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ROSS Mentoring Services: New Youth Perspectives
EMO’s Russian Oregon Social Services (ROSS), in partnership with Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), was awarded a community impact partner grant from the United Way in August of 2006, in order to provide mentoring services to Eastern European immigrant and refugee youth.The stresses placed on Eastern European immigrant youth today are magnified beyond the stresses placed on mainstream youth. In addition to the standard stresses of seeking acceptance and achieving success, Eastern European youth face significant language and cultural barriers. These barriers contribute to increased dropout rates and illicit usage of drugs and alcohol. Children who come from strictly religious homes (the majority of the Eastern European population in Portland), face particular challenges of stringent parental expectations that don’t correspond to the freedoms they experience at schools or see enjoyed by classmates. The parents of Eastern European youth are often ill-equipped to assist their children with the challenges they face in acculturating, as they themselves struggle with acquiring a new language, unfamiliarity with the U.S. education system and limited employment opportunities.
The goal of the New Youth Perspectives mentorship program is to:
• Provide refugee/immigrant youth with a comprehensive, culturally- and linguistically-appropriate mentoring program designed to improve engagement in school and community.
• Improve parenting skills of parents and participants.
• Increase communication regarding cultural barriers between families and community organizations.Services offered through New Youth Perspectives program are as follows:
• Weekly individual homework assistance for youth.
• Career exploration and job shadowing.
• Service learning projects.
• Workshops/activities developing positive youth peer relationships.
• Workshops for parents regarding the structure and demands of U.S. school systems.
• 12-session parenting workshop.
• Cultural sensitivity training for schools and other community service providers.If you would like to be a mentor, to participate in this program or have any questions, contact:
Russian Oregon Social Services
4033 SE Woodstock Blvd., Portland, OR 97202
phone: (503) 777-3437
fax: (503) 777-6545
email: ross@emoregon.org
Richard Kearney, Youth Development Specialist
