Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

PICC Community Navigator Curriculum

PICC’s Community Navigator Curriculum is inspired by the CIRI National Community Navigator Training and adapted to the needs of immigrant and refugee communities in Pennsylvania. PICC hosts four complete Community Navigator training series annually. Training sessions will be offered in-person in different regions of the state. Please reference our calendar of events for upcoming training dates. Below is an overview of our Community Navigator Core Curriculum.

Community Navigator Certification Agreement

Community Navigator Training Log

  • Introduction to Community Navigators and Unauthorized Practice of Law: Learn about PICC’s Community Navigator program. Navigators learn how to identify, report, and avoid the unauthorized practice of law while  assisting other community members.
  • Overview of U.S. Immigration Law: Provides an overview of U.S. immigration law and current executive orders. This section helps Navigators understand the functioning and shortcomings of the U.S. immigration system. Navigators will learn about the four primary paths for immigrating to the United States, as well as be able to distinguish between different non-immigrant and immigrant status and identify potential forms of relief for undocumented immigrants. This module also provides an overview of recent changes in immigration enforcement policy.
  • Know Your Rights: Recent changes to immigration enforcement policy have made all immigrants a priority for deportation. More than ever, it is crucial that immigrant understand their rights when interacting with law enforcement officers. This section gives overview of rights non-citizens have when interacting with local law enforcement and immigration officers. This section also provides training on how to give basic “Know Your Rights” presentations to immigrant and refugee communities.
  • Advocacy & Messaging: Basics of legislative advocacy and immigrant-led messaging.

In addition to the core curriculum, PICC will be organizing a series of elective trainings for Community Navigators who want to expand their knowledge, build additional skills, and learn new approaches to social change. Elective trainings will be offered to those who have already completed the Community Navigator Core Curriculum. Potential topics include:

Deportation Defense: Increased ICE raids have produced increased fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities across the country. Having a deportation defense plan can ease anxiety, mitigate the unforeseen consequences of being detained by ICE, and help immigrant families better defend themselves against deportation. This module focuses on understanding what immigrant communities can do to protect themselves and their families from deportation. Navigators learn how to complete deportation defense plans and packets. Navigators also learn the importance of organizing their communities to win welcoming policies at the local and state levels that can help protect them from ICE.

Eligibility Screening: One of the primary ways Navigators assist lawyers and DOJ accredited representatives is by completing eligibility screenings. In this module, Navigators learn how to use and complete the eligibility-screening tool. They also learn how to properly interview others and address sensitive questions while screening other community members during a pro se legal clinic under the supervision of an attorney and/or DOJ accredited representative.

Citizenship: Becoming a U.S. citizen confers onto immigrants full legal protections, as well as the right to full civic participation in American society. This module focuses teaching Navigators how to assist others with the application process. Navigators first learn about the requirements and process to become a U.S. citizen. Then they learn how to screen for citizenship eligibility and complete an N-400 application in a pro se legal clinic under the supervision of an attorney or DOJ accredited representative. Navigators will also learn the requirements for application fee reductions and waivers and how to file these forms.

Presentation and Training Skills: Navigators are expected to put their newly acquired knowledge and skills to use for the benefit of their communities. Module 6 focuses on learning the basic presentation and training skills that Navigators will need to effectively present information to others in their communities. Navigators will learn how to effectively plan and present a workshop, as well as what support they can expect from PICC.

Principles of US Civics and Advocacy: Provides an overview of U.S. government and Pennsylvania government and how to conduct effective advocacy.

Story of Us: How to use personal stories as an advocacy tool.

Immigrant Workplace Justice: Learn about your rights at the workplace

Accompaniment


As a reminder, PICC is able to support the work of its Community Navigators by providing:

  • Assistance with logistics
  • Connections to trainers/co-trainers
  • Workshop materials and other resources
  • Referral source for others who want to become Community Navigators