YOUTH PROGRAMS

YOUTH PROGRAMS

The RDC serves dozens of youth through several different projects and activities. We provide youth with the resources to excel in their educational environments, whether that’s school supplies or scholarships. Additionally, we offer a number of youth mentorship which involves offering psychosocial support, accompaniment, college essay support, and applications, peer support, and an opportunity to build interpersonal and social relationships.

 

Homework Helpers

Homework Helpers is an innovative program pioneered by the Refugee Dream Center that serves both refugee children and their caretaker(s). This program primarily targets younger refugee children of primary school age. Our volunteers are available for tutoring at the center, especially during the school year. Students can come in for help with homework or any other academic project. They can work with other students or one-on-one with a tutor depending on their specific academic needs.

Additionally, as we know, refugees often lack childcare services which can prevent them from actively participating in their communities. So, Homework Helpers also functions as a form of child care here at the center. All individuals who participate in any of our classes or workshops are encouraged to bring their children with them — we always have volunteers present to entertain our students’ children and assist them with homework while their parents learn.  

Refugee Youth Program:

The Refugee Youth Dream is a model of mentoring, geared towards helping young people realize their dreams through self-esteem building, leadership training, and community service. It provides a space for diverse groups of young people to form friendships, share stories, and build cross-cultural communication skills. The program primarily engages with refugee teens and young adults, who often face challenges in acculturation and education. The program creates a positive and empowering space for youth to develop critical leadership and communication skills; it places particular emphasis on helping refugee youth to identify their strengths and become empowered to create an enduring and vibrant community of their own, here, in Rhode Island.

 

The program runs on alternating Fridays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Refugee Dream Center during the school year. If you are interested in mentoring these youth in the 2023-24 school year please email us. 

Youth Domestic Abuse Prevention:

Due to past success with our youth mentorship program focusing on addressing domestic violence, we were able to expand this project into its own program. We convened a cohort of 20 refugee youth to participate in a 3-month program dedicated to discussing domestic and intimate partner violence, and related topics. The cohort met twice a month for their training, with sessions lasting between 2 to 3 hours. These trainings are led by Dr. Omar Bah, with the help of two established staff – a youth mentor, a caseworker, and a program coordinator. We found that this program created a strong support network for refugee youth as a source for guidance and inspiration, and for practical references to useful opportunities and resources for growth.

 

Youth Soccer League
Our youth soccer league: The Dream Team! This program is for refugee youths of all genders ages 16 and up. Youths meet regularly to play soccer together and make friends in the community. Join our Youth Soccer Program join here this program begins July 1, 2023!