Youth Mentor at Catholic Charities Refugee Services

Where will I serve? The Northside CYO building is located three blocks down the road from Assumption Church on the Northside of Syracuse.

Who will I serve? Newly arrived refugee youth ages 5 – 21.

What will I do? You will conduct daily after-school and summer time recreational and academic support for newly arrived refugee students. You will also assist with the school enrollment processes for these new Americans.

What will my day look like?

• Plan activities for elementary and teen age refugee students such as cooking, gym, science, art, and ENL activities.
• Run after-school recreational and academic programming daily.
• Help register newly arrived refugees for the Syracuse City School District.
• Take students to their first day of school.
• Help organize the facilities to create a healthy learning environment for the students.
• Help families learn about the American school system.
• Help connect those families to their children’s school through assisting with parent-teacher conferences and helping connect to school activities.
• Help plan and supervise a summer academy, which is a mock school to orient new American students to American schools and begin to learn English.
• Help plan and supervise summer recreational programming for students which consists of field trips, parks, swimming, art, reading, science, cooking, and movies.

What gifts and talents will I bring and grow in? Ability to work with a diverse population of students and youth from all over the world. A welcoming, friendly and compassionate demeanor. Learn and practice cultural humility. An interest in hearing the stories of others and to sit with those in their times of struggle. Classroom management which includes patience and understanding. An interest in the immigration and refugee resettlement process.

Follow Janet (FC23) and Jazmin (FC23) around in a day in the life as a Youth Mentor at Catholic Charities Refugee Services!