Milad, originally from Lebanon, has lived in Australia for the past 30 years. He lives 10 minutes from Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre, where he has been learning English over the last few years.

However, he had to step away from the business because he relied heavily on others for communication and handling documents, which he found difficult. A contact at Ballarat University pointed him towards the Neighbourhood Centre, and since then, Milad hasn’t looked back. He has high praise for his teacher, Lisa, saying, “She is like a mom,” always guiding and supporting me.” When he started, Milad had no spoken English, but he now speaks confidently and credits Lisa and the course content for his progress.

Milad says, “Learning is so important,” noting how different English is from his first language. Understanding phonetics helped Milad read and write better. Through the classes, he learned essential everyday skills like filling out forms, writing phone messages, and making calls, which is so important for new learners.

Milad has also found community through his classes, and he’s made friends who feel like family. He says learning “makes me very confident” and “I am proud of myself.” He often encourages others in his community to seek out their local Neighbourhood Centre or Learn Local, telling them, “Neighbourhood centres can help with everything, not just learning.” Now, with stronger English skills and newfound confidence, Milad is preparing to restart his business.