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Author: Danielle Gauthier

Employee Profile: Meet Courtney Good, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Employee Profile: Meet Courtney Good, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Written by Danielle Gauthier on . Posted in Blog, Our Team.

Since joining us in 2021, Courtney has held multiple roles, including working directly with our refugee and immigrant clients and now, recruiting new staff members as part of our HR team. Courtney shared what first drew her to our organization, what her day to day looks like, and the advice she would share with prospective IINE employees.

What brought you to the International Institute of New England?

During my Masters, I learned about the United Nations and the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. My dissertation focused on the changes in cultural, indigenous, and ethnic identities of Latin Americans whose asylum applications were rejected or who were deported at the U.S.-Mexican border. After learning more about asylum seekers and law, I decided I wanted to work with refugees and asylees and gain first-hand experience in supporting new arrivals.

What has been your career path since joining the organization? 

Courtney Good with clients at World Refugee DayWhen I first joined the organization in August 2021, I was the Preferred Communities Case Specialist at the Manchester site. I worked directly with clients who had vulnerabilities that prevented them from easy resettlement, including HIV+ status, Class B health conditions, domestic violence, mental health diagnoses, and homelessness. In February 2022, I was promoted to the role of Community Services Manager at the Manchester site. In this role, I supervised the delivery of client services to support clients accomplish self-sufficiency and managed all community services programs at the Manchester site. Recently, I transitioned to the HR team as Talent Acquisition Specialist. I have been in this role since March 2023, where I have been able to support the recruitment and hiring of all full-time, part-time, and on-call staff, as well as supporting the IINE internship program.

What does your day to day look like? 

Working for the HR team, my work expands across all sites. On a typical day, I can expect to meet with hiring managers about job postings, support with posting jobs to open job boards, screen candidates for paid or internship positions, schedule interviews on behalf of hiring managers, and support with offer letters and onboarding processes.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy being able to support the organization as a whole in bringing on new team members and interns, expanding our reach to clients and our mission!

How would you describe IINE’s culture and values?

IINE is a diverse work environment where colleagues work together to support its clients in being successful. IINE values its mission to support the resettlement and journey to self-sufficiency for its clients and ensures support along each step of the pathways to self-sufficiency and citizenship. Overall, IINE has a collaborative environment where community is built within staff and with our clients.

What advice would you share with someone who is interested in joining IINE?

Remain willing to learn and open to new experiences! Being open to learning will support your professional development skills and allow you room to grow within IINE. For those who want to work with clients, remember that clients can be our best teachers of cultural and religious practices, language skills, and community.

Bonus: Share something you are passionate about. 

A passion of mine is learning about archeology and paleontology; my goal is to one day attend an archaeology field school or go on a trip to participate in an archeological or paleontology dig!

Interested in joining our team? Our collaborative, team-oriented environment offers opportunities to serve refugees and immigrants, while learning from other staff and departments. View career opportunities here. 

Karen Montague

Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Montague on Creating Community for Afghan Women in New Hampshire

Written by Danielle Gauthier on . Posted in Afghan Refugees, Blog, Manchester, Volunteer.

In our Volunteer Spotlight series, we catch up with cherished IINE volunteers to hear more about their passion and experiences (read our first installment with Resettle Together volunteer Tom Barrington here). Our latest installment features Karen Montague, who has been volunteering with Afghan women and their families in Manchester, NH for the past couple of years.  

Karen shared how her involvement with these women has evolved over time from delivering them food, to empowering them to develop their English skills and culture awareness, form community with one another, and reach self-sufficiency. Read on to discover what Karen had to say… 

IINE: How did you first become involved with IINE?

Karen Montague and Afghan familyKaren: I started volunteering with IINE in October 2021 when families started arriving from military bases in Afghanistan. My church was not large enough to sponsor a family, so a few of us were looking for other opportunities to get involved. IINE was the perfect fit, as you could sign up by task. I live in Wayland, Massachusetts so I began volunteering at IINE’s office in Lowell, MA. However, we heard that the Manchester, New Hampshire office was in real need of volunteer support because Manchester didn’t have an established Afghan community in the same way that Boston and Lowell did. At that point, I switched from sorting donations and delivering groceries to families in Lowell, to driving to Manchester once a week to bring food to the Afghan families staying in hotels.  

