Blog

By Amber Kemp

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri (CCCNMO) enrolls approximately 50 elementary and middle-school-aged refugee children each year in the Mentoring All Refugee Kids (MARK) program. This youth mentoring and academic support program, provided in partnership with the St. Thomas More Newman Center in Columbia, supports refugee youth in achieving their academic and social-emotional goals. 

The Newman Center contributes space, helps recruit volunteers, and provides a student leader to plan program activities. Through one-on-one and group mentoring, the children engage in a variety of enriching activities tailored to their interests, such as art, puzzles, reading, and outdoor games. This fosters a sense of social connectedness and positive relationships between the children and volunteers.  

Newly arrived children in the United States can greatly benefit from this type of support as they navigate through a period of transition. The program’s success is made possible by the generosity of dedicated volunteers, who donate their time, kindness, and compassion. 

The academic support component tailors its approach to the unique needs and goals of each child. Program staff, student leaders, and volunteer mentors collaborate to provide a range of engaging academic support activities, such as reading with mentors and playing educational games like Pictionary and word searches. The program also incorporates subject integration techniques to increase student engagement across diverse learning styles. 

The MARK program is not the only program designed to support refugee youth. Catholic Charities’ Youth Mentoring (YM) program assists youth and young adults aged 15-24. The YM program offers academic support, opportunities for social engagement with peers, and help in pursuing educational and vocational goals.  

Clients are matched with volunteer mentors who can guide them with tasks like filling out job applications, visiting college campuses, or exploring the local community.  

Catholic Charities of Center and Northern Missouri (CCCNMO) staff work with clients to determine the best next steps to achieve their goals. Improving English language proficiency is often a primary objective.  

CCCNMO partners with Sacred Heart Catholic Church to offer a weekly English language classes, which several YM program clients attend each semester. Staff offer transportation to and from the class and provide childcare for participants if needed.   

As the Youth & Education Coordinator, I, Amber Kemp, along with Andrea Bustillo, the Youth & Education Specialist, are here to assist clients as they begin working towards their goals 

Bustillo, originally from Honduras, says she can relate. “Moving to a different country without knowing the language or culture was one of the biggest moments of uncertainty I have had in my life. I was grateful I found a support system and a program that was for people like me that need to learn English,” said Bustillo. “I went to these classes, and I was able to learn the language and be part of a community where I made friends from different cultures.”  

Alongside our youth mentoring initiatives, CCCNMO offers additional support for newly arrived refugee families with young children. This includes a diaper program run in collaboration with First Chance for Children, which provides Catholic Charities with monthly diaper donations that are then distributed directly to the families.  

Furthermore, CCCNMO works with the Voluntary Action Center to enroll 20-30 families each year in their annual holiday program, with our staff completing the applications and delivering gifts to the families’ homes in early December.  

Catholic Charities staff also enroll the children of newly arrived refugee families in Columbia Public Schools. As part of this process, they schedule appointments for the children to be tested by the CPS English Language Department. This assessment determines the students’ English proficiency levels and eligibility for additional English learner support services at school. 

The program team provides families with an orientation to the school system, covering essential details about bus transportation, meal options, applying for free or reduced meals, enrolling in summer school, and the various educational levels.  

The primary goal is to empower clients and help them achieve self-sufficiency, enabling them to independently support themselves after they are no longer receiving services. 

The generous support of our volunteers, donors, and dedicated staff ensures this vision becomes reality.