Baltimore City Community College Refugee Youth Project

The Refugee Youth Project is a program run by Baltimore City Community College in conjunction with local refugee resettlement agencies. We serve over 150 refugees between the ages of 4 and 21 from over 17 countries. RYP seeks to further enrich the lives of Baltimore’s refugees by supporting their academic needs and making their acculturation simple and meaningful.

We have programming at three different sites in Baltimore. Additionally, we run a mentoring program in which volunteers work with youth or their families in their homes.

Volunteers are recruited from many walks of life, but mainly include undergraduate and graduate students studying at local colleges and universities. Working with refugee children is an excellent way to gain real-world teaching experience. In addition to free ESOL and cultural sensitivity training, RYP volunteers develop classroom management and creative problem-solving skills. Volunteers also benefit from a team-oriented atmosphere as they experience new cultures and different perspectives.