Owensboro Community & Technical College’s Adult ESL program is in need of child care volunteers in order to expand their program, which helps refugees and immigrants in Owensboro learn English.
Classes are hosted twice a week at Owensboro Christian Church so that those with children have an opportunity to learn.
“Many of our potential ESL students are parents with young children, and they need help with child care in order to attend classes,” said Lindsey Kafer, director of OCTC’s Adult ESL programming. “As of today, we have 12 families on the waiting list to join ESL classes simply because we don’t have enough childcare workers to care for their little ones.”
Those who wish to volunteer need to be able to commit to one day, 2 hours per week for at least 3 months.
Kafer said that learning English is key to overcoming many of the other challenges immigrant and refugee families face.
“They are hard-working, resilient, hopeful adults who want to navigate life in their new home, but need English to do so,” Kafer said. “They need English to get jobs. They need English to communicate with their kids’ schools. They need English to ask questions of their doctors. English is an integral part of being connected to the community and thriving, and our program helps bridge this gap.”
While the program benefits its students, Kafer said that it also benefits the greater Owensboro community and economy by allowing students to fill positions with local employers.
Kafer talked about one of the students currently participating in the ESL-to-Welding program as an example.
“By the end of July, this student will have completed a Welder’s Helper certificate program at OCTC in addition to months of daily ESL instruction,” Kafer said. “He will be ready for a job in a trade that uses his skills and his dedicated work ethic to provide a more stable future for his family. We see in examples like this the ripple effect of education beyond just the person to their family and onto the greater community.”
Volunteers with the program talked about another benefit – special relationships and connections.
“It may only be a couple of hours a week, but the impact is far longer lasting,” Paul Chinn said. “As relationships develop, I’m enriched by the joy and laughter, and what is referred to as the circularity of learning.”
Joetta Lee agreed with Chinn.
“I feel like I receive more than I’m giving,” Lee said. “I have fallen in love with these children and their parents.”
