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| Refugee Transitions Volunteer Newsletter |
August 2009 |
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Greetings!
Summer is coming to an end, and that means it's BACK TO SCHOOL time for many of our students. If you are working with a youth, now is a good time to reintroduce basic concepts that may be covered in classes, as well as important work habits that will help your student achieve success and make a smooth transition into the new year. For those of you working with adults who have children, help them prepare to be more active participants in their kids' education. Depending on the level of your learner, this can be as simple as teaching them how to call in an absence, ask questions in a parent-teacher conference, keep a calendar of important school events and deadlines, and keep school contact information readily available in case of emergencies. If you are working with parents in the East Bay, we have put together a handy manual in conjunction with the Oakland Unified School District. This manual, translated into several languages, aims to provide our adult learners with the tools necessary to engage educational institutions with confidence and facility. Feel free to contact us if you would like a copy. The new school year brings excitement and promise to many of our students--both youth and adults alike. Take advantage of this enthusiasm and anticipation! And don't forget to plan your first-day-of-school outfits! Lots of Gratitude, The RT Team Contact Us |
"Raising Bookworms": Advice from RT Tutor Lena Buell
Last week, I found this excellent interview with a childrens' book author on "Raising Bookworms". The interview jumped out at me because this is just what I've been trying to work on with the boy I tutor -- getting him to want
to read. He's about to enter 3rd grade, and loves math (he wants to be
an engineer), but remains unconvinced that reading, writing and
spelling are also fun and/or important. So, reading, writing and
spelling are just what I've been asking him to do every week.
So far, I've actually had pretty good progress on the writing and
spelling side. We've even gotten into a story-writing routine: each
week, we pick a topic and he writes about it. Anything he wants -
including Lego and computer games - and I help him a little with
brainstorming before he starts writing. He'll often throw in words I
would never have expected, and he guess-spells them fairly well
("poasinis" for "poisonous" in a story about snakes, for example). The
main stumbling block has been in reading. He will read, and does
read, but, interestingly, not usually for content. Most of the time
he's just reading the letters/words without absorbing the meaning - and
if there's a word he doesn't know, he just skips over it, unconcerned.
I've been working on this with him by reading stories outloud, and
making him stop, sound out and learn the meaning of each word he doesn't
know. Even so, reading is still a chore for him-- probably because he's
not connecting the physical task of reading with the emotional and
mental rewards from understanding and absorbing the story or
information. This is where the article came in: how can I get him to love
reading? To gobble up every book in sight, like I did when I was a kid?
In the interview, the author mentions the importance of recognizing
each individual child's passions and interests when encouraging
reading.
My brilliant idea: a field trip to the local library!
Conveniently, there is a branch located a few blocks from my tutee's
house, so we walked over last Tuesday. While I had hoped he'd jump at
the chance to pick out any book he wanted, he mostly wandered
around the library looking at comic books and rejecting my suggestions
of chapter books and picture books I thought he might like. Not to be
deterred, I eventually got him to agree to three story- and
chapter-books. One, a book of scary stories, was a little advanced for
his age, so I decided to read it to him instead of asking him to read
to me. I'm hoping this tactic will get him more excited about reading,
as he might feel like it's less of a chore and more of a new form of
entertainment. I'm also considering suggesting his mother read to him,
as the author in the interview argues this is positive reinforcement
even for kids in middle school.
I plan to take my tutee back to the library on a regular basis. I'm convinced I'll get him to love books one of these days!
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RT Girls Summer Camp
Friday, August 21st- Sunday, August 23rd San Francisco's Presidio
WE NEED VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS OR DAYTIME HELPERS!
Refugee Transitions is hosting our 3rd annual overnight camping weekend for refugee youth in the Bay Area! We will camp, hike, visit the beach, have a campfire, practice our English, set goals for the new school year, and have fun! All events take place in or near San Francisco's Presidio.
Girls/Young women in RT's program are welcome! [ages 12-17]
If you are interested in being a counselor, or would like to help out with any daytime activities, PLEASE CONTACT LAUREN ASAP! Email lauren@reftrans.org to enroll your youth today! Spots are filling up fast!
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RT Introduces the Refugee Transitions YouTube Channel
Refugee Transitions has a new YouTube Channel! Check out our videos and don't forget to subscribe. This is a great way to notify your friends and family about the volunteer work that you do, and inspire others to get involved. You can locate our channel here.

If you are interested in making a video about your own experience as an RT Volunteer, please let us know! Contact julia@reftrans.org if you have an idea or would like to tell your story.
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Your Student's Writing Can be Published!
Your students' personal stories can be published and used to teach language and literacy development!
Dr. Gail Weinstein, a professor at San Francisco State University, is collecting stories from English language learners to include in her "Learners' Lives as Curriculum" publication. Dr. Weinstein uses learner texts, such as language experience dictation, poems, personal stories, folktales, or interviews, as catalysts for discussing
themes of interest or concern to learners. If you are interested in submitting a text that your student has written, please email Julia at julia@reftrans.org. For more information about this project and to view a student writing sample, please click here. |
Refugee Transitions' Boys Summer Camp: A Hit!

On July 24th-26th, RT took 22 boys camping in San Francisco's Presidio. Camp participants slept under the stars, visited the Golden Gate Bridge, sang songs and ate s'mores around the campfire, and went on a nature hike.
Boys from 6 different nations came together for this event and all had a great time making new friends and enjoying the outdoors.- To hear campers talk about their favorite camp activity, watch our YouTube video here.
- To view a photo album of pictures from this weekend, please click here.
Thanks to RT volunteers Dom Walterspiel and Zack Reidman for helping out as fantastic camp counselors!

