July 2006

Youth Worker News is published by the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a coalition of youth-serving agencies that collectively serves more than 40 million youth, employs over 100,000 paid staff and utilizes more than six million volunteers.

If you are having trouble reading this newsletter, go to http://www.nassembly.org/nydic/about/ServingAllYouth.htm

 

 Promising Practices

 

 Program Resources

 

 Research and Funding

 

Serving All Youth

Youth Organizations and Immigrant Youth

 

Because first- and second-generation immigrant youth currently constitute 20 percent of the children growing up in the United States, their healthy development has fundamental long-term implications for our society.1

Youth development organizations are in the business of providing programs and services to ALL youth.  To do that, agencies often have to consider whether there are any unique approaches or needs as they expand to reach out to new populations.  For example, the recruitment and programming for teens may be different than younger children and, if an agency is trying to reach out to girls, that may be different than programming for boys.  Today, many organizations are trying to serve their community's needs and their organizational missions by recruiting and retaining immigrant youth.    Though there are many similarities in developmental issues for youth; there are additional considerations when working with youth who are newcomers, such as original culture, country of origin, family fragmentation, legal status and resettlement process, and host community.3  This edition of Youth Worker News includes program resources to assist you in your work with immigrant youth. 

The issue of immigration is at the forefront of policy and media issues across the United States but we rarely read commentary in popular media discussing how to best meet the needs of immigrant youth.  First and second generation immigrant children are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population under age 15.2  Interestingly enough, immigrants refers to many people.  In addition, in many places the word “newcomer” is replacing immigrants as a word that can be all encompassing.  Click here for definitions.

The National Collaboration is currently collecting information on how to best prepare staff to recruit and retain immigrant youth.  If your organization is doing work specifically with immigrant youth and/or preparing staff to work with immigrant youth, please contact Pam Garza at pam@nassembly.org with your organization name, contact information and details about your program.

 

 

Peers, community leaders, adults in schools, church members, and coaches are important in the adapting of adolescents in general and appear to be particularly important to immigrant adolescents.4

Local and national youth development organizations are already doing great work to recruit, retain and meet the needs of newcomer youth.  Below find just a couple of examples of this work.

 

Building Bridges within a Community

This program has revolved around building trust, education and recognition of the many talents all cultures have to share. – JoAnne Robinson, Ridgedale YMCA Community Program Director

 

On June 16, 2006, the Ridgedale YMCA will celebrate its five year anniversary of the Minnetonka Heights Community Enhancement Program.  This unique program is based in a high density housing complex where approximately 25% of the population living there are immigrants from countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Belarus, China, Somalia, Moldova, Moscow, Japan and Mexico.

Celebrating the diverse cultures and backgrounds in the Minnetonka Heights Community Enhancement Program has been well received by the residents.  Increased exposure to differences has helped to educate both the young and old who live in the complex.   Opportunities for cultural exchange happen throughout the year.  Examples include having immigrant parents speak to the youth about their culture and share traditions from their native lands in an on-site, after-school program.   American traditions, like a bountiful Thanksgiving meal, are also shared in order to make incoming immigrant families feel welcome and included.

The Ridgedale YMCA has found flexibility, education and respect to be the keys to their success.  For example, some immigrant populations are restricted to eating certain foods because of cultural practices.  Therefore, program leaders are willing to learn from immigrant families to guarantee that there is a wide variety of food available in order to meet the needs of all of their participants.

Click here to learn more about the Ridgedale YMCA.

Addressing the Needs of Immigrant Youth and Families

 

By educating the parents, along with their children, you’re giving the kids a much stronger support system. – Laura Portier-LaLumiere, Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley Director of Development

Three years ago, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley (BGCHV) became a key partner with local schools in a community initiative to work with immigrants on their language skills in order to enable their healthydevelopment.  BGCHV offered a unique aspect in their community partnership: the capability of engaging youth and families in after-school activities.  

The Twilight School was soon created to offer youth development programs for young people and English as a Second Language for their parents.  Knowing that immigrant families are often unable to participate in after-school programs because of cost and lack of transportation, BGCHV quickly found a solution.  All programs provided by the Twilight School are free of cost and bus transportation is arranged by BGCHV to the Twilight Schoolfacility.

Since the program has existed, it is obvious that the immigrant parents and youth of Huntington Beach have gained much more than stronger English skills.  Parents now have more confidence to talk to their children’s teachers, help their children with their homework and even a greater ability to communicate with doctors and health providers.  The transportation to the Twilight School has also provided an opportunity for parents and their children to bond and network with other immigrant families participating in the program.

Click here to learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley.

 

 

 

Obtaining cultural competency within an organization is significant in the overall sense of belonging a youth might have in an after-school program.  Below you will find resources to assist organizations in the area of cutlural competency.

 

The Importance of Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is defined as the ability of individuals and systems to work or respond effectively across cultures in a way that acknowledges and respects the culture of the person or organization being served.5

In providing programs for immigrant youth, it is necessary to remain aware of the cultural differences that exist between different populations of youth.  Just one of many articles and resources written on this topic is Accomplishing Cross Cultural Competence in Youth Development Programs, an article that gives an in-depth look into the importance of cultural competency and how to integrate cultural competency into every level of your youth serving organization.  Included is a short cultural competency assessment for your youth development program.  Click here to read the full article and complete the assessment.

 

Tips for Creating Successful Programs for Immigrant Youth

Community based organizations in immigrant communities should expand efforts to provide after-school activities that reinforce the children’s cultural values and heritage.6

The 2004 issue of Practice Matters provides useful strategies for three kinds of program development:  with youth themselves, their parents and their schools.  Although the newsletter is targeted towards its New York audience, the tips offered can be transferred to any program across the country and can help any youth worker learn not only how to work with immigrant youth, but also build relationships with the youth’s families and schools.  Click here to view this resource.

