Improving English literacy for immigrant children with Refugee Support Services
May 24, 2021
Refugee Support Services (RSS) is a “501(c)3 nonprofit post-resettlement organization that helps newly-arrived refugees make Charlotte their new home.”
Each week Emily Little, outreach specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, steps into the flag hall at Galilee Center where Refugee Support Services is located and is welcomed with smiles and nods, hellos and hugs. As she gets to the end of the hall, she stops at the “Love and Learn” room amidst cheers and shouts of, “Ms. Emily’s here!” Since 2015, Emily has visited the RSS “Love and Learn” program weekly to engage the children in storytime, read-alouds and early literacy extension activities. The children range in ages from two to four years old (often with some babies and lap sitters tagging along with the parents) and come from a wide range of countries such as Vietnam, Congo, Eritrea, Burma, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Iraq. There have been as many as 40 participants in storytime at once! The main goal during storytime is to give children and attending parents an immersive experience in English literacy practices. Emily and RSS Education Programs Coordinator, Anne Banks, have collaborated in presenting stories, crafts, songs and activities that follow a monthly theme.
Over the years, the parents have received library cards from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and have participated in children’s literacy workshops on site including Active Reading and Every Child Ready to Read. The opportunity to work not only with the children, but the parents as well, has helped make this program successful.
The past year brought about many challenges, but Library services continued. Ms. Anne says, “Since March 2020, Ms. Emily continues to bring her warmth, enthusiasm, and knowledge of children’s literacy to the Refugee Support Services program participants through weekly Zoom sessions. Refugee Support Services has greatly benefitted from a strong partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and their Outreach Specialist, Ms. Emily.” The children’s smiling faces and familiar voices provided a bright spot and some needed consistency in an otherwise unstable year.
At Refugee Support Services, an agency whose mission is to, “facilitate programs and intercultural relationships that promote refugee self-sufficiency and enrich our community” partnering with the Library just makes sense. The Library’s mission is to improve lives and build a stronger community — there’s no better way to do that than through partnering with RSS.
The partnership and collaboration between agencies like the Library and RSS is a perfect example of our promise Accessible and welcoming to all, our public library celebrates and supports the joy of reading and learning, fosters exploration and personal growth, and connects individuals to each other, the community and the world. In short, we help people think, “I can.”
When community agencies work together in collaboration for a common purpose, the shared motto then becomes “We can!”
Booklists to celebrate the Immigrant Experience
The Library also has curated several booklists that celebrate the immigrant experience for all ages. Check them out below and grab any of the selected titles:
Children's Picture Books on immigration
Children's Chapter Books on immigration
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This blog was written by Emily Little, outreach specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.