BRIDGE BUILDERS HOMEWORK & TUTORING is now known as
LEARNING BRIDGE
Elementary to high school children from refugee and asylum-seeking families are welcome to come and get help with their school work. Learning Bridge meets weekly on Mondays from 5-7PM for K-3 and Tuesdays from 5-7PM for 4-12th Grades at Bridge Builders Center 227 W. Douglas Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020.
BACKGROUND / THE NEED
Over 200 Syrian and Afghan families resettled locally are still adjusting from past trauma and to a new and different life here in the USA: different social customs, government, laws & regulations, the economy, educational system, finding good paying jobs, etc.
With the high cost of living being in San Diego/El Cajon, much of parents’ ongoing attention is focused on meeting their most basic financial obligations: paying the rent, utilities, internet, cell phones, maintaining a car, etc.
Parents continue to be very concerned for family members still back in Syria and Afghanistan where loved ones may be living in extreme financial hardship as well as ongoing physical danger.
The parents are still struggling with learning conversational English, reading and writing, so they are not able to help their children with their homework assignments or communicate with the kids teachers.
Many of these families have 4-6 children and live in small two bedroom apartments where the students have no quiet place to work in their homes.
PROVIDING A SOLUTION
As with most immigrant families to our nation throughout our history, their future wellbeing rests on the hope of their children becoming well educated and able to provide for their families. We have developed this homework and tutoring program to address a huge concern of these families and provide hope through academic success.
Therefore, we have established our learning center in El Cajon, CA to be used as a homework club/study hall. Mentors and tutors are needed when the students have questions or need help understanding their assignments. Please pray for us as we seek to love and support children through another school year!
WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Tutors, monitors, yard duties and teachers-aids are currently needed who will be on site to help the students with their homework and help watch over the kids while they are in our care. If you are interested, please use the application below to apply.
Get INVOLVED
Apply to be a Tutor
All applicants are required to submit to a background check, attend an orientation/training session, and be interviewed by our leadership team. Educational/teaching experience is not required.
Application Steps
1. Complete the volunteer application. Once the application is completed you will be contacted by a member of the leadership team with information on how to complete the remaining two steps.
2. Pay for and complete a background check.
3. Attend or view our orientation/training.
Support us financially
Donations are needed to help us cover rent for the new space for our Learning Center in downtown El Cajon, CA as well as to help provide students with basic school supplies. We are also hoping to provide enriching educational experiences, such as field trips and project days. Please consider supporting us with your generous financial support.
Pray
Prayers are needed for the program and all participants. There are many challenges to teaching children from refugee families, including navigating the requirements of the current education system, understanding the impacts of trauma on learning and behavior, and supporting parents who lack basic English language communication skills.