First Friends Community Support
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Schedule sessions that are convenient to both you and your new friend that is as consistent from week to week as possible?Provide support for the family as they learn about and adjust to their new language, culture and environment?Help with appointments and social services (if your schedule allows)Provide encouragement and support when needed?Introduce the family to their new community -- go to community events, connect to additional resources, help them to link with their own community organizations ?Answer questions and suggest solutions when you canAs a First Friend, not only can you guide the refugee through these new experiences, but you can also provide encouragement and relief from this stress.?Assess clients occasionally (English conversations, reading mail or newspapers, etc.). Reaffirm if necessary. ?Consult your Volunteer Coordinator contact with any questions or for assistance with reported or observed difficulties- many absences or cancellations, resistance to teaching, etc.Volunteers can spend as much times with their refugee families as they desireMore possible activities do do with families:-I spy (to learn colors and names for objects)-Driving lessons (for those families who have their own car, however no permit)-Going to thrift stores (especially for pregnant mothers)-Share culture and food-Watch movies/TV in English
About North Carolina African Services Coalition
North Carolina African Services Coalition (NCASC) is an IRS recognized 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides services to refugees, asylees, and victims of human trafficking who settle in Greensboro, NC. NCASC helps refugees with finding a place to live, offers services that lead to employment, and provides information on resettlement and the workings of American life.NCASC is one of several organizations responsible for resettling newly arrived refugee families from all over the world into the Greensboro area. This includes assisting families in acclimating to their foreign environment and tapping into a well-developed network of resources to achieve success in the areas of employment, education, finances, health, and more.Many people who live here don’t realize that Guilford County is home to North Carolina’s largest and most diverse refugee population. According to the Center for New North Carolinians, Guilford County becomes home to an average of nearly 500 new refugees each year. These people come from a variety of countries and ethnic backgrounds. Included among Guilford County’s recent arrivals are groups from Somalia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Cuba, Bhutan and Nepal, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Iraq, and Afghanistan, among others. These people strive to achieve stability, a fresh start and a chance for a brighter future for their families in the U.S.*For more information, visit our website at www.ascafrica.org.
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