This year Jacari is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
Founded in 1956 by University of Oxford students as the Joint Action Committee Against Racial Intolerance (JACARI), the organisation has a vibrant history of tackling racial injustice and community building.
Today, Jacari is a registered charity providing free weekly one-to-one English language tutoring, trips, and activities for children and young people from sanctuary-seeking and migrant backgrounds in Oxford and Bristol.
Anniversary celebrations
On Saturday 6th June Jacari celebrated this milestone with a party in Old Schoolhouse, Cowley, welcoming volunteers from every decade of Jacari’s history, alongside many other friends, supporters, and members of the Jacari community, including pupils and former pupils along with their families, and Cllr Chewe Munkonge, the Lord Mayor of Oxford.
There were games, party poppers, singing, reunions, and so many wonderful conversations as people came together from Oxford and much further afield – one guest even flew in for the occasion!
One highlight was hearing young people interview some of Jacari’s longest-standing supporters and volunteers, including Canon Christopher Hall, who attended Jacari’s inaugural meeting in 1956! There was also a brilliant speech from one of the young people supported by Jacari. All of the young people who spoke during the afternoon filled the Jacari team with pride and hope for the future.
Jacari’s volunteer-led mentoring model provides consistent, tailored support, regular conversational practice, and trusted relationships that help young people feel visible, included, and able to participate more fully. Feedback shows that Jacari support builds pupils’ language skills, confidence, and sense of belonging.
“I truly believe Jacari is about far more than volunteering for homework or reading. It is about relationships, trust, belonging, and helping families and children rebuild their lives and confidence in a new country. For families like ours, that support was life-changing that we will never forget.”
Could you support Jacari?
From 22–29 June, donations to Jacari through The Big Give’s Small Charities Week campaign will be match funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery, meaning every gift will go twice as far in helping multilingual children and young people fulfil their potential.
Donate between 22–29 June.
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