SYLMAR : College Gets Grant to Help Immigrants

Mission College in Sylmar has received a $50,000 grant to establish a program to help immigrants who are single parents prepare for employment.

Under the grant from the California Community Colleges vocational education unit, the college will set up a program offering basic skills instruction, life management training and parenting courses, said Penny Young, grant administrator and director of Mission College’s Business and Professional Center.

“I see this project as a means of opening another door to persons who are new to this country and who want to become a part of our work force,” Young said.

The program is in conjunction with the San Fernando YWCA; El Nido Services, a Pacoima counseling agency, and El Centro de Amistad, a San Fernando-based counseling and parenting skills center.

Any new California resident who is a single parent and a legal resident of the state is eligible. The program can accommodate 30 adults. A high school diploma is not required, Young said.