The International Institute of Buffalo (IIB) recently launched two new volunteer programs to continue our essential work of helping new neighbors acclimate and integrate into Western New York. Employment Buddies and Conversation Club team volunteers with IIB clients on the ground level in small groups or one-on-one to work on resumes, apply for jobs, practice casual English, and foster friendships.
Employment Buddies bolsters and broadens our employment team’s robust work to assist clients in finding meaningful employment. It’s seen an immediate impact with several volunteers helping clients apply for jobs and practice terminology they’ll use with their employers. The program includes field trips to area businesses such as the Broadway Market – a fixture near many of our clients. Employment buddies meet once a week at our offices on Delaware Avenue.
“The community gets a chance to interact firsthand to get to know new neighbors and fellow community members – they share their expertise to help clients learn something new and open doors for the public to really understand what we do and who we are,” said IIB’s Senior Director of Programs May Shogan, emphasizes the program’s mutual benefits.
Conversation Club meets twice a week in a casual setting. Though not curriculum-based, it doesn’t just focus on practical communication; it helps folks learn daily skills, words, and phrases while underscoring social skills, inclusion, and new connections. The interactions help clients engage with the community and feel comfortable and included outside their jobs.
It’s also an outlet for our volunteers to connect with the people we serve through face-to-face interaction.
“We want to give volunteers an opportunity to use their skills to help our refugees in different areas – conversational English, general topics, focused topics, and vocabulary,” Shogan adds. “In the absence of an ESL class, we are building a casual, comfortable setup where volunteers have opportunities to share their experiences and teach English.”
The new programs allow community members to break down walls and truly understand who the foreign-born are, aside from what may be seen or heard online or in the news. From shared experiences, interests, and things they can help and even learn from, history shows clients remember the folks who helped them, often their first point of contact, for years to come.
The more volunteers, the merrier! If you’d like to participate, bring a friend or invite someone to practice English, you’re welcome to join!
