Institue for Families and Children
Abdikadir Ibrahim has been in education for the past 15 years, serving in several different positions. Mr. Ibrahim served as an academic and administrative coordinator, cultural liaison, intervention specialist, a trainer, as well as a parent educator. Mr. Ibrahim strives to prepare individuals that are mentally, physically, socially, and academically strong and fit; families who display compassion, love, respect, tolerance, and understanding which leads to a community that creates a society where universal humanity, perseverance, cooperation, and co-existence are the norms.
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Mr. Ibrahim engaged with the leadership of schools, teachers, students, and families and helped establish student council and student leadership teams in the schools, as well as the community-based organizations. The purpose of these student and youth groups was to develop them as leaders through rigorous leadership training activities, so they can lead themselves to lead others, our motto was lead yourself and the world will follow, focus on more self-development and civic responsibilities.
Mr., Ibrahim I created an educational tool for parents via presentations “Developmental Domains for Children between 0-18 years old and Parents’ Role in Influencing Health Development of the Domains.” In these educational tools, I divided the age groups as early childhood (0-5 years old), middle school/middle childhood (6-12 years old) and, secondary or teenager group (13-18 years old). In addition to the academic, science and current research about education, families and children, this work also focuses on closing the gap between two cultures. The need to understand the education system in the United States of America was must for immigrant parents to minizine and/or to close the achievement gap. This section of the work covers overview of school systems in the United States of American kindergarten to high school, types of schools, public/charter, private, and home school, grading and credit system, GPA as well as school expectations from home, parents’ expectation from school, partnership between home and school, parents’ role in their child’s education as well as support and resources a viable inside of school for students. This was a well-received educational program for parents and school personnel.
Mr. Ibrahim has a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University- Mankato and Bachelor of Science in Scientific & Technical Communications, Biological and Health Science Sub-Plan from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Mr. Ibrahim is a licensed parent educator from the University of Minnesota in the family education department.
The idea of this work was based on many years of experience in working with East African Immigrant families and their students, school districts, community-based organizations as well as academic work at the University of Minnesota graduate program in the family education department. Throughout this period, Mr. Ibrahim has seen and experienced both the challenges and opportunities that many of the families and their children are facing. With this unique knowledge and perspective lead the establishment of Institute for Families and Children to tackle the educational and social challenges that our students are facing by providing mentorship, education for their parents, and support to our educators.
The Institute for Families and Children, (IFC) established a triangle educational track; one for parents, one for youth; and one for the staffs of the schools and other institutions that work with parents and youth.
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The first track focuses on parents and their familiarization of the education systems in the U.S.A., raising successful children in pluralistic society like the U.S.A. I will focus on immigrant parents, bilingual parents to create a parent’s support (coaching/mentoring program) by connecting them with other parents who graduated from our program on parents’ responsibility curriculum based on “Developmental Domains for Children between 0-18 years old and Parents’ Role in Influencing Health Development of the Domains, and school systems in the United States.” As well as others who are raising successful children in our network. As we plan to work with all parents, we intentionally reach out to fathers as well as new parents transitioning to parenthood.
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The second track focuses on children and youth, to educate them about the education systems, provide them with mentorship and enhance the relationship with their parents and others around them so that they can be productive citizens of society.
The third track works with schools and other institutions that work with families and youth to partner with them to reach more parents and children/youth. We will connect with parent liaison and parent engagement departments, and host parenting classes with their institutions.
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This multi-layer approach, one for students, one for parents and the other for educators and community members that work with families and youth will bring a positive change to our Somali youth and their families in Minnesota and beyond.