Programs
PRYSE Academy
PRYSE Academy is a university-based, 5-week summer program for 100 immigrant and refugee youth in grades 6-12. Through arts-centric curricula, sports, creative expression workshops, and engaging field trips, PRYSE is proven to help participants develop literacy and leadership skills, build personal confidence, and deepen youth’s sense of belonging.
After School Club
The After School Club is a university-based, bi-weekly program during the school year serving 30 immigrant and refugee students in grades 9-12. Students are provided with individualized academic support and activities are geared toward community building and raising students’ awareness about leadership and post-secondary opportunities.
Girls Art and Maker Group
Girls Art and Maker Group is an arts-based program for immigrant teen women and femmes in grades 6-12. Participants meet twice per month to develop friendships, engage in art-making workshops, gain mentorship from peers and caring adult facilitators, and identify strategies for managing stress and opportunities to overcome barriers to achieving success.
Empowered Afghan Youth
Empowered Afghan Youth was developed in 2021 to provide tailored support for Afghan refugee youth in grades 9-12 who recently resettled in Allegheny County. Through individualized support and monthly day-long workshops, youth build community, gain academic and emotional support, and become aware of post-secondary opportunities in the Pittsburgh region.
LGBTQ+ Initiative
The LGBTQ+ Initiative’s goal is to help all of the organization’s stakeholders become more expansive in their understanding and acceptance of gender and sexuality. In addition to training led by local organizations’ with relevant expertise, ARYSE facilitates the Queer Youth Space, a safe, virtual space for queer immigrant youth to gain support and build community.
Referrals
Individuals, agencies, school districts, and other relevant stakeholders can refer youth with immigrant and refugee backgrounds to one or more programs. When students are referred to ARYSE, a staff person will contact the student(s), family, and/or referral source within 2 weeks to gather more information and evaluate eligibility for the program(s).
Please note that referring a student may not result in enrollment due to capacity limitations. In these situations, ARYSE will do its best to identify other resources internally or externally to respond to the student(s) needs.
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