The Signpost to Polish Success (SPS)

About our Organisation

The Bridge Notts CIC is a Nottingham-based social enterprise promoting community wellbeing through practical life skills, mentoring, and inclusive activities in safe, accessible spaces. We support young people, families, older adults, and care-experienced individuals across Nottinghamshire, helping reduce isolation, build confidence, and increase resilience. Our work tackles inequalities in health, education, and opportunity, with experience spanning cooking skills, social eating, and cultural programmes. Tackling food poverty is just one example of how we address wider social challenges. Through grassroots engagement and collaboration, we empower underrepresented communities and foster stronger, more connected and equitable local networks.

About our UKSPF project

Signpost to Polish Success (SPS) will deliver three key activities: Intermediate Conversational ESOL, Beginners English, and Digital Skills for Older Adults. Each course runs for 52 hours over 26 weeks, delivered at our accessible community space in Arboretum, Nottingham. The project targets Eastern European migrants—primarily Polish—aged 50+, who face multiple barriers including poor English, low digital skills, health challenges, and social isolation. Many are long-settled but remain excluded due to language and cultural differences.

We aim to engage 75 participants (25 per course) using multilingual outreach in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, via our newsletter East Midlands po Polsku, website, Facebook, word of mouth, and community referrals. Sessions are designed to be welcoming, practical, and culturally sensitive, supporting day-to-day communication with schools, GPs, landlords, employers, and public services.

Digital sessions focus on smartphone use for accessing NHS services, online banking, benefits, and council services. Our holistic model includes 1-2-1 support, volunteering, coffee mornings, cultural events, and referrals to food banks. This “whole-person” approach builds trust, skills, and confidence—enabling participants to reduce isolation, strengthen resilience, and move towards employment, education, or greater independence. While based in Arboretum, we welcome learners from all Nottingham wards, including Aspley, Bulwell, Meadows, Radford, and Hyson Green.

For more information, please contact

• Contact: Dr Beata Polanowska
• Call: 0115 970 0442
• Visit: SPS – The Signpost To Polish Success
• Email: editor@empp.co.uk