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Refugee Transitions T-Shirt Contest
DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED
We are collecting artwork created by students and will select one winner to put on an official RT t-shirt. Please inform your students about this fun opportunity. First prize: $40 gift certificate Second prize: $20 gift certificate
Submission guidelines:
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Entries can be hand-drawn or
created in the computer on an 8½" X 11" sheet of white paper.
The design should be inspired
by the mission of Refugee Transitions, or the student's own personal
experience as a refugee or immigrant.
Submission deadline: August 31, 2009
Julia Otis Refugee Transitions 870 Market Street Suite 718 San Francisco, CA 94102
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Digital Television Conversion
With the recent conversion from analogue to digital broadcast television, many refugee families are left without this amenity. Help them get hooked up! Help families find a local vendor that sells the converter boxes. Installation tips can be found online. Visit www.dtv.gov for more information. |
Become Friends with RT on Facebook!
Join Refugee Transitions' online facebook community. Become our friend and get access to RT news, photos, YouTube videos, and more!
To add us as a friend, click here. | |
Elsa Amboy, RT's South Bay Volunteer Coordinator, Receives Award Refugee Transitions' South Bay Volunteer Coordinator, Elsa Amboy, is one of four individuals to receive Catholic Charities' 2009 Volunteers of the Year Award. Congratulations!
Elsa's tireless effort to help create a broader network of support for
newly arrived refugees in the San Jose area has gained national recognition by Catholic Charities, one of the
leading refugee resettlement agencies in the country. The award commends Elsa for her fantastic work creating partnerships, advocating on behalf of newly arrived refugees, galvanizing volunteer support, and building community. We're proud to have Elsa as part of our team! For more information on Elsa's notable work and this award, please click here. |
Oakland Unified School District's Refugee & Asylee Student Assistance Program is Hosting:
2009 Back to School Fair
Help refugee & asylee families in the OUSD get ready for the new school year!
Saturday August 29th 12:00-3:00 pm OUSD Family & Community Office 2111 International Blvd, Oakland CA

The fair will provide:- Information on after school programs
- Tools and tips to help parents support their children in school
- Free back-to-school supplies
- Food and fun!
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Complete This Month's Volunteer Log!
Help us track our students' progress
By filling out your monthly logs, you help keep us abreast of the fantastic work you do. WE READ EACH AND EVERY ONE. This is crucial for our grant reporting and our ability to support volunteers. Submit your log on our website:
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Help RT Expand Its Capacity: What Special Skills Do YOU Have?
We know that many of you have areas of expertise in your professional or personal lives, and we would love to put those skills to use!
Help RT expand its capacity by volunteering to help with specific skills-based projects on an as-needed basis. If a project comes up that looks like a good fit, we'll let you know to see if you'd like to be involved. No strings attached. We just want to tap into one of our organization's greatest resources: YOU!
What are the skills you would gladly share with us if we gave you the opportunity to do so?
Our current needs...
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Technology (website development, database/CRM, social media)
- Languages spoken
- Fundraising
Please contact Julia at julia@reftrans.org if you have skills you would like to share with Refugee Transitions. |
After School Tutors Needed in Oakland and San Francisco!
Refugee Transitions is partnering with Oakland International High School and the newly-opening San Francisco International High School to provide after-school tutoring services to their refugee and immigrant student bodies.
Want to Help? Know someone who does?
We need tutors:
In Oakland: 4521 Webster St. (near Macarthur BART) Mon, Tues & Thurs: 3:15-4:45 Wed: 1:30-4:30
In San Francisco: 18th & Dolores (near 16th St. BART) Tues & Thurs 3:15-4:45 Wed: 1:30-4:30
Email Lauren if you are interested!
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New Policy Permits Asylum for Battered WomenBy Julia PrestonNY Times ArticleJuly 15, 2009
The Obama administration has opened the way for foreign women who are
victims of severe domestic beatings and sexual abuse to receive asylum
in the United States. The action reverses a Bush administration stance
in a protracted and passionate legal battle over the possibilities for
battered women to become refugees.
In addition to meeting other strict conditions for asylum, abused women
will need to show that they are treated by their abuser as subordinates
and little better than property, according to an immigration
court filing by the administration, and that domestic abuse is widely
tolerated in their country. They must show that they could not find
protection from institutions at home or by moving to another place
within their own country.
To read the rest of this article, please click here. |
Useful Resources for Your Work as an RT Tutor
Materials for Pre-literate Adult Students
"Making It Real: Teaching Pre-literate Adult Refugee Students"
This book reviews
some effective practices for teaching preliterate adult
refugees. It includes information on how to teach speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Each of the sections provides examples and
descriptions of useful approaches, techniques, and activities.
There is a checklist of language competencies that learners who are
new to the language need to know, a section on teaching multi-level
groups, and information on resources that teachers and service
providers can use. View the whole book here.
Summer Resource 2009 Guide
This Resource Guide lists the contact information for various agencies in the Bay Area that promote job development, healthy living, summer fun, and community resources. Please click here.
San Francisco International High School Opening in August 2009
USCIS Citizenship Test Questions Have Been Updated
During the U.S. Citizenship Exam, students are asked 10 questions, which are randomly selected from this list of 100 questions. Use the new USCIS flashcards to quiz your clients studying for the exam. To learn about whether your student may be eligible to take this test, please call us at 415-989-2151.
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Know someone who wants to Volunteer?
 If you know someone who wants to volunteer with Refugee Transitions, we are always looking for more help in the East Bay, San Francisco and the South Bay!
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Thank you, again, for all that you do to serve the immigrant and refugee populations of the Bay Area. You are the heart and soul of what we do!
Sincerely,
Lauren, Laura, Tenley, ZarNi, Grace, Elsa, Nandi, Julia, Nakachi and Christina (The Refugee Transitions Team) |
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