On August 11, 2010, refugees and asylees enrolled in the Early Employment Program got the opportunity to take a tour of Glendale Community College (GCC), as a means to expose them to resources and options available, for when they find themselves on the road to higher learning.
“The tour came at a good time,” said Luisa Gavoutian, Employment Specialist. “We have many participants in the Early Employment Program who are interested in continuing their education but do not know about the resources that are available to them.”
Student Outreach Services staff guided IRC personnel and program participants through the campus, visiting several key departments within GCC—Admissions and Records, the Financial Aid Office, the Learning Center, as well as Student Employment Services.
Even those who do not live near Glendale benefited greatly from the tour. Amon, program participant from Uganda, said that he would take the information he learned and try to find similar programs at the community college closer to his home.
“It [campus tour] was very helpful,” said Amon.
Amon, like other asylees and newly arrived refugees, turn to community colleges to help them reach their educational goals. Whether they are looking to take English as a Second Language courses to hone Basic English skills, enroll in a Certificate Program or, lean towards getting recertification, more and more, the pursuit of an education is becoming a priority for these individuals.
“We definitely look forward to making these field trips a more regular occurrence for our participants,” said Luisa.
The Early Employment Program relies heavily on the support of volunteer Job Mentors, to help guide our refugees on the road to self-sufficiency and beyond.
For more information on how you can become a Job Mentor, please contact our volunteer coordinator at VolunteerLA@theIRC.org
