Literacy for Life Program

Onsite ESL & Vocational Training:  The core of Literacy for Life is ESL; both beginning and advanced level classes are offered three times per week on-site at the New York Resettlement Office.  Teachers work with a curriculum focused on competency-based concepts which include the themes of health, transportation, employment and housing.  Simultaneously, class content incorporates cultural orientation to life in the U.S. and New York City. allowing refugee students to access and understand subtleties of their new home.  In addition, Citizenship, Creative Writing, Conversation, Computer and EMployment classes take place throughout the week and Financial and Health Literacy workshops are offered on a rotating basis.  All Literacy for Life classes operate under an open enrollment policy, at times serving other refugee, asylee and immigrant populations from the greater New York area.

Lifelong Learning Project:  The lifelong Learning Project serves IRC refugee clients who are unable to attend on-site ESL classes.  Through careful consultation with IRC staff, clients are referred to and registered in appropriate (an convenienct) classes located throughout the five boroughs.

Home Tutoring Program:  IRC Home Tutors travel to refugee cleints' homes for English language tutoring sessions.  Tutors work closely with IRC staff to design a program for each individual, based heavily on the refugee student's own goals for him or herself.