Immigrant Youth Shelters
Mission:
Reunifying unaccompanied immigrant children with their families while providing
shelter and services in a nurturing and therapeutic environment.
Over 85,000 unaccompanied children enter the United States every year coming from countries all over the world such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, China, and Honduras. Some are orphans, some are trafficked into the country, some come here to work, others to escape abuse and poverty. All of the children Southwest Key serves through its Unaccompanied Minors Shelter Programs are under 18 years old and here without a parent or guardian. Most are in search of their families and a better life.
Southwest Key has been the largest provider of services to unaccompanied children in the United States for many years. Our programs encourage the development of personal and academic skills while facilitating permanency for these refugees. We honor and respect individual cultures and traditions and provide humanitarian services in a nurturing and therapeutic environment. Children are accepted at our shelters anytime of the day or night and trained staff is available 24 hours per day to support them through their journey. During their stay, they receive counseling, legal and medical services, and attend an on-site school while awaiting the resolution of their legal case. The national goals for ideal length of stay in these shelters is 45 days as arrangements are made to either reunite the youth with relatives living in the United States or back in their home country.
Child's Country of Origin
Unaccompanied immigrant children leave their home countries for the United States for a variety of reasons: to attend school, to rejoin loved ones, or to find work to support their families. The most common native countries of these children are El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala.
Cultural Competency
Southwest Key hires staff that is reflective of the cultures of these youth and able to communicate with them in their native languages. This creates a comforting atmosphere for the youth. Additionally, decorations, posters, books, games and other entertainment are provided in the young people's native language. Youth also receive English lessons to help their transition in this country and learn about the languages and cultures of their peers. This helps them begin to understand the complexities of living in a multicultural society.
OUR PROGRAMS
http://www.swkey.org/
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