IINE: How has your involvement evolved since then?

Karen: Well, the fellow volunteers and I quickly learned that the food we were cooking and schlepping up to Manchester to deliver wasn’t actually being enjoyed! The front desk staff in Manchester let us know that the Afghan families were throwing a lot of it away. So, we knew we needed a new plan. I’m a member of St. Peter’s, an Episcopal church in Weston, MA, so I reached out to the Episcopal church in Manchester to ask if we could use their kitchen once a week. We wanted to bring the Afghan women there to get them out of their hotels, start to create community together, and give them the opportunity to cook for their families. The church didn’t have the space, but they recommended Brookside Congregational Church, which had an industrial kitchen approved for use by the city. So that’s how it Afghan women cooking in church kitchenstarted – we started bringing three Afghan women to Brookside every Tuesday. We would go to Market Basket to buy the ingredients, bring them to the church to cook together, package it all up, and then deliver the food to all the Afghan families staying in hotels.  

Over time, these gatherings grew, as we discovered there were more Afghan families in the community already settled in their apartments. They heard about our cooking sessions and asked to join. At one point, we had 12 families cooking together for over 60 people!  

IINE: That’s amazing! I understand that you pivoted the program again last summer. 

Afghan family enjoys a picnicKaren: That’s right. When we reached June 2022, we knew we had to figure out a plan for the summer since the school year was ending. That’s when we started Camp Brookside. Every Tuesday from 11am-4pm, we would bring the women together along with their kids. Brookside has beautiful grounds, including a soccer field, community garden, and playground. We would spend the day outside; the women would socialize, we would host a potluck, and the children would play. Local high school honor students would also come to teach the children English and play soccer with them. It was perfect. 

Then fall came, and by then, all the families had found apartments and were fairly settled, so there wasn’t a need to continue with the cooking. Instead, we wanted to focus on providing educational experiences for the women. They continue to come every Tuesday—early on they had called it a “break from their tears”—and we cover an enrichment topic, provide an hour of English instruction, and spend time socializing.  

IINE: Can you tell us more about what those enrichment topics have included?

Police officers and Afghan children smilingKaren: Yesterday, for example, Officer Rachel from the New Hampshire Traffic Division came to talk to the group about child safety and how to properly install car seats. In weeks past, we had a dental hygienist come to discuss the importance of proper dental hygiene for the women and their children; a representative from Amoskeag Health comes once a month to discuss a health topic the women have expressed interest in; and someone from WIC also comes occasionally to discuss nutrition.  

I’m really happy to see how our work has transformed – from bringing these women together because they basically hated our food to now using these Tuesdays as an opportunity to educate the women and strengthen their community ties.  

IINE: We know that every refugee and immigrant that comes to the U.S. has a unique story and faces unique obstacles. What challenges are the Afghan families experiencing, from what you have seen?

Karen: Many Afghan families are very large, and it is expensive to have a big family in the U.S. If just the father is working, that’s barely enough to cover rent, let alone anything else. So, a couple of the Afghan women we support have started a business called Sewing Seeds for Hope. It’s a sewing business, “empowering Afghan women one stitch at a time.” The women make pillows, aprons, cosmetic bags, and other items, and volunteers sell them during coffee hours at local mosques, churches, and temples. We are averaging over $600 in sales for those coffee hours! It’s incredible.  

In Afghan culture women are often not encouraged to work outside of the home, especially in more rural areas. So, these women were not used to being able to support their families financially. They are so proud of their ability to contribute through their sewing expertise. 

IINE: What have you found most rewarding about your volunteer experience?

Volunteers smiling at a potluckKaren: We have become so connected to these families, and it is amazing to witness their resilience firsthand. I first wanted to become involved in helping Afghans because of the horrific videos we all saw of the overrun airport when the Taliban took over Kabul. I still cry just thinking about it. These families have gone through so much. And now, they feel like my own family – in fact, I see them more often than I see some of my extended family members! All of the volunteers have become very close as well. It’s incredibly gratifying to have formed such a tight-knit community.  

