Boston, MA
About Our Boston Site
The Boston site serves refugees, asylees and immigrants throughout Greater Boston through a core of common services essential to our mission: refugee resettlement, case management, health services navigation, employment, education and literacy, and skills training programming. Our refugee resettlement, community services and employment programs provide the initial welcome, cultural and community orientation, early basic needs, as well as English for Employment classes and employment support to refugees and asylees fleeing persecution and conflict in their homelands.
History
Six years after the International Institute of Lowell was established in 1918, the International Institute of Boston was established at the YWCA then located at 12 Newbury Street in 1924. The Institute separated from the YWCA in 1935, and over the ensuing decades hundreds of community groups, individuals, corporations, and foundations joined forces with the International Institute to help new Americans integrate into New England. The International Institute of New Hampshire was founded in 1994 as a reorganization, continuation, and expansion of existing services in place since 1987. In 2001, the Boston site, Lowell site, and the International Institute of New Hampshire, which was founded in 1994, became one consolidated organization – The International Institute of New England.
Today, our Boston site includes over 100 staff, who provide a range of services to over 1,500 refugee and immigrant clients annually.
Boston Site Programs & Services
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
Reception and welcoming of refugees in the Boston communities. Resettlement includes an intensive 90 day support period to help connect families with housing, food, financial assistance, and cultural support.
CASE MANAGEMENT
Support services to remove barriers to self-sufficiency to asylee, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees, and certified victims of trafficking by facilitating access to health insurance and health care, education, employment programs, and public benefits.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Trained program staff screen potential applicants and provide pro bono assistance to eligible legal permanent residents with the naturalization process.
EMPLOYMENT
Job preparation, training, search, placement, and retention services that help refugees and immigrants prepare for and access quality jobs and careers.
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
Support services to facilitate unaccompanied minors access to linguistically and culturally appropriate medical, mental health, educational, legal and other community services.
TRAFFICKING VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TVAP)
Comprehensive case management services to foreign national victims of human trafficking and eligible family members.
