Working with School Social Workers
The recommendation is that mentors contact the school social worker of whichever schools their families have kids attending, with the following things in mind:
How to contact them:
Call main number for school and ask to speak to the social worker OR ask for social worker’s email address.
School social workers tend to be very overloaded with many many many things to do. In a perfect world, they would be able to give each student the care and attention they need. Realistically, they are working hard always and have a hard time keeping up with the needs of the schools. If you don’t hear back from them, don’t be scared to reach out again.
Ways to make sure schools know they have permission to talk to you about students (one of these should be fine, some schools may want both):
Have mentee add your name to emergency contact list (mentee can do this by calling main office at school, or going in to main office at school)
Have mentee fill out school district release of information form with your information. To get this done, mentee can either go in to school main office and ask to fill one out then and there, can ask that the form get sent home with their child and they fill it out and send it back in with the child (make sure kid REMEMBERS to give it to teacher!), or you could try emailing school social worker or teacher to ask them to email you a scanned copy/print it out/have mentee fill it out/scan it back to school.
Call school while mentee is with you so they can give permission over the phone that school talk with you. This will likely work with some schools, and not cut it with others. Worth a try!
What to say to school social worker:
State that the point of your phone call (or email) it to simply let them know that you are associated with the family, and should be considered a point of contact if the school is having a hard time engaging with family. Best practice is that school also is trying to reach out to family directly as well.
School could contact you if they are trying to arrange any outside supports/services/programming for student. Make sure they know that you can be helpful with helping family to fill out certain forms, coordinate planning for summer camps/etc, anything else that may come up.
Let school know of any concerns that you hear from parents/students.
Anything else that comes to mind!
Pre-K & Daycare (Childcare)
Search for Childcare throughout Maine
South Portland Public Schools
Offers Pre-K programs.
Westbrook Public Schools
Offers Pre-K programs.
Youth and Family Outreach
331 Cumberland Ave. Portland, ME 04103
207-874-1073
YFO operates an early care and education facility. YFO also has a public pre-k classroom in collaboration with Portland Public Schools. Our staff speak six different languages including Spanish, French, Arabic, Lingala, Denka and Zandi. YFO strives to support the whole family through our resourceful staff and social work intern.
YMCA – Early Learning Readiness
207-874-1111
Free programming for 0-5 year olds + caregivers
Portland Schools Multi-Lingual Office
150 Ocean Avenue
207-874-8135
The Multilingual Summer Program is a 4-week summer school for English Language Learners in Middle and High School. They meet for 4 hours a day, 4 days a week.
The Opportunity Alliance Child and Family Services
Contact: Linda Goyert at 207-553-5816
Early Head Start, Head Start, Westbrook Public PreK, and Childcare serving children age 0-5
ARWO Learning Center
1037 Forest Avenue, Suite 6, Portland
207-536-0244
A multilingual daycare and preschool
YMCA – Early Learning Readiness
207-874-1111
Free programming for 0-5 year olds + caregivers
camelia.haleyyfo@gmail.com
An early care and education serving families with children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years of age. Also has a public pre-k classroom in collaboration with Portland Public Schools. Staff speaks six different languages including Spanish, French, Arabic, Lingala, Denka and Zandi. YFO strives to support the whole family through our resourceful staff and social work intern.
Miscellaneous
Migrant Education in Maine
If your mentee is working in agriculture/seafood or fish processing, their children might qualify for free supplemental educational services. This could include at-home tutoring, homework help, liaising with the schools, etc.
Financial Assistance
FAME Foreign Credentialing grant program - Up to $1,000 to help pay for costs associated with the process of becoming work-ready while awaiting issuance of a work permit. Examples of eligible costs include translation and evaluation of education documents, and fees related to obtaining a Maine driver's license (see our website for an expanded list of eligible expenses).
