Education

Youth programs

Our current youth programs are:

Youth Basketball Team

Youth local basketball league

Travel to Minnesota to join the Somali basketball tournament

Youth cultural dance group

Youth event planning committee

Youths represent the future of our community. 100% of our youths are from low income household, and they often do not get enough attention nor the support from their parents and older family members. Our role as a community is to give the support and the guidance to youths and let then know that we care for them.

Through our youth programs, the participating youths learn their cultural heritage, re-gain the ethnic identity as Somalis, develop communication and collaboration skills, develop leadership skills, learn to be responsible, develop plans for future after high sch

Children’s programs

We provide academic support and help the healthy personal growth to the community children by providing;

Bilingual after school tutoring program

Kids summer activities

Cultural education

Many of our community children did not have a schooling opportunity before coming to the US. They start by learning English, then catching up with American born students. The newly arrived children are required to do all the following at the same time: leaning English, learning American culture, learning to modify behaviors, dealing with oppressions, adjusting to the culture gap between home and the school, and interpreting between Somali and English for their parents who take longer time to learn English. Only few make it to the regular classes after being in the special education for years.

Even after transferring to the regular classes, they still ool, raise self-confidence and are prepared to go into the adult world. struggle to be in the classroom, where they might get laughed at when they ask questions in the class with Somali-English accent. Many children drop out and start spending more time on streets at young age. Parents have their own struggles and are not able to give enough support to children. The need to support a child at community organizations is indispensable to the future of our children.

Through our children’s programs, children are able to ask questions in their own language, learn with peers, learn and/or retain Somali culture and history, re-gain their ethnic identity, obtain emotional support and the life guidance from community adults, and improve their academic achievement.

Summer*Summer*Summer

Here you are again. Every summer, our community children come to our center for summer kids activities. The summer kids activities program provides: weekly fieldtrips to explore nature, cultural dance practice, Somali writing, English writing, math games, art craft, Somali history, language, and cultural education, door to door pickup and drop off, summer nutritious lunch and snacks, and back to school goodies. On the last day of the summer program, we invite parents and have summer end celebration. Children display their artworks, read their essay, and sing Somali cultural songs and anthem.

Parent programs

We provide Refugee Parent Education classes for the parents from Africa to help them learn to raise their children in the US in multicultural environment.

…..What’s coming:

In year 2008, we are making parent education DVD in Somali language. The DVDs will be available to watch at community organizations around you.

Computer Class

Our center’s computer lab is equipped with Window’s vista and Microsoft Office 2007. Thanks to the generous support from City of Seattle Information and Technology Department and NonProfit Assistance Center, we have bought 17 brand new computers for our computer lab.

Our computer class teaches basic computer skills and job and independent resources to community members. Within three month of taking our computer class, clients who have never touched computers will be using internet search engine, e-mail, Craig’s list, Somali radio via BBC.com, and will be tying resumes and business letters. Also while in the class, we teach clients the job and housing interview skills, dress for success, and how to supervise their children’s internet activities.

What’s Unique:

Since majority of the computer class participants are the parents of young children, we provide onsite childcare during the class.

Somali Community Services of Seattle

Thank you Seattle Public Schools is in its 6th year of participating in the federal Refugee School Impact Grant. The purpose of Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG) funding is to support local school systems that are impacted by significant numbers of newly arrived refugee children, ages 5 to 18, by improving students’ academic performance and social adjustment to schools.

· After school tutoring

1. after school tutoring for school age children

The need to help a child develop language skills and to help them improve their academic achievement

Are indispensable to the future of the children

Our after school tutoring program has the following advantages:

· culturally appropriate study environment

· Bilingual staffs in Somali and English

· Emphasis on academic success

· Parents are welcomed to participate in the program with their children

· Substantial changes in the students; academic performance

· Building students’ confidence

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