateshead
NE8 1EH
0777 668 4940
Multilingual Library (opens new window)
The Angelou Centre
- service for black and minoritised women
- training, development and ending violence against women and girls
- wellbeing and inclusion
- support for those who have no recourse to public funds
The Angelou Centre
17 Brighton Grove
Fenham
Newcastle
NE4 5NS
0191 2260394
The Angelou Centre (opens new window)
St Chads Community Project
- food, clothes, toys, baby equipment, household items
- community groups
- advocacy support
21 Liddell Terrace
Bensham
NE8 1YN
St Chads Community Project Facebook (opens new window)
North East Law Centre
- asylum/immigration legal advice
MEA House
Ellison Place
Newcastle
NE1 8XS
Immigration helpline on Wednesdays 2pm to 4pm
0191 230 4777
North East Law Centre (opens new window)
Nightstop
- emergency accommodation on a night-by-night basis for young people
- preventing homelessness through volunteer hosting
0191 253 6164
Crossings Community Group
- building relationships and community through music and songwriting
- sessions for children and adults
07487 770 347 Crossings Community Group (opens new window)
Facebook: Crossings Community Group
Action Foundation
Interaction drop-in every Thursday 11am to 2pm
- friendly advice service
- clothes, toys, food
- ESOL classes
- digital inclusion programme
- advocacy support
- table tennis and pool table
- free refreshments
The Castle Gate
Melbourne Street
Newcastle
NE1 2JQ
0191 231 3313
Action Foundation (opens new window)
Bensham Grove Community Centre
- tea and coffee, chat with friends and volunteers
- Visible Ethnic Minority Support Group (GemArts)
Bensham Grove Community Centre
Sidney Grove
Gateshead
NE8 2XD
0191 433 6450
Bensham Grove timetable (opens new window)
North East Diversity Education and Solidarity (NEDES)
- Saturday school for children
- practical, emotional and educational support
- tea and coffee, chat with friends and volunteers
Young Women's Outreach Project
12 Gladstone Terrace
Gateshead
NE8 4DY
Saturday 9am to 5pm NEDES (opens new window)