Hartford Public Library

In partnership with Hartford Public Schools and other community agencies, Hartford Public Library will implement the Learning Belonging Community program. Over the course of the three-year project, HPL and its partners will develop an interdisciplinary curriculum for immigrant and refugee youth, ages 17-21, focused on English language acquisition, digital/information literacy skills, leadership development, cultural competency, and social action. Locally, 180 youth will participate in the program over nine cycles and may earn academic credit for their participation. The Hartford Public Library will disseminate the following project deliverables to the broader library and K-12 professions to encourage broad adoption: the project's curriculum, online creative commons for sharing youth projects; and professional development resources to support adoption of the model, including training for staff and volunteer mentors, as well as strategies for recruitment and outreach.