International Youth After-School Program
The International Youth Program (IYP) helps refugee teens succeed in school. The program, created in 1996, emerged from a collaboration between the IRC and Somali community leaders and students who identified unmet needs of young refugees and their families. The program is housed at the English High School (EHS) in Jamaica Plain, where a majority of Boston-area refugee youth are enrolled.
This specialized after-school program provides critical academic and life-skills support services: 1) academic support through after-school homework assistance and ESOL instruction; and 2) psychosocial student and family support through individual counseling, group counseling and education that improves communication between students, parents and EHS. While the program initially focused exclusively on Somali refugees, over the past eight years it has expanded to address the needs of a steadily growing population of refugee youth from other African countries, including Liberia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Eritrea, Ghana, Ethiopia and Congo.
By taking an individualized approach to each student and family, IYP targets specific barriers faced by each program participant, whether they be academic or deeper systemic issues within the home. An ESOL teacher and team of volunteers lend individual support with homework in a classroom setting. This is essential in helping refugee students complete assignments and develop their skills so they do not fall behind.
The structure of the program—Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the crucial hours between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.—allows staff to observe students for signs of distress, and refer those who need help to bilingual and bicultural counselors who work individually with students and families.
IYP’s health counselor, for example, educates families on cultural issues, as well as provides practical advice and referrals regarding personal finance, housing, = education and employment. This approach empowers parents as they navigate their various paths to self-sufficiency.
In 2005, all 20 seniors in the program stayed in school and passed their MCAS exams, receiving high-school diplomas. Of those, ten went to four-year colleges, three went to two-year colleges and the rest entered the work force. The IYP’s youth counselor was instrumental in providing support throughout the application process, explaining to parents the importance of financial aid and why their cooperation was needed. The youth counselor also helped students find jobs through community connections, and in some cases, through the IRC's Boston employment department.
