International Institute of Connecticut

International Institute of Connecticut

The International Institute of Connecticut (IICONN), founded in 1918, is a statewide nonprofit human services agency that addresses the need to provide new immigrants and refugees in Connecticut with services to help them become self-sufficient, integrated and contributing members of the community. The organization focuses on helping those individuals who face significant barriers to adjusting to their new environment. IICONN offers legal, social, linguistic and educational programs to help them overcome these obstacles. The Institute also provides special services to victims of serious crimes such as human trafficking, torture, and domestic violence. Each year, IICONN assists over 7000 individuals from its offices in Bridgeport, Stamford and Hartford. The Institute is distinguished from other organizations in Connecticut providing resettlement and services to immigrants in three ways:

·  The Institute is the only statewide provider of legal immigration services that is recognized by the U. S. Board of Immigration Appeals and is the only nonprofit provider of immigration services that offers a full array of legal immigration services, including court representation, victim assistance, and asylum application assistance.

·  The Institute is the only nonprofit in Southwestern Connecticut providing refugee resettlement services and specialized case management for refugees and asylees.

·  The Institute is the only organization in Connecticut that provides comprehensive services to combat human trafficking in Connecticut, including assistance in identifying and assisting victims of all forms of sex and labor trafficking.

IICONN is funded with federal, state, and local grants, private donations, and program fees. The Institute assists its clients by providing social, educational, linguistic and legal services through the following five core programs:

·  Refugee Resettlement Employment Services

·  Victim and Human Trafficking Services

·  Interpretation and Translation Services

·  Legal Immigration and Citizenship Services

·  Community Outreach and Education

Mission

The International Institute is a statewide nonprofit organization that assists refugees and new immigrants resolve legal, economic, linguistic and social barriers so that they become self-sufficient, integrated and contributing members of the community. The Institute achieves this mission by providing a compassionate array of high-quality legal, social and educational programming and by promoting cross cultural understanding and decent treatment for all.

Vision

The Institute envisions Connecticut as a place where new Americans may fully participate in our culturally diverse communities, where low-income families may have access to affordable immigration services and be reunited with family, where survivors of crime and persecution may have the resources needed to become self-supporting and healed, and where ethnic diversity is valued as a cultural and economic strength by all.

Core Values and Approach

The following five core values exemplify IICONN: Collaborative, Adaptable, Expertise, Integrity, and Compassion.

·  Collaborative: The Institute believes that it is a stronger organization when it works collaboratively with other social service organizations and government agencies to provide the best possible services to its constituency.

·  Adaptable: The Institute is resourceful and nimble. The organization has succeeded for 95 years because of its ability to change and evolve to meet the needs of the refugees and immigrants it serves.

·  Expertise: The Institute is recognized as an organization with a high level of knowledge, experience, professionalism and expertise.

·  Integrity: The Institute is well-respected by its constituents, its peers, and its funders, and maintains the highest level of honesty and respect in all aspects of its work.

·  Compassion: The Institute is a human services organization, and its services are marked by cultural competence, empathy, and understanding.

The Institute’s Collaborative Approach

One of IICONN’s core values is collaboration. The Institute has always maintained strong relationships with government agencies and social service providers in many different disciplines. The Institute is recognized as a professional, successful agency and partner by numerous agencies. This recognition has enabled it to establish and maintain numerous accreditations and memberships that enable it to qualify for and participate in programs that benefit the individuals and families it serves. Accreditations and memberships include:

·  U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”):

·  US Committee on Refugee and Immigrants (USCRI)

·  Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (CIRC):

·  Connecticut Coalition Against Trafficking (CCAT):

·  New York Immigration Coalition

·  Immigration Advocates Network

·  United Way of Western Connecticut

·  Valley United Way of Connecticut