Community Navigators receiving their certificates at PICC Statewide Immigrant Rights Convening

Community Navigators are trusted community members who receive specialized training to provide quality immigration assistance for their communities in an empowering and effective way. The ultimate goal of the training program is to build the capacity of community-based organizations to serve immigrant communities, develop the leadership of immigrants and refugees, and to prevent the unauthorized practice of law.

PICC’s Community Navigator Curriculum is inspired by the CIRI National Community Navigator Training, aimed at building capacity and increasing community driven legal services for naturalization and DACA efforts after President Obama’s November 2014 announcement for an expanded DACA and DAPA program. While DAPA and expanded DACA did not go into effect, there is still a high need and demand for Community Navigators.

The PICC Community Navigator Training Program is adapted to the needs of immigrant and refugee communities in Pennsylvania. After completing the training program, PICC Community Navigators will:

• Understand the basic of immigration law and the current enforcement policies.
• Be able to organize and lead community education workshops on Know Your Rights and Deportation Defense. Community Navigators will be key to protect communities through existing immigration relief and empower communities with information about their rights
• Learn basic presentation and advocacy skills. Community Navigators will also become skilled and empowering leaders in the larger immigrant rights movement supporting efforts at city, state and national levels.

PICC has designed a certification program for community members and leaders to become certified Community Navigators. In order to become a PICC certified Community Navigator, participants must:

• Complete the PICC Community Navigator Certification Agreement
• Attend the entire Community Navigator Core Curriculum
• Complete and submit all follow-up review worksheets
• Update the training log after attending each training module
• Submit a completed certification agreement and training log
• Commit to volunteering at, or organizing, a minimum of 3 community information sessions or legal clinics

PICC staff will review all materials submitted by participants and award certificate of completion to all who qualify. All certified Community Navigators will receive recognition at our annual Statewide Immigrant and Refugee Rights Convening. Undergoing the certification process is encouraged, but not a requirement, to attend any of our trainings.