AWC's community ambassadors leadership program for women and the youth receive training and skills to take on leadership roles in their communities. Community Ambassadors are trained to recognize signs of emotional distress and to provide compassionate, non-clinical mental health first aid. They lead wellness check-ins, facilitate peer support circles, and host culturally relevant workshops on topics like stress, grief, parenting under pressure, and self-care. They act as bridges—gently connecting women to licensed mental health professionals when needed, and helping them feel safe and seen in that process. AWC language services are manned by the community ambassadors serving as advocates, they provide an added value to refugee women calling in to get help. They play a critical role in reaching and educating the community using culturally tailored methodologies. They are trusted voices that have undergone professional training and received certifications in various disciplines including interpretation and translation. They are front-line advocates, navigators, and interviewers among others.
They are best equipped to address cultural nuances, taboos, and myths that are typically barriers for this community to gain access to services that they need. (AWC) Community Ambassadors receive various Training and Certifications -e.g. CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative).
Due to the diversity of the population we serve, AWC has developed a unique model to reach and help the various groups tap into resources that are available to them. This model constitutes community ambassadors that are representative of the various ethnicities that reside in Clarkston, Dekalb County, Metro Atlanta, and Gwinnett County. They speak all of the languages including Tigrinya, Amharic, Swahili, Somali, Pashto, Dari, Oromo, Arabic, Dinka, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, French, and Lingala. A culturally competent team that is well versed in cultural nuances. They provide both oral interpretation services and written translation services and assist the community apply for public benefits and much more
Fourteen AWC Community Youth Ambassadors assist AWC Ambassadors in becoming responsible, productive, successful adults through a comprehensive holistic leadership program, applying culturally sensitive tools. The programs typically include activities such as service-learning, intercultural exchange, civic engagement, outdoor education, organizing events, mentorship, intergenerational knowledge exchange, work experience, public speaking, and life skills development.
The development of leadership contributes greatly to the positive development of young people and their communities. Leadership skills, such as goal-setting, problem-solving and sound decision-making, are not just necessary for leaders - these skills are needed for success in the communities we serve and in today's world.
