{"id":1461,"date":"2025-09-03T17:02:30","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T17:02:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/?page_id=1461"},"modified":"2025-09-26T17:54:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:54:36","slug":"trading-languages","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/trading-languages\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridges to Belonging"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Bridges to Belonging Initiative: Empowering English Learners through Community &amp; Culture <\/b>is\u00a0a key part of the Brunswick New Mainers Initiative, led by United Way of Mid Coast Maine (United Way), the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine (IRCM), and the Town of Brunswick, offering an informal, community-based approach to learning English.<\/p>\n<p>In partnership with Multilingual Mainers and the McKeen Center for the common good, this program offers sessions <span class=\"s12\">outdoors in a relaxed setting<\/span>, using a <span class=\"s12\">\u201ccircuit board\u201d model<\/span> where learners and volunteers rotate through interactive stations focused on real-life scenarios (like job interviews, scheduling appointments, or ordering food). This hands-on format keeps learning engaging and immediately relevant to everyday needs.<\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1471 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/files\/2025\/09\/Unknown-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"111\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1472 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/files\/2025\/09\/Unknown-4-300x103.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"253\" height=\"87\" srcset=\"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/files\/2025\/09\/Unknown-4-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/files\/2025\/09\/Unknown-4.png 383w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\"><b>Who are our volunteers? Bowdoin Students, Staff and Community Members<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\">no ESL credentials required; patience and curiosity welcomed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\"><span class=\"s12\">Role:<\/span> One\u2011to\u2011one\/small\u2011group conversations, role\u2011plays, station facilitation, setup\/teardown, cultural exchange; optional lead\/mentor roles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\"><span class=\"s12\">Commitment:<\/span> Ideally 1 session\/week per term; flexible (2 hours per week; 20 hours total)<\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\"><span class=\"s12\">Training &amp; Supports:<\/span> Orientation (mission, adult learning basics), intercultural competence, trauma\u2011informed facilitation, communication strategies, safety\/boundaries. Volunteers receive a <span class=\"s12\">Work Kit<\/span> (handbook, conduct, tools) and ongoing coaching, check\u2011ins, peer mentorship, and recognition (certificates\/badges, celebration events).<\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\">Interested in learning more? <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSeZ6wEPBwKQI85oZr3UnX3tXEviY8RRACiFANl4XldcZGEVNQ\/viewform\">SIGN UP HERE<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"s5\">Orientation sessions are offered to all new volunteers. Refreshments are provided at each session to create a relaxed, social atmosphere. Volunteers who attend regularly will receive a <b>LinkedIn<\/b><b> <\/b><b>badge<\/b><b> <\/b>to recognize their contribution.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bridges to Belonging Initiative: Empowering English Learners through Community &amp; Culture is\u00a0a key part of the Brunswick New Mainers Initiative, led by United Way of Mid Coast Maine (United Way), the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine (IRCM), and the Town of Brunswick, offering an informal, community-based approach to learning English. In partnership with Multilingual Mainers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-1461","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry","6":"has-post-thumbnail"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1461"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1461\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.bowdoin.edu\/multilingual-mainers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}