The West and North West London Vietnamese Association was set up in 1987.

When refugees from Vietnam first started coming to Britain in the mid 1980s they were sent to settle in different parts of the country. This led to all sorts of problems for the refugees. Most could not speak English and consequently found it difficult to find employment and access essential services like health and education. To resolve these problems, many of the refugees moved to London which already had settled Chinese communities. Many of the Vietnamese are from Chinese cultural backgrounds and speak both Cantonese and Vietnamese so in London the refugees found people who spoke a language they understood and who had established a way of life in British society.

The w&NWLVA was established to help new arrivals obtain the help and support needed with the business of making a new life in a country with a different language and culture, and in which literacy is so important.

The Home Office has greatly reduced the numbers of people who can apply for asylum in the UK, which is the first step towards being accepted as a refugee. This means that the concerns of groups like w&NWLVA are changing. They are no longer just concerned with welcoming new refugees and helping them to settle. While some Vietnamese are learning to speak English and to handle their personal affairs on their own, there are still very many people in need of support.

Older people from Vietnam have found it particularly difficult to settle in Britain and are likely to always need the specialised support that can only be provided by people who understand their language and culture. Many elderly people have never learned to speak English and while they may have found a way of living in Britain they are often isolated and lonely.

Children of Vietnamese refugees need support with understanding their cultural heritage and learning to be comfortable with their Vietnamese identity.

Many adults are still finding it difficult to learn sufficient English and acquire the skills needed to obtain employment.

The association addresses these needs and at the same time has become one of the voices of the Vietnamese community in the community of communities which now make up multicultural Britain.

The wLVcA is now a way of listening to Vietnamese people in this area of London, being sensitive to their needs and aspirations and of making available to the wider community the various skills and talents that may have been acquired as a result of their experiences or are a part of their cultural heritage.