Volunteer
Volunteer of the Year
Recently, Len Newman, our dedicated volunteer at RDC for the past 5 years, deserves special recognition for his remarkable contributions. Len’s role as a citizenship class teacher has positively impacted numerous community members by assisting them in obtaining their US citizenship. The RDC community is deeply grateful for his unwavering commitment and hard work in helping individuals achieve this significant milestone.
ADULT EDUCATION
We offer weekly ESL classes in Providence, RI. Our classes cater to individuals with varying native languages and English proficiency levels. Led by an ESL Instructor and supported by volunteers, we focus on the four key components of English: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Our comprehensive curriculum aims to develop functional language skills, workforce expertise, understanding of American culture and workplace standards, as well as personal financial management and basic computer skills. We are also seeking volunteers to assist with student transportation.
JOURNEY TO HEALTH
The Journey To Health program, implemented by the RDC, focuses on addressing the healthcare and mental health needs of refugees resettled in Rhode Island. This comprehensive and culture-sensitive program aims to enable refugees to live healthy and independent lives. By combining cultural orientation with basic health awareness, participants gain access to resources and knowledge to support their well-being. The program also aims to help participants build a safe and trusting social support network while developing stress coping skills to minimize trauma and incidents of domestic violence. Volunteers contribute by assisting with childcare, ensuring smooth class operations, observing presenters, and occasionally providing translation support. Classes are held on Saturday mornings.
MENTORING
Refugee Mentoring Program aims to foster relationships and community integration by pairing volunteers with refugee individuals or families. The program focuses on English language skills development, specifically vocabulary and conversation practice. Volunteers and their matched refugees meet a couple of times a month to engage in various activities.
These activities may include providing English practice at the refugees’ homes, assisting with community orientation (e.g., accompanying them to the bank, grocery shopping, parks, or the library), and offering transportation to classes or events at the Refugee Dream Center. The program’s ultimate goal is to empower individuals to become independent within their community while building meaningful relationships.
This long-term and personalized volunteering experience allows volunteers to establish ongoing connections with the refugees. By supporting English language learning and community integration, volunteers play a vital role in helping refugees thrive and develop a sense of belonging in their new environment.
YOUTH MENTORING
Alongside our adult and family mentoring initiatives, we are proud to host several youth mentorship programs. These programs connect young adults and teenagers with supportive mentors from the community who can offer guidance on various topics such as college, careers, and future goals. Currently, we are seeking adult mentors to join our Refugee Youth Dream Program, where they will provide advice and support to public high school students throughout the school year. For more details about this program, please visit our Youth Programs page. Additionally, we are actively seeking mentors who can offer one-on-one guidance to recently arrived refugee youths in a flexible capacity.
GENERAL
We continuously seek volunteers who can contribute to our annual events, including significant occasions such as World Refugee Day. Additionally, we welcome individuals with special skills who can provide assistance in administrative and developmental tasks within our office. Moreover, we appreciate volunteers who can apply their expertise to refugee work and advocacy.
We greatly appreciate individuals who are willing to share their time and talents as volunteers. If you have an interest in volunteering with the Refugee Dream Center (RDC), kindly reach out to us via email at Volunteer@refugeedreamcenter.org. We will respond to your email promptly to provide further details and discuss potential volunteering opportunities.
Thank you for considering to be part of our team and for your commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of refugees. Your dedication and support are truly valued.
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Spotlight: A Volunteer’s Experience
Sasha Westrick, a high school volunteer from Barrington, RI, along with her mother Amy, have been mentors for a refugee family from the Democratic Republic of Congo since December. Sasha details how this experience working with refugees has changed her life and perspective. Read the full speech here.
Spotlight: Jane’s Idea
Jane Josefowicz – a volunteer at the Refugee Dream Center and a student at the Wheeler School – has developed a way to quickly connect refugees and immigrants with translators. With the help of the popular messaging app – WhatsApp – she was able to connect refugees with translators nearly instantly. You can learn more about Jane’s story in the Providence Journal article linked here.