It has also been rewarding to see the Afghans progress. Unlike some other refugee populations, Afghans do not spend any time in refugee camps before coming here, so their opportunities to learn English and develop cultural awareness pre-arrival are very limited. When they arrive here, the Afghans are very vulnerable and really need help. Seeing them, over the past few years, become more comfortable speaking English, and watching the children become involved in school, sports, and communities – it’s wonderful.  

IINE: What is something that you would want prospective volunteers to know?

Karen: With IINE’s structure, you can get involved as little or as much as you want. You should not feel overwhelmed by the commitment. There are volunteers who end up being very involved, and then there are volunteers who come once a week when they can to help with transportation and childcare at our Tuesday gatherings. Everyone’s contributions matter and make a difference, so find an opportunity that works for you.  

Interested in IINE’s volunteer opportunities? Click to find a list of ways you can get involved.

Is This America? Biden’s New Asylum Rule Closes the Door on Desperate Families as Title 42 Expires

Written by Danielle Gauthier on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases/Statements.

The International Institute of New England stands in opposition to the Biden administration’s announcement of a new asylum rule, which will limit life-saving opportunities for those seeking peace in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have finalized a rule that will significantly limit the ability of individuals to seek asylum at the United States border. Set to go into effect at the same time that Title 42 is lifted at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, May 11, the asylum rule states that individuals who arrive at the southern border will be ineligible for asylum unless they 1) were granted prior permission to come to the U.S. via a DHS-approved parole process, 2) were able to make an appointment to present themselves at the border using the smartphone app CBP One, or 3) previously sought asylum in a country or countries through which they traveled and were denied.  

While providing legal pathways for individuals to seek asylum in the U.S. is critical, it cannot come at the price of limiting asylum. This rule is in complete opposition to the U.S.’s fundamental values of providing refuge and protection to those who are fleeing persecution, violence, or other threats to their lives. Additionally, it violates the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which allows people seeking protection to apply for asylum regardless of the manner of entry and does not require people to apply for asylum elsewhere first. “The asylum rule introduced by the Biden administration will cut off a lifeline for families who are fleeing life-threatening poverty and human rights abuses, and changes our understanding of what America stands for,” says IINE’s Senior Vice President Alexandra Weber.  

Since Title 42 was implemented in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been used as a reason to expel more than two million asylum seekers and migrants without allowing them the opportunity to apply for protection. With its expiration came an opportunity for the Biden administration to expand legal pathways for asylum seekers and reaffirm our country’s history as a beacon of liberty. Instead, the new rule more closely aligns with the anti-asylum approach of the Trump administration.  

“For over 100 years, the International Institute of New England has received and supported persecuted populations from around the world,” says Weber. “Today, we are the leading resettlement responder to Haitian asylum seekers coming by the thousands to Massachusetts. If we can welcome and support these individuals and families, we can continue to build the inclusive and prosperous society Massachusetts is known for. The refugee and immigrant families joining our communities are a critical part of America’s future.” 

The International Institute of New England always has and will continue to advocate for the rights and protection of all asylum seekers. 

Meet Our Spring 2023 Interns

Written by Danielle Gauthier on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases/Statements.

Every spring, summer, and fall, we welcome a new slate of talented and passionate interns to our team! In this blog post, hear from three of our current interns from across the organization.

Priyanka Sinha, Skills Pathway Intern

Student at Tufts University 

Priyanka SinhaWhat led you to an internship at IINE? 

At Tufts, I study international relations. I have tailored a lot of my research and my academic track to learning about humanitarian issues, refugee and immigrant communities, and their migrations to other parts of the world. Thus, I was interested in an internship at IINE because this organization is at the forefront of working with refugee communities by providing key guidance through resettlement and building a prosperous life here. I am drawn to work opportunities that allow me to make a direct, immediate impact, and I really see that at IINE.  

What have you enjoyed most about your time here? 

Later this month, I am attending a workshop with some of our refugee and immigrant clients involved in professional training. I will have the opportunity to engage in a focus group discussion with them on their career goals, the experience they are bringing with them, and how to translate their interests into sustainable long-term paths for them and their families. Though this discussion has not happened yet, I am most excited about this project because engaging with this group on their career aspirations, how they imagine their futures, and how we can help them realize them is very fulfilling for me. 

