Family Coach Navigator Supports Students New to the U.S.

As a Family Coach Navigator in Resettlement Corps, Teagan supported Afghan middle and high school students as they transitioned to their new school settings in the U.S. Having family members immigrate here from Iran, she wanted to make an impact on other families experiencing similar situations. 

She was excited to see that Ampact created Resettlement Corps to serve refugees and immigrants, especially because of her family’s history. “My mom and grandma had to leave their home in Iran and resettle in the United States as a result of similar actions that have caused many Afghans to be forced out of their homes.” she says. “Hearing their experiences, I wanted to give back to a community that's going through similar situations.”  

Of the five available service positions with Resettlement Corps, Teagan chose to be a Family Coach Navigator. From January to September 2023, she supported an employee at her site with their caseload. In total, she helped support about 30 students throughout the school year and summer. While the students were in school, Teagan met with them one-on-one at least twice a month. She supported them with any barriers they faced and helped them make goals like taking a driver’s education course, finding tutoring services, or preparing for college. 

Over the summer months, Teagan helped design a summer program to show her students the resources and activities that the Twin Cities have to offer. Each week had a different theme like art, science, history, and wilderness. They painted in Boom Island Park, explored the Saint Paul Science Museum, learned about Minnesota history at the Minnesota History Center, and paddle boated at Lake Como. 

Throughout the year, Teagan made many connections with her students. While many of them were quiet at first, they slowly opened up as she strengthened their trust. “I had been meeting a student throughout the school year and did a lot of prompting about how things were going, but one day, she came into the office. She started talking about the next year and how her summer had been going,” Teagan explains. “It showed that I had built relationships with these students and that they trusted me enough to come with what they're feeling and what they need. They trusted that we could work together to get where they needed to go.” 

Teagan recently finished a bachelor's degree in psychology and plans to get a master's in social work to pursue a career in mental health services. She’s taking a gap year to apply to schools. In the meantime, she’s starting a research position at the University of Minnesota studying adolescent mental health. Her service with Resettlement Corps has given her experience that will help her on her new path! “I gained a lot of skills working with people and checking in,” she says. “I definitely feel more confident and will take that going forward. 

“Overall, it was a really rewarding experience. As much as I hope I made an impact, it impacted me a lot too.” 

If you are interested in serving people immigrating to the U.S., visit Ampact.US/resettlement to learn more. Apply by the end of November to start in January!