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Masih Sabet teaching conversational English for free to new members of the community

Photo provided by Masih Sabet

English Corner – Richmond man teaches free english sessions to over 9,000 students

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 4:17 PDT, Tue August 11, 2026

Last Updated: 4:25 PDT, Tue August 11, 2026

BY LAUREN LUONG

English Corner is an informal conversational English Program offered as a free community service. It provides newcomers with opportunities to practice speaking English, build meaningful friendships, and discover ways to contribute to their local communities. Once a week, participants gather at a variety of locations to discuss meaningful topics with the guidance of volunteer facilitators. The welcoming environment is intentionally designed to encourage friendship, foster a sense of belonging, and strengthen communication skills. English corner members believe that the ability to effectively communicate thoughts and feelings is a crucial part of building a successful life in a new country.

Unlike traditional classroom instruction, English Corner allows participants to practice English through authentic, real-life conversations. Rather than focusing primarily on grammar exercises or written assignments, participants build confidence by speaking naturally with others in a relaxed and supportive environment. This conversational approach helps newcomers become more comfortable communicating in everyday situations, such as shopping, attending medical appointments, speaking with neighbours or preparing for job interviews. Over time, these regular interactions reduce the fear of making mistakes and encourage participants to use English more confidently in their daily lives. By combining language practice with genuine social interaction, English Corner helps newcomers develop both their communication skills and their sense of belonging within the community.

English Corner is supported by the Colibri Learning Foundation, a not-for-profit developmental organization dedicated to unlocking the potential of immigrants in Canada. The foundation supports newcomers and temporary residents as they engage in community building by facilitating community-based activities, programs, and processes that promote communication, encourage dialogue between diverse groups, and inspire local initiatives for social development.

The origins of English Corner date back about a decade, when a small group of individuals who had recently immigrated to Canada became aware of social challenges many newcomers faced. They observed that many immigrants lacked opportunities to practice English, often resulting in isolation, loneliness and a disconnection from community life. Motivated to address these challenges, they began a learning process that ultimately led to the creation of English Corner.

English Corner was developed to foster genuine friendships while helping newcomers overcome the social barriers that can exist between immigrants and Canadian-born residents. Those involved in its development designed a simple yet effective model centred around four key elements: volunteer facilitators, a welcoming environment, participants, and a weekly conversation topic. Each week they discuss a meaningful theme, often related to community life, that includes quotes and discussion questions that encourage thoughtful conversation.

An equally important aspect of English Corner is the encouraged community-building activities outside of weekly meetings. These informal gatherings strengthen relationships and create lasting connections beyond the typical classroom setting. From the beginning, the program avoided over-dependence on physical resources or rigid organizational structures. Instead, it was designed to be adaptable and flexible so that any willing facilitator with a learning mindset could establish one within their own community. Its simplicity is enticing to volunteers which will encourage them to serve others, while its positive impact in creating meaningful friendships allowed English Corner to spread naturally throughout different communities.

English Corner currently operates at multiple locations throughout Vancouver including Richmond, with each location meeting once every week. As the number of English Corners continued to grow, a wide variety of community initiatives began to emerge. In response, the Colibri Learning Foundation was established to provide organizational support, assist volunteers in developing new initiatives, and facilitate an ongoing learning process that would help these programs become increasingly effective and sustainable.

The Role of English Corner has become even more significant in recent years as the Govern- ment of Canada has reduced federal funding for intermediate and advanced newcomer language training.

One particularly vibrant English Corner meets every Tuesday and Saturday at Mino Club Café in Richmond, BC, under the guidance of Masih Sabet. The café has become a welcoming place where people from dozens of different countries gather to practice English, exchange experiences, and build lasting friendships. Since its establishment, the program has welcomed nearly 9,000 participants, many of whom have described English Corner as the first true community they found after arriving in Canada.

Contact: masihsabet@yahoo.com