This past summer, a group from the Brooklyn Oratory inquired about volunteer opportunities at Center for Family Life. This led to a beautiful partnership that we are excited to highlight in this month’s Stories from the Field!
The Migrant Accompaniment program, operating under the Oratory’s Social Justice Action Committee, focuses on supporting recently arrived New Yorkers and was eager to engage with Brooklyn’s immigrant community.
They conducted a needs assessment through a series of interviews, surveys, and meetings—including with CFL’s Adult Employment program—to determine how their volunteering could be most effective. Ultimately, they decided to facilitate English conversation circles in partnership with our ESOL classes!
In Fiscal Year 2025, 223 students enrolled in our free English classes, making conversation circles an excellent addition to our programming.
Snapshots from some of the conversation circle sessions!
For two and a half months, a dedicated group of 15 volunteers facilitated 4 English conversation circles weekly. The aim was to create a foundation of care through accessible and relevant conversations, making the experience comfortable for learners.
These sessions provided essential opportunities for learners to drive the discussions, fostering genuine connections among participants.
One volunteer remarked that “the conversations quickly morphed from the recommended topic of the day to what happened in people’s lives during the week, like a group of friends catching up”.
After breaking the ice, the sessions also evolved into a space for resource-sharing and mutual aid, where both volunteers and learners exchanged knowledge on topics like low-cost lunch options, neighborhood events, library assistance, and more.
Another volunteer noted “the most positive aspect for me was the enjoyment everyone in the group seemed to feel: there were serious explanations, and laughter, at each session”.
Brooklyn Oratory volunteers celebrating their partnership with CFL Co-Executive Director Julia Jean-Francois and Adult Employment Program Director Maria Ferreira.
We are so grateful to our partners at the Brooklyn Oratory and look forward to continuing our collaboration.
Thank you to all our supporters and volunteers, you make
Center for Family Life’s vital work possible!
