In July 2024, Pueblo Unido’s Community Engagement Department was established with the aim of bridging the knowledge gap regarding legal and social services within the community. We aim to empower individuals by providing essential general information that assists them in navigating the complexities of these services with confidence. Additionally, we seek to educate agencies and organizations on how to more effectively support their communities in accessing these resources.
The Approach: We intend to address these challenges by offering workshops that enhance comprehension of legal and social services, as well as basic technology. These sessions will empower residents to advocate for their needs and teach them how to independently seek out available resources. By developing vital technology skills, participants will enhance their ability to access information and support on their own.
Partnerships: We have partnered with organizations, schools, and agencies to create a comprehensive support network in Oregon and Washington. This includes tabling events, workshop sessions, and outreach presentations for staff members and individuals to learn about how to access legal and social services.
Successes: The outcomes of these workshops have been remarkable: since July 2024, over 1,080 individuals, including agency staff and community members, have engaged in our workshops. This has led to a significant increase in awareness about how to better support their communities, as well as empowering community members to access local resources more effectively.
In conclusion, the launch of our Community Engagement Department in July 2024 marks a crucial step toward empowering community members by narrowing the knowledge gap surrounding legal and social services. Through our targeted workshops and collaborations with organizations in Oregon and Washington, we remain committed to fostering a community where everyone has the understanding to navigate the complexities of legal and social services. Together, we are building a brighter, more informed future for our communities.
Pueblo Unido is committed to including marginalized groups and the communities we serve in all aspects of our organization, and ensuring that those groups are heard and hold power.
We invite you to share your voice by participating in our Call for Stories campaign, or by submitting a Community Feedback Form.
Additionally, we invite you to learn more about the stories of our community members through our Home on Hold comic project.
Pueblo Unido has developed a series of free community workshops related to the Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) program, defensive asylum and self-help services that can be provided in Spanish or from English to a target language using simultaneous interpretation and headsets for participants. We believe that our community would benefit greatly from the workshops we offer.
Accessing and Using ECO (Available only for OR residents)- In this workshop participants will learn about the Equity Corps of Oregon (ECO) program that offers free legal immigration services They will learn who is eligible, how to apply, the participant's journey, and what the program helps with. (about 30 minutes)
Core Knowledge: Immigration Proceedings- In this workshop, participants will learn about immigration processes focused on a defensive asylum process. They will learn about hearings, documents, and how to protect their right to pursue their case. (about 1 hour)
Core Knowledge: Asylum- In this workshop participants will learn about the contents of an asylum application and important dates. This module is ideal for people who are seeking asylum or people who would like to learn more about the process. This workshop was created by Latino Network (about 1 hour)
Self-Help: Documents 101- In this workshop, participants will learn about immigration documents and the differences between the different agencies that could be involved in their cases. (about 30 minutes)
Self-Help: Services 101- In this workshop, participants will learn how to use and create an email account, how to scan documents, and how to use the postal service. (about 1.5 hours) (Max participants 6 ppl)
Self-Help: Services 201- In this workshop, participants will learn how to identify a nonprofit organization and navigate the Internet safely to find the resources they need. (about 1.5 hours) (Max participants 6 ppl)
Please note: Workshops may be presented in groups of two or three workshops at a time, except for the workshops: Self-Help-Services 101 and 201, since these require individualized attention from the presenters to the participants.
Interpretation: If the workshop is presented with simultaneous interpretation, from English or Spanish to a target language, anticipate an increase in time of at least 25% due to interpretation and participant questions and answers.
The workshops are completely free. The only help we need from you is to advertise the event, a screen to show our slides and the space to present.
Disclaimer: The information presented is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice.
If you would like to schedule a workshop, please fill out the Community Workshop Request Form below.