 

Outreach and Retention of Middle School Youth

The experiences of immigrant youth are unique and must be treated as much, both by programs targeting immigrant youth specifically and by those targeting the general youth population.7

Best Practices for Outreach and Retention of Middle School Youth in After-School Programs is designed to provide tips for providing more effective after-school programs for minority and immigrant youth.  Although not written exclusively for immigrant populations, this document does offer “how to” advice for creating programs that are aware of the cultural differences between different youth.  The promising practices included are strongly influenced by its own communities’ cultural diversity and offer program ideas for ensuring immigrant youth have an opportunity in after-school programs to embrace and celebrate their culture of origin. Click here to view this resource.

 

 

 

Addressing Equity, Access, and Diversity

Pursuing the Promise:  Addressing Equity, Access, and Diversity in After School and Youth Programs gives insight into the strategies and challenges that come with addressing diversity in after school programs.  With each point made, California Tomorrow includes an example of a local program that has implemented a strategy or overcame adversity, proving that results are tangible from the suggested strategies and that there are many organizations currently making a difference in working with immigrant youth.  A supplemental toolkit can also be purchased and offers the resources needed for training youth workers, policy makers and much more.  Click here to purchase Pursuing the Promise.

 

The Future of Children:  Children of Immigrant Families

The Future of Children:  Children of Immigrant Families addresses the transitioning society of America’s immigrant youth, while showing the strengths and weaknesses of growing up in immigrant families.  The publication offers recommendation for strategies of how federal, state and local agencies can improve services to make a difference in the lives of immigrant youth at every age of development.  Click here to download this issue of Future of Children.

 

Understanding the Social Worlds of Immigrant Youth

New Directions for Youth Development:  Understanding the Social Worlds of Immigrant Youth brings to light the daily struggles of immigrant youth and explores how these challenges impact the social growth of these young people.  This book also discusses the unique circumstances relating to specific immigrant populations and offers models as examples of how to meet each population’s needs.  Click here to purchase the book through Wiley InterScience.

 

The Well-Being of Young Children of Immigrants

When working with immigrant youth, it is important to be aware of the outside struggles that may be influencing their learning and activity.  A recent report from the Urban Institute, The Health and Well-Being of Young Children of Immigrants, is a resource youth workers can use to become better acquainted with the environments of young children of immigrants.  The publication concentrates on the challenges faced by this population at their critical young age.  Some of these challenges include poverty, low parent-child interaction and lack of insurance coverage.  Click here to download the report.

 

Seeking Funds from Foundations

The William T. Grant Foundation has granted over $500,000 in funding to organizations providing youth development services to immigrant youth for 2006.  The programs receiving funding include a variety of topics, such as English tutoring, expressing creativity through media and helping youth in the transition to adulthood.  The William T. Grant Foundation has existed since 1936 and its dedication to youth development is evident even in its motto – “supporting research to improve the lives of young people”.  Click here to learn more about the William T. Grant Foundation and its grant opportunities.

 

Contact Pam Garza at pam@nassembly.org for more information about Youth Worker News or other work of the National Youth Development Learning Network.

Newcomers, in the broadest sense, are people who live in the United States but were born in a different country.  Newcomers are a diverse range of people from all parts of the world who have come to this country for different reasons and in different capacities.  Newcomers include immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, foreign students, and temporary workers.8

The word immigrants is a broadly used term to describe three distinct populations; immigrants; undocumented immigrants and refugees.  Though often the most controversial discussions about immigrants refers to undocumented workers, it is important to note the differences between the below listed groups.

Immigrants are defined as individuals who depart their country of origin voluntarily in search of better economic and living arrangements.

Undocumented immigrants are those who enter this country without proper (legal) documentation, and have done so for reasons similar to those who are in this country as immigrants.

Refugees are those individuals who are forced to leave their country because of human rights violations and threats to safety.9

 

1 Suarez-Orozco, C. Todorova, I. 2003.  Understanding the social worlds of immigrant youth.  New Directions for Youth Development. San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.
2 Board on Children and Families. 1995. Immigrant children and their families: Issues for research and policy. The Future of Chidren.  5, 75.
3 Delgado, M., Jones, K., Rohani, M. 2005. Social work practice with refugee and immigrant youth in the United States.  Boston, MA:  Pearson Education, Inc.
4 Roffman, J., Suarez-Orozco, C., and Rhodes, J. (forthcoming). Facilitating positive development in immigrant youth: The role of mentors and community organizations.  In D. Perkings, L. M. Borden, J. G. Keith, and F. A. Villaruel (Eds.), Positive Youth Development: Creating a positive tomorrow. Borckton, MA: Klewer Press.
5 Williams, B.  Accomplishing cross cultural competence in youth development programs.  Journal of Extension, 29(6).  http://www.joe.org/joe/2001december/iw1.html
6 Shields, M. K. and Behrman, R. E.  2004.  Children of immigrant families:  Analysis and recommendations.  The Future of Children:  Children of Immigrant Families, 14(2), 13.
7 Harris, E.  2004.  Out-of-school time opportunities for immigrant youth.  The Evaluation Exchange, 10(1), 12.
8 YMCA of the USA. Engaging newcomer and immigrant communities in youth YMCA. Chicago, Illinois.
9 Definitions are from Delgado, M., Jones, K., Rohani, M. 2005. Social work practice with refugee and immigrant youth in the United States. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Youth Worker News is compiled by Stephanie Artman, National Collaboration for Youth, through funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc.  We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the informaton and the opinions are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lilly Endowment, Inc.