Afro American Development Association

AFRO AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION IS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL, NON-RELIGIOUS, NON-PARTISAN, NON-PROFIT-MAKING HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION FOUNDED ON THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. THE ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR 2014 BY A GROUP OF CONCERNED DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED STUDENTS TO RESPOND HUMAN SUFFERING AMONG MARGINALIZED AND NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN THE STATES OF MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA. THE PRIMARY AIM OF FORMING AFRO AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION WAS ALLEVIATING POVERTY THROUGH SUPPORTING NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND OTHER VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA BY IMPARTING NEW SKILLS THAT FOSTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES, REDUCING DEPENDENCY ON GOVERNMENT FREE BENEFITS, AND CONTRIBUTING REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.

ESHARA PARTNERSTHE ESHARA PROJECT BEGAN AS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE TO HELP NEW AMERICANS ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND SECURE LIVING-WAGE EMPLOYMENT. AADA HELPED UNITE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PARTNERS TO LAUNCH INNOVATIVE JOB READINESS SERVICES ADAPTED TO THE NEEDS OF NEW AMERICANS IN THE FARGO-MOORHEAD COMMUNITY. OUR 4 FOUNDING PARTNERS INCLUDE THE SOMALI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH DAKOTA (SCDND), SUDANESE COMMUNITY OF FARGO-MOORHEAD (SCFM), SOUTH SUDAN FOUNDATION, AND AADA. WE CONTINUE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR NEW AMERICAN FAMILIES.ESHARA HAS ALSO CREATED A PLATFORM FOR PARTNERS TO COLLABORATIVELY ADDRESS OTHER EMERGING NEEDS. WHEN COVID-19 STRUCK OUR COMMUNITIES, ESHARA PARTNERS QUICKLY CAME TOGETHER TO RESPOND. WE DEVELOPED STRATEGIES TO DELIVER COVID-19 PREVENTION AND RESPONSE SERVICES USING ESHARA PARTNERS AS A HUB FOR SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

EMPLOYMENT TRAININGTHE MOST PRESSING CONCERN FOR MOST NEW AMERICANS IS TO SECURE AND RETAIN EMPLOYMENT. AADA'S JOB TRAINING SERVICES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:1. CAREER ASSESSMENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORTWE START WITH A THOROUGH CAREER ASSESSMENT THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND EACH PARTICIPANT'S UNIQUE SKILLS, TALENTS, AND COMPETENCIES AS WELL AS THEIR TRAINING GAPS THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO SECURING EMPLOYMENT. BASED ON THIS ASSESSMENT, OUR EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST GUIDES PARTICIPANTS TO ESTABLISH SHORT AND MEDIUM-TERM GOALS THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR VISION FOR THEIR FUTURE. THE RESULT OF THESE MEETINGS IS A CAREER PLAN THAT SERVES AS A ROADMAP FOR PARTICIPANTS AND THE EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST TO DOCUMENT PROGRESS AND STRATEGIZE TO OVERCOME SETBACKS.2. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, JOB SEARCH SUPPORT, AND RESUME BUILDINGOUR PROGRAM MANAGER AND EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST WORK IN UNISON TO COORDINATE PRACTICAL SKILLS TRAINING THAT TEACHES NEW AMERICANS THE BASICS OF HOW TO SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT, DEVELOP A RESUME, APPLY FOR JOBS ONLINE, USE KEY TERMS, ADAPT COVER LETTERS, AND OTHER SOFT SKILLS. WE HELP THEM NAVIGATE AVAILABLE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT. WHEN THEY ARE INVITED TO INTERVIEW, OUR EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST USES MOCK INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES AND COACHES NEW AMERICANS ON HOW TO RESPOND TO CHALLENGING QUESTIONS.3. JOB PLACEMENTOUR EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST STAYS IN CONTACT WITH EACH PARTICIPANT UNTIL THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SECURED EMPLOYMENT. NEW AMERICANS OFTEN NEED CONTINUED COACHING AND TRAINING TO RETAIN THEIR POSITIONS AND NAVIGATE WORK CULTURE. AADA OFFERS ONGOING FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT TO HELP PARTICIPANTS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NECESSARY JOB SKILLS. OUR EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST IS AVAILABLE TO HELP PARTICIPANTS NAVIGATE COMMON ON-THE-JOB CHALLENGES, SUCH AS WORKPLACE CONFLICT, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND HOW TO WORK IN A MULTICULTURAL TEAM.4. RESPONDING TO TRAINING NEEDSCOVID-19 HAS IMPACTED THE JOB MARKET IN UNPRECEDENTED WAYS, AND NEW AMERICANS NEED TECHNICAL TRAINING TO COMPETE IN THIS NEW CLIMATE. AADA ENGAGES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS TO HELP NEW AMERICANS COMPETE FOR IN-DEMAND JOBS BY DEVELOPING NEWS JOB-RELATED SKILLS DELIVERED IN A CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY ATTUNED ENVIRONMENT TO DEEPEN LEARNING.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT1. NEW AMERICAN YOUTH PROGRAM AND AFTERSCHOOL SERVICESAADA ENGAGES NEW AMERICAN YOUTH AGE 14-24 TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES THAT HELP THEM DISCOVER THEIR EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS, LEARN ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREERS, AND GAIN VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCES. WE ALSO OFFER CHILDREN SUPPORT DURING AFTERSCHOOL HOURS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE TUTORING, MENTORING AND A SAFE SPACE WHERE CHILDREN AND YOUTH CAN SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR PEERS.2. GLOBAL TAPESTRYTHE GLOBAL TAPESTRY PROJECT IS A MEDIA INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE FACT-BASED STORIES THAT ILLUSTRATE THE STRENGTHS AND POSITIVE BENEFITS DIVERSITY BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITIES IN NORTH DAKOTA AND MINNESOTA. AADA IS PROUD TO SHOWCASE STORIES OF NEW AMERICANS TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND CREATE A MORE WELCOME ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL RESIDENTS.