How has this experience better prepared you for your future? 

My experience at IINE has connected me to a network of people with similar values and priorities surrounding issues of resettlement and resources for incoming populations of refugees. It has also equipped me with more comprehensive conversational and organizational skills as I balance different projects at once and conduct outreach to many different local organizations to compile materials for our programs. 

Katherine Santos, Community Services and Resettlement Intern

Graduate Research Assistant at University of Massachusetts Lowell

Katherine Santos

What led you to an internship at IINE? 

My passion for working with migrant communities led me to an internship at IINE. I’m graduating from the University of Massachusetts Lowell Community Social Psychology Master’s Program, in which the graduate capstone project is a year-long practicum/internship where you combine theory and practice in the local community.  

What have you enjoyed the most about your time here? 

I enjoy working in a fast-paced environment that’s always changing, where each day I can learn something new or exciting. Changes in federal policy can be seen at the individual level through client numbers or immigration status. Through working directly with clients and providing them with assistance to succeed in the U.S., you can see the variety of individuals, families, and types of services they may or may not need.  

How has your experience better prepared you for the future? 

This experience has better prepared me for my future as a community psychologist. While I have some experience, migrant communities, like all communities, are complex and heterogeneous. Research and theory are great tools to learn, however direct experience cannot be discounted as a powerful source of knowledge. 

Yoryi Peguero III, Multimedia Intern

Student at Framingham State University 

What led you to an internship at IINE? 

Chief human resources officer Nina Nova-Duran would have to take the credit here as she knew I needed an internship in my last semester of college. She reached out to me and asked what I was interested in doing for a future career. When I mentioned my interest in social media, she presented the perfect opportunity to join the Marketing Department as a Multimedia Intern. It was exactly what I was looking for at the time. In the classroom we are taught the theory of marketing and where it can take you, but I was ready to put what I had learned into practice. Media marketing is evolving by the day, and IINE stands behind a great mission and purpose which resonate with aspects of my life.  

What have you enjoyed most? 

Being at IINE has been a nice, soft welcoming to the working world and that is something that I appreciate. The team I have been working with has been amazing and super helpful with every question I have. I have enjoyed creating content for them and even seeing some of my own ideas be implemented into current projects. That has shown me that this is a place where your ideas are valued.  

How has this experience better prepared you for the future? 

This experience has better prepared me for the future by teaching me how to connect with others and build ideas off of one another. During my first interview, I caught myself sort of thinking out loud and gave Kelly Fleming, director of annual giving and engagement, and Jason Rabin, communications manager, an idea that we are now putting into action. IINE has also allowed me to grow as an individual in the work place. I have learned new things and have polished some of my skills to become a better version of myself. I plan to continue the good work I have put in here and allow myself to enjoy new endeavors in different aspects of life.  

IINE internships offer robust, hands-on experience for individuals of all ages to develop nonprofit leadership and refugee and immigrant direct service skills. Curious to learn more? Click here: Internships at IINE.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tom Barrington Reflects on Sponsoring an Afghan Family of Nine

Written by Danielle Gauthier on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases/Statements, Volunteer.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we recently caught up with a number of our cherished IINE volunteers to hear more about their passion and experiences. First up: Tom Barrington, the leader of a Resettle Together community sponsor group. Resettle Together is a collaborative effort between carefully selected groups of volunteers and IINE staff, working together under a formal agreement to prepare for and welcome refugees into their communities.

Tom shared how he first began working with refugees, his experience co-sponsoring a family of nine Afghan refugees, and his advice for anyone who might be interested in getting involved. Read on to discover what Tom had to say…

IINE: Tell us about how you first got involved with working with refugees.

Tom Barrington headshot

Tom: I have been doing volunteer resettlement work—which I now call accompanying refugees and asylees—since the Bosnian War, which was in the mid-90s. At that point, I was living in Syracuse. When I then moved to Massachusetts, I continued working with asylees through an organization called RIM (Refugee Immigration Ministry). I was supported and taught a lot by David Rinas, a Lutheran pastor in Chelmsford at the time, and his wife Doreen, who were very involved in this work. I am an Episcopal priest, so I was able to get my parish involved as well. We worked with various individuals and families over the years that came from all around the world.

