We are accomplishing our mission through the following projects:

REFUGEE WOMEN'S PROGRAM

Women support services offer health and safety instructions on topics such as nutrition, immunizations, and breast cancer awareness; on-site health screening through the DeKalb Board of Health and DeKalb Medical Foundation (Wellness on Wheels); orientation in urban American living such as public transportation, shopping, banking, sewing and handicraft.  Bilingual staff offers extensive assistance accessing services through casework involving interpretation and translation.

Employment assistance services: employment services, including job readiness training, job placement, and job follow-up to refugee women, including those who may be victims of domestic violence.

Maternal Health Initiative: prenatal risk assessments, pregnancy case management and education services.

Financial Literacy: education classes on basic banking and credit building skills, and follow-up case management.

Refugee Family Violence Prevention Program (RFVPP): addresses issues of domestic violence in refugee communities through community education about domestic violence and services available to domestic violence victims; crisis intervention services for battered refugee women and their children; and securing refugee women’s access to existing mainstream services and shelters for battered women in the Metro Atlanta area.

English for Speakers of Other Languages: Daily classes with child care provided for refugee mothers; in collaboration with Jewish Family and Career Services.

REFUGEE YOUTH AND PARENTING SERVICES

Refugee Youth Program: Academic, emotional, and social support to help refugee children access the positive parts of American culture and maintain a strong relationship with their own cultural heritage.  Activities include free after-school programs, one-to-one evening English tutoring, summer day camps, health & safety skills, community service, conflict resolution, sports & recreation, art and environmental education. Volunteers assist in all facets of the Youth Program.

Youth Special Services Program: Advocacy and case management for refugee youth involved in at-risk behaviors and/or to prevent academic failure violence, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and children from dropping out of school; abuse. Provide consultation and cultural education for mainstream providers, servicing refugee youth.

School Liaison Program: Advocacy and interpretation for refugee students and parents during parent-teacher conferences and critical school-parent communications.  Cultural presentations to schools and other youth serving agencies are offered upon request.   A staff of five bilingual school liaisons rotates through 60 area schools and Headstart centers in DeKalb Co. Schools and Decatur City Schools..

Refugee and Immigrant Parenting Program: A bilingual Parenting Trainer conducts workshops and individual sessions for parents including: orientation to American schools, laws regarding children, helping children succeed in school, parental stress, positive discipline, and other topics.

FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAM

SPARK: Spark Georgia is a program funded by the Kellogg Foundation whose goal is to create a seamless transition to school for vulnerable children ages 3 to 6. The mission of Spark Georgia is that all Georgia children will be successful in school through “ready school, ready families and ready communities. Spark Georgia partner with schools, early care and education program, public officials and other groups. Refugee Family Services Spark Hub Coordinator recruits 125 children age 3 years and work with on an individual basis in their home through the 2^nd  grade. Parent educator assists parents in being their child’s first teacher and helps them identify resources that promote early learning and help ease the child’s transition to kindergarten. Spark Georgia partners with Smart Start Georgia and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta to achieve its goals.

United Way, Parenting Program: The Parenting program seeks both to ensure that children 0-5 are school ready and to prevent child abuse and neglect. It provides refugee parents with the Parent as Teacher curriculum that teaches them about early childhood learning, and enables them to cope with the stresses of child-rearing in the United States, in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. Education services are provided through personalized home visits, group learning opportunities by certified parent educators, trained in child development. The parent educator will recruit and serve 26 children age 0-5 years old.

Family Literacy Program: Family Literacy program matches volunteers who are native English speakers with immigrant and refugee families in order to help them learn how to speak English. Learning the English language will enrich the educational lives of the children of these families and will equip their parents to provide the necessary academic and social support these children need to experience success. This program seeks to uplift the quality of life in every aspect for refugee and immigrant families, not only educationally for the children, but also economically for the parents who are able to get better jobs with increased English-speaking capacity. Our goal is to match 25 refugee/ immigrant families with volunteers.