International Family Center

This center is one of seven in the network of family centers funded by the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department and where programming is guided by Family Support Principles.

The International Family Center brings together family support activities and resources offered by CISC and other community service providers to provide a hub of professional services and programs, informal support networks, intergenerational, cross-cultural and community-building activities for Chinese, Vietnamese families as well as other immigrant and refugee groups. Formal and informal resources are shared and mobilized to facilitate the process of families becoming more self-sufficient, contributing to building a healthy, more vibrant community. Service provider and community partners bring much needed resources and expertise to families and they include the Seattle Public Library, Seattle University’s Access to Justice Institute, Seattle Public Schools, International Community Health Services, Helping Link, Seattle King County Public Health, City of Seattle Help for Working Families Program, Washington State University Extension Program, Refugee and Immigrant Parent Advocacy Network and more.

At the International Family Center, families can access information, referral and advocacy assistance, new immigrant orientation workshops, legal workshops, financial management workshops, health workshops, employment training, parenting classes, ESL and naturalization classes, children and youth development activities, support groups, cultural activities and opportunities to be engaged in community building and advocacy activities.

Family Center hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday with additional classes and programs offered in the evenings and on Saturdays. Participants are encouraged to drop-in to visit with friends, use the informational materials, computer, playgroup room and other resources.

CISC is an active coalition member of the Refugee and Immigrant Parent Advocacy Network (RIPAN), working with refugee and immigrant parents to address barriers to effective education of immigrant and refugee children in public schools, and increase parent involvement in schools. Over the past 4 years, RIPAN has collaborated with the Seattle School District to host several community forums which has led to several positive outcomes – development of multi-lingual parent handbooks, multi-lingual workshops on parent orientation to the school system, participation in the SPS Bilingual Program Review Committee that will conclude with making the recommendation on the bilingual education model to be implemented. www.ripan.net



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