June 2025
Rooted in Belonging: How CASA Supports Immigrant Youth in Winthrop
This Immigrant Heritage Month, we highlight CASA’s programs that uplift youth and families through language access, job training, education, and community connection.
🌍 Honoring Immigrant Heritage Month: Supporting Belonging, Opportunity, and Voice in Winthrop
June is National Immigrant Heritage Month—a time to recognize, celebrate, and uplift the rich cultural backgrounds of immigrants in our communities. In Winthrop, nearly 1 in 5 residents are immigrants, and many more are first-generation Americans. That means our schools, neighborhoods, and programs are filled with a wide range of languages, traditions, and perspectives—and we believe that’s something to celebrate.
At Winthrop CASA, we’re committed to making sure immigrant youth and families feel welcomed and have the tools, support, and opportunities they need to thrive. We understand that moving to a new country comes with real challenges—language barriers, financial pressure, unfamiliar systems, and sometimes feelings of isolation. That’s why many of our programs are intentionally designed to bridge those gaps and help families feel more connected to the community around them.
🤝 Equitable Family Engagement Network
Navigating school and community systems can be especially challenging for immigrant families. That’s why CASA co-leads the Equitable Family Engagement Network alongside Winthrop Public Schools’ Parent Resource Center and the English Learners Parent Advisory Council.
This initiative centers immigrant and low-income families by using a trauma-informed approach—meaning we meet families where they are, with empathy and understanding.
Some of our most exciting successes so far include:
Distributing culturally diverse books in multiple languages across all Winthrop schools and the public library.
Hosting events where multilingual families can access school information and community resources in their native languages.
Creating opportunities for parents to share feedback and have a voice in shaping school and town programs.
🗣️ Free Interpreter Training for Bilingual Youth and Adults
This year, CASA launched its first “Fundamentals of Translation and Interpretation” course—an eight-session, completely free training for bilingual community members aged 14 and up.
Whether you speak Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian, Arabic, or another language, this program helps unlock professional opportunities in healthcare, legal settings, schools, and more. Participants leave with a certificate and new skills they can use to support others and earn income.
Interpreter programs like this not only help participants grow professionally—they also make our whole community more accessible by increasing access to communication and services for those who need it.
💼 Job Training in Spanish and Portuguese
Finding your first job—or learning how to prepare for one—can be extra intimidating when English isn’t your first language. That’s why each summer, CASA offers YouthWorks, a free career-readiness program for high school students, with sessions available in Spanish and Portuguese.
Students get support building résumés, practicing interview skills, learning about workers’ rights, and gaining the confidence to step into the workforce. This inclusive version of YouthWorks helps ensure all youth—regardless of language background—have access to the same tools for success.
🌟 Why This Matters
Every time a young person feels proud of their culture…
Every time a parent feels empowered to advocate for their child…
Every time a neighbor feels seen, understood, and welcomed…
We grow stronger together.
At CASA, we believe that everyone deserves to feel like they belong—and we are proud to walk alongside Winthrop’s immigrant community as they build new roots and continue to shape our town for the better.