Skip to content

NCC teams up with Neighbors Link Stamford to help immigrants find jobs in health care industry

Stamford Advocate

July 27, 2016

Home Health Aid class at NLS

STAMFORD — Raymonde Plantin allowed each syllable to linger on her tongue as she sounded out the words.

Top shelf. Bottom drawer. Middle shelf.

The 54-year-old Haitian immigrant was repeating short phrases in response to a question posed by her instructor — “Where should I put it?”

Susan Benthall holds up photos of furniture during an English lesson.

Being able to communicate about common household items is a crucial skill for home health aides. But for the foreign-born workers who make up roughly 20 percent of this workforce, mastering new vocabulary can be challenging.

“Asking for advice is something that’s very difficult in a foreign language, especially English,” said ESL instructor Susan Benthall. “Just practicing questions and answers — like, ‘Where should I put it?’ — has a lot of uses.”

Benthall teaches at Neighbors Link, a city nonprofit that provides resources for recent immigrants. This summer she’s leading a course for home health aides that combines skills training and vocational English.

Starting in the fall, the free course will be offered through

apartnership with Norwalk Community College and Stamford Adult Education, which will allow students an opportunity to earn certificates with completion of a set number of sessions.

Memorial Day Long Weekend - Operations Hours
No English Classes from Friday 26th through Monday 29th - We'll see you again on Tuesday 30th.
Saturday 27th
  • Shippan Center 1st Floor open from 9 am to 5 pm - Recreational Space
  • Selleck Center - Tech classes Level 1 - ONLY - 8 am to 10 am

Sunday 28th - Shippan Center 1st Floor open from 9 am to 5 pm - Recreational Space
Monday 29th - All our locations will be closed - Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day Weekend - Horas de Operación

No habrá clases de Inglés desde el Viernes 26 hasta el Lunes 29 de Mayo - Nos veremos nuevamente el Martes 30 de Mayo
Sabado 27 de Mayo
  • Sólo estará abierto Centro Shippan - 1er Piso - 9 am to 5 pm -
  • Centro Selleck - Programa de Información Tecnológica - Nivel 1 - 8 am to 10 am
Domingo 28 de Mayo - Sólo estará abierto Centro Shippan - 1er Piso - 9 am to 5 pm
Lunes 29 de Mayo
- Todas nuestras ubicaciones estarán cerradas - Feliz Memorial Day

Memorial Day Long Weekend – Lè Nap Ouvri

Pap gen Klas Anglè soti Vandredi 26 Me rive Lendi 29 Me. Nap louvri Madi 30 Me
Samdi 27 Me,

  • Sant Shippan Premye etaj la pou Sant Rekreyasyon an ap louvre soti 9 am rive 5 pm
  • Ak Sant Selleck la pou Klass Tech Nivo 1 Sèlman, ap ouvri 8 am rive 10 am
Dimanch 28. Sant Shippan Premye etaj la pou Sant Rekreyasyon an ap louvre soti 9am rive 5pm
Lendi 29 Me. Tout lokal nou yo ap fèmen - Happy Memorial Day
Scroll To Top