Inspire: A Shalom Afterschool Initiative

Inspire: A Shalom Afterschool Initiative, is a direct response to the needs of refugee and immigrant youth in the Clarkston community where Shalom International Ministry is located. Many refugee and immigrant youth in Clarkston have experienced little or interrupted formal education. As English Language Learners, they face the challenge of adjusting to middle school while also navigating a new educational system, a new language, and a new cultural context. Inspire responds to these young people’s needs, knowing that:

• without a safe, constructive place to spend their afternoons, they waste their time in front of screens or wander the streets;
• without help in understanding the language and academic content of their classes, they remain grade levels behind in school
• without positive relationships across cultural and language groups, conflict in this diverse community is rife
• without confidence, a sense of self, and a sense of belonging, they lack the hope that can spur them on to greater things

At Shalom our vision is to “seek the Shalom of the community” by addressing the social, economic, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of those around us. Through Inspire, we aim to seek Shalom by contributing to the holistic development of the middle school youth in our community. By providing homework assistance, learning activities to build basic reading and math skills, and opportunities for creative expression and physical health, we help students grow as critical thinkers, self-confident young adults, excited learners, and socially responsible community members. We also work to empower family members to become engaged in their student’s academic success through regular home visits. 

Shalom International Ministry (Shalom) is a faith-based organization located in Clarkston, GA. Shalom consists of a Christian worshipping community (made up of recently arrived refugees and immigrants from Africa) and three main community programs: a children’s ministry, a youth/young adult ministry, and Inspire: A Shalom Afterschool Initiative. Shalom’s four core values are worship, learning, hospitality, and healing; its vision is to seek the shalom -- the peace, prosperity, well-being, and wholeness -- of Clarkston. To carry out this work, Shalom receives organizational support from the New Church Development Commission (NCDC) of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta and other church partners in Atlanta. As the overarching 501(c)(3) organization, NCDC manages funds and oversees organizational structure for Shalom and its programs, including Inspire.