The ACCESS Ethnic Community Self-Help Program aims to assist, improve and empower refugees to develop awareness and skills to meet their individual and family goals. Community health staff assists refugees living in the metropolitan Detroit area in bridging gaps between needs and resources through enhanced knowledge and skill development using a personal and family needs assessment checklist, goal identification and action plan.
Through weekly client contact, the program helps individuals and families successfully overcome barriers to professional development by providing English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, employment opportunities and reliable transportation.
English language and comprehension skills and transportation are two of the largest barriers to overcome for refugee clients searching for employment. The metro Detroit area lacks consistent and reliable public transportation needed to apply for jobs located close to refugees’ homes so that they can walk or bicycle to work. Without employment, refugees are often unable to purchase a vehicle or pay for English language classes when free or reduced-rate classes are full.
Madiha Tariq
Email: mtariq@accesscommunity.org
Phone: 586-330-8028
