USCRI Vermont is the Vermont field office of the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). They are currently s looking for volunteers to help various groups of refugees integrate into American society. They are especially interested in local French-speakers who might be willing to volunteer to work with Francophone New Americans.
USCRI Vermont’s volunteer coordinator is Dee Dee O’Brien, who studied French at the AFLCR a few years ago. Dee Dee highlights two particular programs that might be of interest to AFLCR students or community members:
Family Friend
As a Family Friend volunteer, you would help a family (or a couple, or an individual) learn more about their new Vermont environment and the resources it offers and help them become more able to function in it. You would explore our local culture with them: you could take the family ice skating or apple picking, for example, or visit the local library. Or you could help them with essential functions like sorting their mail and learning how to use the U.S. Postal Service. The possibilities are limitless.
Your time as a Family Friend can be as structured or as loose as you would like it to be. The time commitment is 1 to 2 hours per week for one year. USCRI would provide you with guidelines on how to be a Family Friend. “Once we get to know you through your volunteer application and personal Zoom interviews,” Dee Dee says, “we will work with you to match you with a family.”
English Language Tutor
As an English language tutor, you would help one person or a small group learn English. No previous teaching experience is necessary—to learn how to do it, you would undergo USCRI’s four-part online training program. USCRI would then match you with a learner. (Learners are adults only, not minors.) USCRI would work with you to identify a student who is at a level you are comfortable teaching
There is no set curriculum, but USCRI would provide you with teaching resources. You would prepare a lesson for each teaching session. You would meet your student in person or via Zoom, as you both prefer. The commitment is a minimum of 2 hours/week for one year.
Note that USCRI is not asking for translators or interpreters. Rather, the appeal is for volunteers who speak French to participate in these volunteer programs.
Other Ways to Help
You could also contribute by helping refugees held up in temporary housing.
Alternatively, consider contributing to USCRI Vermont’s efforts here. (Click the amount, then under “Please direct my support,” on the dropdown choose “Refugees and Immigrants.” Where it says “Select location,” on the dropdown choose “Vermont.”)
If you are interested in volunteering, please write to Dee Dee at volunteer@refugees.org.
USCRI is the organization formerly known s the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program.