Scholarships for Maine Immigrants – SMI (Formerly “Portland ESL Scholarship Fund” )
The mission of Scholarships for Maine Immigrants (SMI), formerly Portland ESL Scholarship Fund, is to help local immigrants and refugees gain the English language and career skills necessary to achieve their educational and professional goals. Since 2000, SMI has awarded over 400 scholarships and $200,000 to fulfill this mission.
Prosperity Maine – Scholarship for asylum seekers
Financial Authority of Maine (FAME) – Search for Maine scholarships.
Scholarships of Immigrants and Refugees – A bunch of random ones.
Parents As Scholars – If they receive TANF there is a program through FEDCAP.
USM Promise Scholarship – For anyone, regardless of circumstance.
Maine Community Foundation – List of available scholarships.
Going Merry – Find Scholarships and Financial Aid. Lets you set up a profile and automatically filters potential matches.
FAME Scholarship searchable database – Invest in ME. Thorough filters so you don’t have to spend hours looking.
Maine Youth Action Network – Equity and Justice Scholarship (up to $2000 one time scholarship from MYAN for any higher education ventures).
Maine Youth Action Network – Micro Grants (up to $500 per “project”).
Financial
ProsperityME
In addition to their counseling, they have programs to help people get first/last/security deposits for rentals and scholarships for school.
Mission: ProsperityME empowers, through education and counseling, members of refugee and immigrant communities to invest in themselves to build financial stability, careers, businesses and wealth.
Vision: That all of Maine’s refugees, immigrants, and their families, and communities reach financial stability and improve their quality of life.
HOPE: Higher Opportunities Pathways to Employment
HOPE provides families with children with financial support for costs like childcare and transportation related to education and training programs beyond high school.
Credentialing Agencies
Link to Credentialing Agencies where qualifications can be evaluated and documented.
FAME assists with credentials evaluations
English Language Learning
Where to find driving lessons
Portland Adult Education English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Classes
14 Locust Street, Portland
207-874-8155
NOTE: Portland Adult Ed holds classes at the YMCA with childcare.
Duolingo – Learn a language for free. Forever.
Learning Works
Provides immigrants, refugees, and their families the chance to thrive in our country by offering free English language instruction, one-on-one tutoring, and cultural literacy skills.
Hope House English Language Program (H.H.E.L.P.)
14 Sherman Street, Portland
207-274-6005
YMCA
70 Forest Avenue, Portland
207-874-1111
NOTE: Portland Adult Ed holds classes at the YMCA with childcare.
Unite For Literacy Free online resource of children’s books that you can follow along with in both English and another language, e.g., Portuguese
Voice of America Short English lessons, online.
Conversation Practice Classes
Portland Adult Education
14 Locust Street, Portland
207-874-8155
Tuesdays 2:15 3:15 PM
Fridays 9:00 10:00 AM
University of Southern Maine
85 Bedford Street, Portland
207-449-0089
Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:00 6:30 PM
Hope House
14 Sherman Street, Portland
207-899-2435
Tuesdays 1:00 2:30 PM
Thursdays 7:00 8:30 PM
Fridays 2:00 3:30 PM
Salvation Army
297 Cumberland Avenue, Portland
207-774-4172 x262
Mondays & Wednesdays 9:30 AM 11:30
Tuesdays 10:00 AM 12:00
NOTE: There is childcare at the Salvation Army during English classes.
Portland English
142 High Street, Suite 628, Portland
207-504-7577
Fridays 12:30 1:30 PM
Parkside Neighborhood Center
85B Grant Street, Portland
207-553-5940
Saturdays 10:00 AM. 12:00 Women Only
Tuesdays 5:00 7:00 PM Open To All
Speak Clearly Accent Reduction Mothers with Children
867 Congress Street (Port City Baptist), Portland
207-615-6868
Tuesday and Thursdays 10:00 AM 12:00
(free childcare)
Driving Lessons
Where to find driving lessons
There are various driving schools in the area. You can go to Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles site to find a list of driving schools.
A particular school mentioned to us because it’s in the same building as Gateway Community Services is Iftin Driving School. The owner’s name is Bashir and you can contact him for further information at (207) 712-8869.