Family mentors work one-on-one with a refugee family or individual to ease their transition to the National Capital Region and the United States. Mentors will focus on a refugee’s English acquisition, socialization of American culture, and better integration into the local community. Based on each clients’ needs and relationship, mentors and mentees can cook together, schedule medical appointments, visit local reservoirs, parks, farmer’s markets, the library, and museums. The initial meeting is conducted in clients’ native language, but the program’s design is to improve English with those who are limited to non-English speakers, or better integrate fluent speakers in their society. It is highly interactive, client-focused, and adapted to meet each clients’ needs and backgrounds.
To understand the impact Family Mentors have in the lives of refugees, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsnOAjOTiRA
To participate, volunteers must attend a training, complete a background check and make a financial donation to the IRC to support the cost of the program. More details on the process to get involved will be discussed at the Family Mentor Training.
How to Apply
