Manchester, NH – SNHU and YWCA NH Open Center for New Americans

by | Dec 8, 2017 | Uncategorized

Southern New Hampshire University and YWCA NH have launched a new partnership initiative to serve immigrant community members in Manchester and across the state.

On December 1, 2017, SNHU, YWCA NH and community members came together for the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the official opening of the Center for New Americans.

“We know that talent is distributed equally, but opportunity is not. At SNHU, we are trying to change that unfortunate reality,” said Paul LeBlanc, President of SNHU. “The Center for New Americans reinforces our commitment to the local community and we are proud to be working with YWCA NH to help more refugees and immigrant populations in the state gain access to the support systems and services they need to transform their lives through education.”

Some services provided by the new center include:

  • College preparation and counseling, including financial literacy courses and FAFSA and college application support
  • English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes and preparation services so that students can work towards taking the TOEFL exam and obtaining certification
  • College-level courses, using the University’s online and competency-based degree program to offer pathways to a college degree
  • Cultural orientation to help refugee and immigrant populations gain cultural competencies and an understanding of U.S. traditions, customs, and laws
  • Mentorship and coaching services for local immigrant and refugee populations of all ages to help overcome roadblocks to success

Read more about the Center for New Americans here.

Watch WMUR’s coverage of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Philadelphia, PA – Leaders in Skilled Immigrant Integration

by | Nov 21, 2017 | Uncategorized

“The City of Philadelphia, in partnership with the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, is offering a three-month paid fellowship to support foreign-trained professionals along their journey to success.

Under Mayor James Kenney, the Department of Commerce and the Managing Director’s Office are spearheading an effort to develop a citywide workforce development strategy, including efforts to reduce barriers to employment and advance career pathways.

Philadelphia is a city with strong universities and employers, but not all of their constituents have the ability to access these institutions. As one of the largest employers in Philadelphia, the city hopes to lead by example, and provide better opportunities to people who historically find it difficult to access good jobs and family sustaining wages.

Accelerating the integration of immigrant professionals into the workforce requires not only the commitment of this city as a welcoming place, but also dedicated programs and a coordinated workforce system that explicitly champions these opportunities. Through their “City as Model Employer” initiative, in conjunction with The Welcoming Center, the city of Philadelphia will develop an “earn and learn” program model for Philadelphia’s immigrant community to provide critically important transitional work opportunities to individuals with barriers to employment.”

 

This post has been shared from IMPRINT. Access the full article here or visit www.imprintproject.org for more news and findings related to immigrant integration across the nation.

 

Syracuse, NY – Welcoming Economies Convening

by | Nov 15, 2017 | Uncategorized

Here’s what you missed in Syracuse:

Welcoming Economies Convening highlights Rust Belt optimism.

Representatives gathered from cities across the Midwest and beyond to learn how to advance welcoming economies during this particularly challenging time for immigrant integration and welcome.

The Welcoming Economies Convening was characterized by inspiration, re-energizing, and opportunity. Highlights included new research about the positive impacts that immigrants have had in the Great Lakes region, local NPR coverage, and more. Participants went home with tangible ways to replicate innovative practices in their community.

This post has been shared from Welcoming America. Click here to access the full article or visit We Global Network for the full scoop on Welcoming Economies.

The 2017 National Immigrant Integration Conference

by | Oct 23, 2017 | Uncategorized

The National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC), sponsored by the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), is the largest conference on immigration in the country and has become the central hub of the diverse and broad immigrant rights movement. At the NIIC the many different spokes of this movement gather to amplify shared values, be inspired, build relationships, and share ideas, strategies, and information.

At this extraordinary moment, this year’s theme is AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. NIIC 2017 will focus on protecting immigrant families and their advancement as essential contributors to our nation, with “justice for all.” NIIC 2017 will be a crossroads where state and local immigrant integration and welcoming strategies are shared; where resistance to anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, anti-Muslim policies is advanced; where business, corporate, and labor leadership in the field of integration is celebrated; where deep civic engagement is planned; where under-recognized Black and Asian immigrant voices are lifted up; where immigrant contributions to our economy and workforce are celebrated; where academic experts connect with practitioners; and where immigrant rights leaders connect with leaders of women’s, environmental, Black Lives Matter, and LGBTQ movements.

NIIC is an intentionally generous space, working to include a wide range of leaders, organizations, and networks working to promote their work and vision. Concretely NIIC 2017 will strive to:

  • Define, understand, and share strategies that counteract the nationalist agenda of hate in our nation;
  • Encourage issue tracks to provide specific, useful information on strategies to protect families;
  • Share the Arizona story of SB1070 “Show Me Your Papers” hate, border pain, “Sheriff Joe” lawlessness, and celebrate the building of effective resistance;
  • Encourage side meetings and tracks that advance immigrant integration, economic advancement, and immigrant justice agendas;
  • Promote active cooperation between the various immigrant, refugee, civil rights, ethnic, business, labor, and issue and interest groupings of our movement;
  • Promote naturalization and civic engagement as a strategy for power and justice;
  • Actively support the work of under represented leaders in the Asian, Black, and Muslim communities;
  • Promote economic empowerment and economic justice initiatives;
  • Lift up the leadership of municipalities and states on immigrant integration and justice efforts.

 

Visit niic2017.org to register or learn more about NIIC.