Hundreds of Adults Will Receive Career and Citizenship Support
Community Education at IU13 Awarded New Grants to Expand Services
Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, PA: Community Education at IU13 continues to expand its work through the help of grants from local and national organizations and agencies. These monetary awards will fund services to help hundreds of people in Lancaster, Lebanon, and Dauphin counties over the next few years.
Refugee Center Receives Funding to Support Afghan Families
IU13 received significant grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the US Department of Health & Human Services, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, to support recent Afghan entrants in attaining the knowledge and resources needed to begin a professional career in their new communities. With partner support from Church World Service (CWS) and the Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon, IU13 will serve 108 Afghan entrants in Lancaster and Dauphin counties through:
- Case Management
- Cultural, educational and career navigation
- Basic skills and English language acquisition
- Job training
- High school equivalency
- Post-secondary education
- Credentialing
- Mentoring
Partnerships to Provide Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Assistance Services
Additionally, a grant from the US Department of Homeland Security will allow IU13 and CWS to serve 200 legal immigrants who are seeking US Citizenship. IU13 will provide citizenship instruction and CWS will provide naturalization assistance and legal services.
Roundtables Help Inmates Re-enter Society After Incarceration
Lancaster County Community Foundation has granted funds to IU13 to facilitate communication between formerly incarcerated individuals and employers. This work will be led by the Lancaster County Re-Entry Coalition’s Education, Employment and Training Impact Group, which is chaired by Tim Shenk, Program Director for Community Education at IU13. IU13 is also partnering with CareerLink’s re-entry team, the Department of Corrections, the Chamber of Commerce, and Jeffrey Abramowitz, executive director of Justice Partnerships for JEVS Human Services.
Funds will aim to bridge the gap between Lancaster County employers and re-entrants, with the goal of supporting re-entry efforts for a safe and healthy community as well as an enhanced workforce. The first meeting with employers will happen in February 2023.
