Services

Our immigrant and refugee clients face many challenges, starting over in a new country with a new language and little support. With the current political climate bringing fear and confusion, our work becomes even more important to ensure our clients’ well being. Learning English instills confidence in adults to function in society. Now, they can go grocery shopping, make doctor appointments, apply for jobs, meet with their children’s teachers, and connect with neighbors and co-workers. If learning how to use Skype allows a grandmother to stay in touch with her grandchildren or if our citizenship program can empower our clients to become U.S. citizens, that’s the success we seek. Our bilingual Information and Referral Service provides important public health and governmental information during times of crisis alongside the day to day information needed to navigate various systems. At Helping Link/Một Dấu Nối, our volunteers are committed to teaching our community essential skills to adapt to life in the U.S., providing them with empowerment, independence and connection to the world around them.

Civic Engagement Program

Helping Link, in partnership with the City of Seattle Department of Neighbors and MEMconsultant, is conducting a community needs assessment of the Vietnamese-American community in the King County area.

Through a mix of electronic surveys and phone interviews, Helping Link is seeking to understand what the unmet needs are in the Vietnamese-American community and where Helping Link fits in to addressing these needs. If you or someone you know would be able to participate in this assessment, either as a survey participant OR as an assessor, please reach out to the project lead, Duy Tran, at duytran@helpinglink.org.

Class Schedule – held remotely
  • Course Length: 10 weeks

ESL Program

Our ESL/Citizenship classes focus on teaching the practical knowledge necessary for passing the USCIS citizenship exam. 

Additionally, we provide instruction for carrying out daily conversations and social interactions in English. There is always at least one native English speaker and one bilingual English/Vietnamese speaker in the classroom so that we can ensure our clients are receiving the support they need. While we try and tailor each class’s curriculum to match the needs and goals of the clients in the class, we always cover topics in American history and government, civic knowledge, and social responsibility. Other examples of lesson topics include: navigating emergency situations, describing family and home life, submitting job applications and going through professional interviews.

Class Schedule – held remotely
  • Course Length: 10 weeks
  • Time: Monday and Wednesdays, 6:00pm-7:30pm
  • Start date: January 11th

iPad/iPhone Classes

Interested in learning technology to make life easier?

We offer iPad lessons and training for adults and seniors, from beginner basics to advanced features of iPads. Enroll our free class and discover everything you need to know about using an iPad for translation, navigation, and communication.

We have limited seats for iPad classes with a maximum of 12 students in one class!

Registration is simple and easy! We will send you instructions on how to join our online class once your registration is complete.

If you have any questions, please contact us via info@helpinglink.org

Class Schedule – held remotely
  • Course Length: 10 weeks
  • Time: Monday and Wednesdays, 5:00pm-6:00pm
  • Start date: January 11th

VSL Classes

With increasing demands for learning Vietnamese language, we are honored to introduce our exclusive program Vietnamese as a Second Language (VSL). 

The course curriculum will provide an introduction of Vietnamese language to students who have little to no exposure to Vietnamese. Under instructions of our experienced teachers, students will develop real conversational skills in the community.

We have limited seats for VSL classes. For more information or class registration, contact us at info@helpinglink.org

Class Schedule – held remotely
  • Course Length: 5 or 10 weeks (depends on students’ objectives)
  • Fees: $200-$400 for 10-40 hours
  • Start date: TBD