Services
IWP offers a number of projects and services that align with the hopes and needs of the immigrant community. Due to the fact that our work evolves from listening to the community, our projects and services are constantly changing, growing, and transforming.
- College Mentorship Program: This program pairs qualified and trained mentors with college-ready high school students or recent graduates to assist with the college application process. Mentors aid the students in areas of greatest need; however, mentorship might include: college searches, essay feedback, résumé building, and understanding available financial aid and scholarships.
- Youth Ambassador Program: This program works in conjunction with the College Mentorship Program to encourage high school students to consider college as well as providing them with the resources to understand and prepare for college. As a group, the students work on various projects to help other students in school and encourage community-wide dialogue in hopes of achieving social change.
- Centro San Jose Scholarship: This scholarship awards financial assistance to undocumented students who reside in Ashland, Columbiana, Holmes, Knox, Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties. The scholarship provided needed resources to students who have limited access due to their immigration status.
- English Language Classes: These classes are held at various times in 23 sites throughout Ohio.
- AMIGAS: This project provides training to and build community leadership skills for women who have fled from violence in Central America and Mexico. Members of AMIGAS develop artisan wares that provide economic support for these women as well as provide cleaning and catering services for nearby churches and schools.
- Economic Literacy Workshop Series: This workshop series teaches and trains individuals on a range of workplace issues, including: 1) “No Match” letters and worker’s compensation rights, 2) taxes, 3) shopping, banks, and remissions, and 4) household budgets. IWP provides or helps acquire technical assistance for members of the community who start small businesses.
- Community Building: IWP provides financial, logistical, and outreach support for cultural celebrations. This program provides opportunities to build leadership, organizational skills, and structure for critical community crises.
- Citizenship, Family Detainees, Immigration, & Unaccompanied Children: IWP provides legal representation, community support, and counseling to unaccompanied children and families who flee violence mainly from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico. IWP assists immigrants understand and file immigration paperwork, prepare for citizenship exams, file for Individual Tax Identification Numbers, and submit the necessary paperwork for affirmative and detainee cases.
- Interpretations & Translations: IWP provides interpretation services for the Ixil and K’iche’ languages. IWP staff also provides translation services for Spanish documents.
- Victim’s Rights: IWP works with victims and survivors of crime to communicate with law enforcement, victim advocates, and prosecutors. IWP connects survivors of domestic violence to programs throughout the state and, when needed, files immigration paperwork related to crime or abuse.
- Workplace Rights: IWP works to ensure that employers adhere to the legal safety regulations and wage protections for all workers. IWP utilizes the necessary legal mechanisms to protect workers from hazardous work conditions, such as increasing line speeds in the poultry industry or pesticide use in agriculture, and to guarantee workers are not denied wages.
If you have any questions regarding these projects and services or would like to bring additional hopes and needs to our attention, please contact us.
