Nonprofit will train volunteers to help unaccompanied immigrant children

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will hold a two-day training for residents in the Los Angeles area who are interested in becoming a child advocate for immigrant children. 

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for unaccompanied immigrant children who are in federal government custody. The center trains individuals to work directly with and advocate staff from the organization and help immigrant children while they are subject to deportation proceedings.

In 2009, the Young center first opened an office in Harlingen, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border. An increase of children in government custody was so heavily seen by judges, attorneys and even ICE officials that they began to ask for more child advocates. In 2013 congress passed a law providing for the expansion of the Child Advocate program. As of today, the Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., New York, Harlingen and Chicago.

As stated on their website their goal is to “change the immigration system so that children in immigration proceedings are recognized as children, and best interests are made a part of the decision making process.”

Volunteers who are interested in becoming a child advocate will need to fill in the application to attend the upcoming in-person training in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. Prior to the training, selected applicants will receive the exact address. Providing support to unaccompanied children is the only experience required by the Young Center.

Individuals from different social backgrounds, cultures, professions and ethnicities need to complete the application by January 26, 2024. All residents must be at least 21 years old and attend the two-day training to begin volunteering. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. 

The Young Center is also looking for volunteers who are from surrounding areas such as Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Imperial County and can speakSpanish, Central American/ Indigenous languages, DARI/FARSI (Afghan), Pashto, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Wolof, Poular, Hausa, Twi, Somali, Hindi, or Urdu.For more information click here.

Date: February 24th and February 25th

Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Location: Koreatown area of Los Angeles