The New Albany Food Pantry is initiating a new program called Conversation Partners.
Conversation Partners is a program that matches English speaking volunteers with English Language Learners (ELL) from our pantry community.
The ELL partners have sufficient basic English to converse. In addition to assisting new residents to become linguistically self-sufficient, the program provides a potential friend with whom all manners of topics can be discussed.
Both partners have the opportunity to learn about each other’s culture & life experiences, and there is no fee to participate.
Due to COVID-19, Conversation Partners will take place online using WhatsApp, FaceTime or Zoom; each pair will have the opportunity to choose the platform that works best for them.
We will give out both hard & digital copies of “Tips for Success for Conversation Partners” & “Something to Talk About.” These information packets are for tips & suggestions, but they are not scripts! We truly want this to be a free-flowing conversation: think of it as “having coffee with a neighbor.”
The ELL Partner will know that the English Speaker is not a teacher & that this program is just two people conversing.
How it will work-
Volunteers will fill out this form to be an English Speaking Conversation Partner.
Partners will be matched up by the ELL Committee at NAFP.
A brief (socially distanced) training session will be offered on September 17th at the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and again 5:00-7:30 PM. You may arrive at any time during those two windows. However, if you are unable to attend in person, the training information will be available digitally as well.
You will receive contact information about your Partner, the Partners will also receive your information. You will reach out to the Partner & set up a schedule that is convenient to both of you.
Conversations will be taking place for 30-60 minutes weekly for 3 months. We will reassess after three months.
If this seems like something you would be interested in, please fill out the form below!
Have questions? Please contact Angie Ojeda-Kreiman at 614.397.6999.