Somali Youth & Family Club Programs
SYFC serves 500 clients per month in Skyway, Renton, SeaTac, Kent and the greater Seattle area in 3 program areas:
Education
- Afterschool Program - free tutoring and homework help ages 6-18 offered Mon-Thur 3-7pm
- Adult ESL Classes at Creston Point Apartments, In collaboration with Renton Technical College accredited teachers
- Weekend Cultural Classes open to all
- Shah-Shah Early Foundations - The Kaleidoscope Play n' Learn Affiliate groups held weekly open to ages 0-5 must be accompanied by a parent or FFN caregiver. We continue hosting Community Cafes initially funded by UWKC and supported by Seattle foundation, The community is very much engaged to discuss about the developmental needs of their children.
- Youth Leadership Initiatives - teens and young adults participate in leadership activities and trainings,
Social Services
- Housing Assistance; YWCA Landlord Liaison Project registered agency; Referrals for rental and utility assistance
- Case Management: DSHS Family-to-family program partner; School enrollment; DSHS Benefits assistance(food, medical, disability)
- Immigration Assistance; applying for Citizenship; Interpreting/translation (General, Legal, Medical)
- Local transportation assistance
- Employment assistance
- Summer Lunch Program
Recreation
- Summer Youth Soccer program. teams for girls and boys ages 6-20. Enrollment opens June 2012
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Our main activity for our Shah-Sha Early Foundation program is Play and Learn kaleidoscope. The program flourished as result of Seattle foundations YGB,s funding. Shah-Shah is Somali mother/ child word, usually moms use when their child is dressed to go out of the door, the mother and the child bot say Sha -Shah meaning I'm ready dressed up you are ready dressed up, we are ready to go out, see and play with friends. The families especially the mothers and the children are coming from every door in the aparements. We have over 40 children and their parents in the program. We have just established two other Shah-Shah programs in the city of SeaTc and Renton. The programs are becoming like Oasis, thanks to Seattle foundation we were able to bay two good facilitators that have the will and the capacity to outreach and educate the community around the importance of Early childhood education. Our organization is focused on Early childhood education to brake the cycle and prevent student drop out. We are building from the base up. SYFC is looking for funding to increase its geographical reach in organizing community cafes that bring together parents, educators and CBOs to assist in creating solutions that can improve refugee children's school readiness. SYFC and its leadership believe in the impact of early childhood education.