Volunteering

The mentoring program strives to be an immersive program, beneficial to all parties involved, so Giving + Learning matches mentors with new Americans who share common interests and schedules. To better prepare you for your first meeting, we encourage you to do some research on the originating country of your mentee and also bring a map to your first few sessions to create an ongoing conversation with your mentee.

You, as a volunteer mentor of the program, will have a new understanding and appreciation of the hardships refugees have overcome to become residents in their new communities. You might find that one of the greatest benefits from the mentoring program will be understanding how and why these new Americans have come to live in Fargo. The vast majority of refugees want to obtain employment, become self-sufficient and make the American dream their own.

Mentoring is not all about the actual practicing of English language skills, but also the opportunity to learn about other cultures and become friends with the entire family. Our mentors become friends and advocates for the new Americans, helping them to integrate successfully. Our mentors are also advocating for G+L, educating their friends, coworkers and neighbors about the increased cultural diversity the entire community can appreciate.

As a fun project, once you and your mentee have become better acquainted, we encourage you to take part in our ongoing Giving + Learning refugee story archive by helping your mentee tell their story and then posting it to our interactive map.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Giving + Learning program, please contact Rachel Mertz at rachelmertz@catholichealth.net or (701) 271-7549.