Hi SRRT and EMIERT colleagues,
Many of us serve immigrant communities. I'm passing along info on a program that trains people to be Department of Justice accredited representatives or non-lawyers authorized to provide free or low-cost representation to those navigating the immigration system. The program is offered through Villanova University and, through it, several librarians across the country have become DOJ accredited immigrant representatives. The program might also interest and benefit our community partners.
The "Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates" (VIISTA), offered through the university's College of Professional Studies, is described as the first university-based, fully online program to train immigrant advocates. That format, planned before the pandemic forced most courses online, allows easier access for working professionals, and keeps costs low. There are 3 modules: Immigrant Accompaniment, Immigrant Advocacy, and Immigration Trial Advocacy. Each module costs $1,270 and the entire certificate costs $3,810. Learn more here: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/professional-studies/academics/professional-education/viista.html
Typically, professional certificates of any kind require 12 credit hours and are no less than $10k. Some would say that this program is, by comparison, efficient and affordable. Please feel free to share this with your networks and coalitions. I've also included a few testimonials below.
Many thanks,
Ana Ndumu
"I went through the Learning Activities, and I was honestly floored. This is the most comprehensive syllabus I have ever seen by far, and so many references or activities brought me back to similar learning experiences that I had to stumble on accidentally early in my career but were extremely important in shaping my views and understanding of the larger issues. I am a strong proponent of a big picture view (which counterintuitively most lawyers don't reach until late in their careers after many of their ideas have already been formed). I look forward to continuing through this." - Retired Immigration Judge Jeff Chase
"I joined VIISTA to deepen my commitment as an immigrant advocate. At the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, I have the honor of standing alongside asylum-seeking families seeking the right to protection and safety in the U.S. My day-to-day work has shown me the huge gaps in access to legal representation across the country and the drastic disparity in outcome when asylum-seeking families do not have access to an attorney. VIISTA is an innovative model that removes traditional barriers to law school through its remote, self-paced classroom model, allowing people like me to gain a comprehensive understanding of immigration law and advocacy. " Nicole Tan, Asylum Advocacy Project
------------------------------
Ana Ndumu
Assistant Professor
University of Maryland, College Park iSchool
------------------------------