***Programming has transitioned to virtual platforms due to COVID19.
Young Adult Mentoring Program
Young Refugee Adults, ages 19-24, were just getting started on their cultural adjustment, career goals, and thinking of pursuing higher education when the COVID-19 crisis in the US changed everything, for all of us. Can I still enroll in online classes? Is it safe to work in a grocery store? What do I do if someone in my family gets sick? This is where you come in! Support a new neighbor as they navigate these decisions, provide encouragement, and connect them to resources as they encounter obstacles, and share your joys and sorrows with one another.
The program is currently running remotely, with mentors meeting with their mentees on Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp video calling. In the Young Adult Mentoring Program, you’ll be matched with one mentee for 6-12 months. As a mentor, you'll work with your mentee to fill out Individual Service Plans to track their goals and progress, and have the opportunity to attend online events, field trips and workshops with other mentors and mentees.
Program Requirements
Dedicate 4 hours a month for at least 6 months.
Obtain $18 Background Check (must be purchased by volunteer).
Become a mandated reporter through the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).
Attend a virtual Heartland new volunteer orientation on Zoom.
About Heartland Alliance Refugee and Immigrant Community Services (RICS)
Location:
4419 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, US
Mission Statement
Heartland Alliance advances the human rights and responds to the human needs of endangered populations--particularly the poor, the isolated, and the displaced--through the provision of comprehensive and respectful services and the promotion of permanent solutions leading to a more just global society.
Description
Refugee & Immigrant Community Services (RICS) partners with refugees, asylees, immigrants and survivors of trafficking to address their needs by connecting them to their new community, providing education and employment services, and the help they need to succeed in their new country. RICS annually resettles more than 150 individuals in Chicago from places like Afghanistan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Sudan, Ukraine, and Syria. RICS serves an additional 500 refugees through a variety of services including cultural orientation, adjustment counseling, employment, job readiness and placement services, as well as medical case management, family literacy, and English language training for adults.
