The report concludes that helping immigrants and refugees integrate and thrive in our communities is vital for the long-term prosperity of our states. “While United Way of Salt Lake researched the issue of language acquisition and the barriers to language learning, a diverse group of stakeholders, called the English Learning Opportunities (ELO) Change Council, was created to help guide us and lend their expertise regarding this complex issue. The ELO Change Council encouraged United Way of Salt Lake to: 1) conduct a survey in its service area – Davis, Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties, and 2) complete extensive secondary research that would provide a depth of information to the realities that immigrants and refugees face daily. Our survey and research uncovered the need to approach the issue of English language acquisition in a comprehensive manner that addresses the needs of immigrants and refugees as a whole, as well as consider the needs of our economy and community.” Publisher’s description.
