“RefugeeOne’s Youth Program is a place of hope and dreams. It is a place of rebirth of dreams of the children from around the world. To me, the Center is my home.” -Espoire, 15, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Through RefugeeOne’s Youth Program, over 100 refugee children and teenagers are provided with the resources they need to successfully transition into their new surroundings. Our dedicated staff members serve as liaisons between refugee families and their schools, helping families to understand school policies, accompanying them to registration and the first day of school, acting as emergency contacts, and providing parenting workshops to address topics that affect children’s academic performance. They also arrange separate report card pickup times for refugee families and accompany families to the school with interpreters to ensure that parents understand their students’ academic progress.

Refugee youth enroll in schools all around the Chicago area, including the Chicago Public Schools, near north and suburban school districts, and private schools. In 2010, youth program staff secured spots for about half of RefugeeOne’s children in charter, magnet, and private schools, which are generally higher-performing schools where children receive more specialized attention. Once children are enrolled in school, youth program staff maintain close contact with school staff for the first two to three years to ensure that students transition smoothly and succeed academically.

During the school year, RefugeeOne offers an after-school program on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-6 PM that allows students to receive 1-1 homework help and ESL tutoring from staff and volunteers, participate in team-building and conflict resolution games, and enjoy extra-curricular activities such as art, music, and athletics. The after-school program also includes occasional field trips to local cultural institutions and workshops on topics such as health, hygiene, and prevention of high-risk behavior such as gang involvement and drugs.

In the summer months, ESL activities, art, music, and athletics are offered through a six-week summer camp, allowing our youth to experience activities and subject areas that are not always available to them in their schools. Throughout the year, the Youth Program also hosts several special events. The Back-to-School Party in August invites youth and their families to celebrate the beginning of a new school year, and all children receive free backpacks and school supplies. Halloween and the Holiday Party are two other exciting events, where children go trick-or-treating for the first time, and receive their first presents from Santa.

RefugeeOne relies heavily on volunteer support to make the Youth Program possible. Many volunteers supervise and lead ESL and enrichment activities during the summer program. Others serve during the school year as after-school tutors and/or mentors. All volunteers make a six month minimum commitment to the Youth Program to ensure sufficient time to develop strong relationships.