The Conversation Club

The Conversation Club project is a well-established volunteering programme in Waltham Forest. Conversation Club volunteers are involved in running conversation clubs for residents of the borough who want to build up their confidence in speaking English. They set up and run welcoming, sociable spaces where adults who are not native English speakers, can practise speaking English. Club attendees can be economic migrants, asylum seekers, refugees or long term residents of Waltham Forest who may not have had many opportunities to speak English.

Face to Face and Zoom Clubs in Waltham Forest

Mondays

• Zoom Club: 11am to 12pm
• Chingford Library, E4 7EN: 1:30pm to 2:45pm 
• Leyton Library, E10 5QH: 4pm to 5pm
• Zoom Club: 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Tuesdays

• Leytonstone Library, E11 1HG: 10am to 11am
• Harmony Hall, E17 7BY: 10:30am to 12pm
• Lea Bridge Library E10 7HU: 1pm to 2:30pm
• Wood Street Library, E17 3HB: 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Wednesdays 

• Walthamstow Library, E17 7JN: 9:45am to 11am
• Zoom Club: 10am to 11am  
• South Chingford Methodist Church, E4 9EU: 1pm to 2pm
• Leytonstone Library, E11 1HG: 6pm to 7pm

Thursdays

• Harmony Hall, E17 7BY: 9:30am to 10:30am
• Holy Trinity Church, E11 4LD: 10:30am to 12pm
• Queens Road Learning Centre, E17 8QR: 1pm to 2pm
• Zoom Club: 2pm to 3pm
• Wood Street Library, E17 3HB: 6pm to 7pm
• Zoom Club: 7pm to 8pm

Fridays 

• Zoom Club: 10am to 11am
• Zoom Club: 11am to 12pm

Saturdays

• Lloyd Park, E17 4PP (meet in front of William Morris Gallery): 10am to 11:30am (walk and talk)

Sundays

• Chestnut Farm Allotments: 2pm to 3:30pm (Contact Julia on 07801756863)
• Zoom Club: 6pm to 7pm (Contact Julia on 07801756863)

Volunteers attend a (free) training course, which is taught flexibly over five sessions before they start volunteering. The training is accredited and includes visiting existing conversation clubs. Training courses run throughout the year.

Once a volunteer completes the five week training, they are then offered a placement, normally 1 to 1.5 hours per week. This may involve setting up a new club or teaming up with an existing volunteer to support an existing club. Clubs run on different days and at different times. The majority of clubs take place face-to-face in community venues, libraries and places of worship but we also have online clubs running through Zoom.

The Clubs have become a valuable tool for social integration, a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and make new friends – for both volunteers and club participants.

Volunteers joining the Conversation Club project have come from all walks of life and reflect Waltham Forest’s rich ethnic diversity. All are delighted to be using their skills in a practical way to help build community cohesion in their neighbourhoods and give something back to the community they are part of. 

For more information about volunteering with conversation clubs please email conversationclub.als@walthamforest.gov.uk

Referral and eligibility

Open to any adult 19plus for whom English is a second language.