Volunteer Child Advocate Training in Kalamazoo, MI

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is seeking volunteers in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Holland, Lansing, and surrounding areas, to support immigrant children in MI. We will host a Volunteer Child Advocate training on Saturday, April 1st, at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI. For more information, please get in touch with us at agattari@theyoungcenter.org.

Mission: The mission of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is to promote the best interests of unaccompanied and separated immigrant children. The Young Center serves as a trusted ally for children by accompanying them through court proceedings, advocating for their best interests, and standing for the creation of a dedicated juvenile immigrant justice system that ensures their safety and well-being. Every young immigrant deserves to be safe, and the Young Center advocates that children’s needs are put foremost, and their best interests take priority.

Volunteer Child Advocate Role: A Volunteer Child Advocate is an adult who volunteers to spend time with and advocate on behalf of an individual unaccompanied immigrant child while they are subject to immigration proceedings. The Young Center welcomes all qualified volunteers without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the volunteer application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application. Advocates must be at least 21 years old. We have a particular need for bilingual volunteers who speak languages such as Spanish, Q’eqchi’, K’iche’, Mam, Chuj, Dari, Pashto, or Portuguese. Other languages welcome.

Volunteer Child Advocate responsibilities include the following:
•Visit with the child each week and advocate for their best interests in collaboration with Young Center staff.
•Help the child think through options and decisions.
•Maintain regular communication with the Young Center staff.
•Continue ongoing communication with the child upon their release from the facility

Volunteer must:
• Participate in the Volunteer Child Advocate training on Saturday, April 1st, 2023, in Kalamazoo, MI.
• Pass an FBI background check and child abuse/neglect check
• Provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination
• Provide proof of negative tuberculosis (TB) result

Training topics include vicarious trauma, U.S. immigration law, and issues facing unaccompanied immigrant children. Once screened and assigned to an individual child, each Volunteer Child Advocate receives continued training, support, and supervision from Young Center staff. Please contact Alli Gattari (she/her(s)) at agattari@theyoungcenter.org for more information.