Adult Education
Adult education programs for refugees and immigrants at SCN include Gateway to Language and Citizenship classes which includes Level 1 English, Workshops, the Women’s Support Circle, Mentoring, and Education Case Management for parents with children in school. We also partner with other immigrant-serving organizations, community colleges, and vocational training providers to refer adults for programs that relate to their academic and professional goals.
Gateway to Language and Citizenship
Refugees are eligible to apply for citizenship after having lived in the U.S. for five years and completing related legal applications. Our Gateway to Language and Citizenship classes are offered year-round with an open enrollment. Participants will learn Level 1 English vocabulary and skills for reading, writing, comprehension, and speaking. Topics covered will also help prepare community members for both the citizenship exam and interview with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Individual tutoring is also available for those who need to practice before their scheduled interview.
Workshops
We offer workshops to adults throughout the year on a variety of topics from health and wellbeing to civic engagement, parenting, and much more. These group opportunities allow participants to learn about critical information in a setting that is mindful of their cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It also gives participants an opportunity to discuss these topics together and ask questions in order to learn from each other.
Women’s Support Circle
Our Women’s Support Circle is a safe space where Arabic-speaking, refugee women can discuss topics important to them in their own language and in a context sensitive to their cultural and religious backgrounds. They meet monthly online with additional in-person activities every few months. If you or someone you know is interested in joining, please contact our Adult Education Manager, Samira.
Mentoring
Coming of age is a challenging time for everyone but especially for youth and young adults who are also navigating life in a new country. Through our mentoring program, volunteers are individually matched with a refugee between the ages of 16 and 24 years old. They meet once a month to talk about future planning including higher education and/or career opportunities as well as general life skills support. There are also group field trips and community service opportunities. If you are interested in mentoring, please head to our volunteer page. For anyone interested in having a mentor, please contact our Youth Mentoring & Volunteer Coordinator, Maggie.
Education Case Management
Moving to a new country can be hard for any family as they navigate an entirely new educational system. We recognize that students, parents, and school staff need extra support to further understand each other, the general expectations of students and families, and how to advocate for refugee and immigrant children who may need more resources than their peers. We bridge the gap between families and schools through our individualized Education Case Management services which include, but are not limited to attending parent teacher conferences, providing guidance through the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process, behavioral health and social-emotional guidance, assistance with school enrollment, and translation services. If you or someone you know could benefit from this service, please contact our Education Case Manager, Kiersten.
