The Deaconess Foundation supplies grants to organizations committed to advocacy for racial equity and policy change. Seeing International Student Services Association (ISSA) continued commitment to providing equitable services for immigrants, the Deaconess Foundation has offered a connections grant to develop workforce and advisory programs for students, provide onsite or online opportunities, and hire new community development staff. ISSA partners with business and workforce programs to offer resources to students vital for their personal and professional development. Given the opportunity to work closely with workforce programs within partnered school districts, ISSA is excited to use the grant for identifying additional programs that our lower-income students can join during and after high school. These programs will help students find internships and get jobs in desired professions.
ISSA promotes equity by providing opportunities for immigrant students to explore interests, gain skills, and network with workforce-related programs. According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 50% of immigrant workers in 2011 were working low-skill labor jobs. ISSA is committed to providing equitable resources for immigrant students to explore career fields of their interest and has an advisory program to gain skills to find related internships and jobs. By developing workforce and advisory programs ISSA is empowering immigrant students to explore their passion, and acquire skills and connections to have more options and opportunities to attain higher-skilled professions in the future. ISSA will also use the connections grant to allow students to attend webinars and conferences focused on career exploration and skill building, that students would not have otherwise had access to.
In addition to developing workforce and advisory programs for students, ISSA will use the connections grant to hire new community development staff. Community development staff will work on email campaigns, and community referrals, and put together community events to expand community partnerships that benefit students’ needs. ISSA values creating community connections and providing students with more resources from community organizations. Presenting students to support communities that offer resources and information for their personal development is essential to students’ success. According to an article by the Washington Post, a significant challenge that immigrant students face at public schools is a lack of resources. To face this challenge, ISSA is committed to providing students with access to resources within the community by fostering supportive connections.
Thank you to the Deaconess Foundation for supporting ISSA’s mission to serve immigrant students in the US by granting funds for these additional opportunities to provide resources and information for students exploring their future careers. If you would like to learn more about the Deaconess Foundation, please visit https://deaconessfdn.org/.
By: Joy Holmes
