SLC win Ufi grant to develop AI language learning app for social carers
We’re delighted to have won a grant from Ufi VocTech Trust to develop an AI-driven technology solution that provides cheap phone-based language and communication skills training for overseas social carers at scale, improving their communicative confidence and enabling their progression within the sector.
Currently, around 390,00 of the direct care workforce in the UK are overseas workers and this will only grow as demand increases, irrespective of government policy. The majority have very different linguistic and socio-cultural backgrounds and don’t have the English skills or the confidence required to manage the complex communication challenges they face when working in nursing homes, care homes, supported living and domiciliary care settings.
While there is a significant need for language support, investment in tutor-led training is low due to constrained budgets and the perception of care staff as an unskilled workforce. This results in a gap where overseas carers in particular struggle to develop the communication skills critical to provide high-quality care demanded by care service users and their families.
Our AI solution directly addresses this issue by offering interactive, on-demand language support that enables carers to practice, receive feedback, and activate productive language skills—opportunities traditionally available only in classroom or tutor-led settings. Using fast developing technology including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), the AI will provide safe, contextually appropriate guidance, roleplay scenarios, and learning recommendations tailored to real-world care environments.
By the end of the project, we will have built and tested a validated AI-powered companion that enhances communication training for carers, empowering them with confidence and competence. Our ambition is to see this solution widely adopted across the care sector, bridging the gap in language support while improving workforce communication standards.
Ufi VocTech Trust provides grant funding, investment and support for the development and deployment of vocational technology across all parts of the UK skills system. Ufi help unlock potential for those furthest from opportunity, ensuring everyone is included and no one is left behind. We’re delighted that they have chosen to support us and are looking forward to working with them over the next 12 months.
About Ufi VocTech Trust
Ufi VocTech Trust is an independent charity focused on unlocking the full potential of technology to get adults learning, so everyone in the UK has the opportunity to develop the skills they need to succeed in their working lives, now and in the future.
Charity number 1081028.