Our vision is of a shared society where all people are welcomed and valued, and enjoy equal opportunities and protections. Through our legal, wellness and education services, our advocacy work and our cross-cultural community building events, we work to make this vision a reality. More specifically, we aim to: 1) Enable immigrants and refugees to transition from new arrivals to empowered, integrated and successful residents. 2) Help immigrant, refugee and asylum-seeking families stay together, secure residency and citizenship, and gain the security that is integral to stability and well-being. 3) Equip immigrants with the English proficiency and career competencies needed in order to flourish, pursue their goals and find financial stability. 4) Provide immigrants with counseling, wellness education and support that helps them adjust through transition and thrive in a new culture. 5) Build community among our constituents, who come from Ireland and more than 120 countries around the world, through community events, talks and other opportunities for new and longtime Bostonians to learn, share and meet with one another. 6) Advance structural change by working with community partners to advocate for pro-immigration policies at the local, state and federal levels. 7) Continue growing our reputation as a vibrant, multi-service welcome center in order to serve more of Boston's immigrant and refugee families. 8) Continue to build on our core competencies and further integrate our services.

From 2016-2018, we have focused on increasing our organizational capacity to best meet the needs of the immigrant community in greater Boston through strategic development in five key areas: People- Investing in the development of our Board of Directors, Advisory Board, staff, and volunteers to increase our capacity as an organization. Partnerships- Identifying and building key alliances and partnerships among public and private supporters, as well as community partners. Publicity- Launching a marketing and PR campaign to raise awareness about the IIIC and the breadth of our work with immigrants and refugees from more than 120 countries. Physical Space- In 2017, we moved to new, fit-for-purpose facilities that are accessible, welcoming, and sustainable in the face of continued program growth. Program- Expanding our services, further developing our integrated approach to delivery, and assist more immigrants, refugees, and Irish graduate interns. Our vision is enacted through a full range of services that meet the evolving needs of newcomers to greater Boston. Specific strategies within our key work areas include: Immigration Legal Services 1) Expert consultations and forms assistance at free weekly legal clinics 2) Full representation to meet a wide range of needs, including families seeking unification, survivors of domestic violence seeking independence from their abusers, and undocumented youth seeking legal status in the U. S. 3) Citizenship assistance through weekly drop-in clinics and a “Citizenship and ESOL" class helping students gain the language proficiency and knowledge required to complete and pass the naturalization exam and interview. Education Services 4) A range of English language classes that strive to meet the diverse needs of our adult students 5) Computer classes, and the incorporation of job readiness skills into our other educational programs 6) Individual Achievement Program that helps students articulate and achieve their career and educational goals. Wellness Services 7) Culturally appropriate crisis intervention, counseling and case management to vulnerable immigrants 8) Case management services for Irish immigrants and Irish students in the U. S. on yearlong J-1 visas. 9) Access to suicide prevention trainings throughout the greater Boston area. 10) Community events with speakers on topics including mental health and addiction 11) Irish language classes that connect Irish clients with their heritage, and with each other. Inclusion and Community Building 12) Workshops, events and discussions that promote community building and intercultural awareness. Advocacy 13) Participation in campaigns that help make Massachusetts a more welcoming state for newcomers, and advocate for comprehensive immigration reform and other policies that are humane and just. Learning Exchange Programs 14) Visa sponsorship and ongoing support for more than 500 Irish graduates and students with internships at top U. S. companies.

Our work is carried out by a team of 28 full-time staff with expertise in their respective fields, including staff attorneys, social workers, and qualified adult education instructors. We also have a strong leadership team comprised of a seasoned Executive Director, Deputy Director, Director of Finance, and four program directors. We have a strong advisory and support network comprised of friends from the worlds of business, politics and community development, and we maintain close ties with other Irish-American groups, as well as with immigrant and refugee support agencies throughout greater Boston. These partnerships enable us to: effectively serve the immigrant community through collaborative projects and signposting to other services as needed, receive guidance and practical support for our work, and maintain a strong base of corporate, foundation and individual supporters that provides the stability and security needed to strategically grow and develop our work. Lastly, we recently relocated to an office in downtown Boston that is easily accessible by public transit from throughout greater Boston and purpose built for hosting classes, legal clinics, workshops and events, and one-to-one appointments with clients.

The IIIC's leadership team meets quarterly and annually to set performance targets, evaluate progress, and adjust course as necessary to meet the organization's strategic objectives. In 2018, we are evaluating our progress based on the following key indicators: For our Legal Services: Number of legal and citizenship clinic consultations provided Number of full representation cases opened by staff attorneys Number of consultations and full representation cases for Rosie's Place women's shelter clients Number of consultations and full representation cases for students of Boston Public Schools Attendance at Boston Public Schools student and staff trainings Number of applications for citizenship completed For our Education Services: Number of students served by English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), workforce development, and citizenship preparation classes Percentage of students showing improvement in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills Percentage of computer class students showing improvement in performance Percentage of students in Individual Achievement program meeting their self-determined goals For our Wellness Services: Number of clients receiving one-to-one support services Number of wellness clinics (on topics such as flu, dental health) and psychological-education events hosted and organized by IIIC staff Percentage of clients reporting satisfaction with services For our Learning Exchange Programs: Number of students/graduates supported through full J-1 visa sponsorship Number of inquiries handled by staff team Increased participation in internship program for Irish university students

As we come to the end of our 2016-2018 strategic planning period, our management team is evaluating our progress in our organizational focus areas and working with each other and with external advisors to map our next phase of strategic development. As we move forward, our top priorities continue to be providing expert services to best meet the needs of immigrants and refugees and investing in key areas to ensure that our work is sustainable, effective, and responsive to the changing needs of our clients and partners.