Volunteer-Led Social Service Support For 1st Generation Adolescents

Population Served

• Serving teens whose families migrated from refugee camps on Thailand-Myanmar border; Karen population
• Teens are ‘defacto heads of household’

The Social Support Model

• Dedicated advocate for each teen girl settling in urban Hartford, Conn.
  • Begins 5th grade; students followed through college
• More than 250 volunteers since 2010
  • Goal to empower young girls to return to the community as leaders
• Transportation needs (school, classes, healthcare appointments)
• Health and wellness support for mental and physical health
  • Education literacy support (e.g. medication, asthma, pain)
• Arts, music and sports
  • Skills training, sign-ups, transportation, uniforms, development
• Navigating home-life issues
  • Safety, job loss, utility issues, siblings, health crisis/substance use
• Academic guidance
  • Study support, research, internet, writing papers
• Educational infrastructure
  • Full-day, year-long school
• High school and college planning
• Tutoring and job support opportunities

 

Listen here for a 10-year recap of the outcomes and lessons from the Migrant Family Health Network as presented during the 2020 National Value Based Summit on innovative models.

Presentation June 2021