ICM Connected: Celebrating our People, Past and Present

A new alumni network that keeps the ICM family together.

We’re excited to launch ICM Connected, a new alumni scheme designed to celebrate and connect everyone who has been part of the ICM journey, whether as a learner, artist, volunteer or team member.

It’s a space for people to share their progress, inspire others, and keep the sense of community that makes ICM special.

Over the years, we’ve worked with thousands of incredible people. Each person brings something unique, their ideas, energy, creativity or determination, and we believe those stories shouldn’t end when a project finishes.

One of those stories is Daniel Banceanu’s.

Daniel first joined ICM in 2015 as an ESOL learner after arriving in the UK from Romania.

Coming from a Roma background, Daniel had faced deep-rooted discrimination and exclusion from education growing up. As the eldest of ten siblings, born to illiterate parents who never attended school, Daniel had to walk miles each day to access schooling, and was bullied and marginalised for his identity.

Despite all this, Daniel was driven by a dream: to become a doctor. But when he arrived in the UK, he knew he had to learn English first. While working unsociable hours in a factory, he enrolled in ICM’s English classes and would still turn up at 10am, even after finishing work at 2am. He made remarkable progress, moving from pre-entry to completing his Entry 2 qualification in a short time.

From then on, Daniel became a champion for learning, not just for himself, but for his whole community. He has supported over a hundred Roma Romanians to enrol in English classes, including his own parents. He’s translated, interpreted, and supported others through healthcare, housing and legal systems. Through his work with ICM and beyond, Daniel has helped people understand their rights, attend workshops, and access vital support.

In 2017, Daniel was named Inspirational Learner of the Year at the Suffolk Adult Learner Awards, a moment that, in his own words, gave him the confidence to keep going.

“Life is difficult, and sometimes it’s hard to move forward. But if you believe in what you do, you will succeed. Learn to be brave, trust in yourself, and don’t forget to help others.”

Daniel now lives in London with his family and works for the Roma Support Group, where he supports some of the UK’s most marginalised communities to access the EU Settlement Scheme.

He’s helped over 450 people so far, and is currently studying Health and Social Care at University. He’s also a Trustee of ICM, helping to shape the future of the organisation where his journey began.

We are incredibly proud of Daniel and all that he continues to achieve. His story captures exactly why we’ve created ICM Connected , because the journey doesn’t end at the classroom door.

If you’ve ever taken part in an ICM project, whether as a learner, volunteer, staff member or collaborator, we’d love to stay connected. Email hello@ipswichcm.org.uk to sign up and look out for the invite.

Let’s celebrate where we’ve come from and where we’re going next, together.