In 2012, I left the parish in Chelmsford, and I ended up working at a homeless shelter for a few years and then interim ministry around the state.  For the past decade or so, I wasn’t as involved in this work. Then, when I retired last summer, I knew I wanted to return to it. I was out to breakfast with David, who is now retired. He said, “Hey Tom, we have heard that there is a large family coming from Afghanistan, and we’re trying to put together a team of people who can support them.” So, I was back in. We put together a team of three couples – my wife Linda and I, David and Doreen, and our friends Steve and Cynde. We are all old friends, who have been involved in different churches.

We initially thought the family would be coming through a resettlement agency in Worcester, but then we discovered that because the family already had relatives in Lowell, they would be sponsored by the International Institute of New England. So, that led us to you!

IINE: What has your experience of partnering with IINE been like?

Tom: Well the first steps happened quick. By the time we connected with Jessica Cirone (IINE’s director of community engagement) and explained who we were and our interest in helping, the family had already left Afghanistan and was in Qatar. Our group finished all of the official paperwork and background checks on a Friday, and the family arrived the following Monday!

We came to the partnership with IINE with an assumption that while resettlement agencies are involved and help, it’s really the community group that does the heavy lifting. We were delighted to discover that wasn’t the case with IINE. IINE’s resettlement staff found an apartment for the family, secured public benefits, managed the government processes, and scheduled medical appointments. Meanwhile, our team focused on physically setting up the apartment, ensuring there were enough household items and food, and actually picking the family up from the airport and bringing them to their new home. It was really quite a relief to not have to focus on the institutional tasks, and to instead prioritize the interpersonal work. In the past, we have had to create the plane as we flew it. That wasn’t the case here. It’s really been so much easier – and a delight.

IINE: Can you tell us more about the family you are sponsoring and your team’s relationship with them?

Tom: Essentially it’s two families – a brother with a family of nine and a sister with a family of seven. Both families were trying to leave Afghanistan when Kabul fell in 2021. You have seen the pictures of the masses of people at the airport – it was chaotic. There was a bombing, and the soldiers told the sister, her husband, and their children to head towards the airplane. Meanwhile, the brother and his family were told to head back to the city. However, his 14-year-old son was holding his aunt’s baby so he followed the sister—his aunt—onto the plane. So that’s how he found himself in Lowell, living with his aunt and uncle and their children.

Thankfully, through one of the more compassionate immigration policies this country has, which reunites unaccompanied minors with their families, the rest of his family was granted refugee status. At that point, they went to Qatar, and then came here. So this was a reuniting of the son with the rest of the family, which was very moving.

The road ahead for the family isn’t easy. Learning English, securing jobs, integrating into a new community – it takes time. Our group’s responsibility throughout all of this is to accompany the family. We are not here to live their lives or to try to make sure they “do it right.” We are here to accompany them, to help explain the unknown, to be with them. And sometimes that is frustrating, and sometimes it is wonderful. Communication isn’t always perfect, in any direction. But getting to know them individually and as a family – it has been a huge privilege.

IINE: That’s what we hear from our volunteers, time and time again – that the opportunity to connect, build relationships, and offer support is hugely rewarding. Do you think you will sponsor another family?

Tom: Absolutely. Every family comes here under unique circumstances and needs a different kind of support. There are so many ways to help and stay involved. I have gotten so much from this work over the years, so I’m committed to continuing.

IINE: Is there any advice you would share with readers who might be curious about volunteering, too?

Tom: Do it with others. Don’t do it alone. Find a team. The wisdom and support your team members will provide is really important. We started with six people and have grown to ten, as well as another four or five people who support us in various ways. And relatedly, you can start small. Volunteer to do one specific thing – maybe that’s driving an adult to an appointment or taking the children to a playground for an afternoon. Do not feel like you have to do it all from the start.

I would also reiterate the importance of accompanying the family, not directing them. One of the gifts that we can give these individuals is to support their decisions, even if they aren’t the ones we would personally make. You need to be willing to sort of let go. Know the boundaries and your role. It really is very humbling.

Curious about our Resettle Together program? Click for information on how Resettle Together groups partner with IINE resettlement staff and the steps interested individuals can take to learn more.