Cultural & Linguistic Competency
For educators, creatives, health and legal professionals, social workers, and law enforcement
Cultural & Linguistic Competency
For educators, creatives, health and legal professionals, social workers, and law enforcement
Training a New Generation of Social Workers
Most of the world doesn’t know that we speak English as a second language. Nearly all practicing Amish are at the conversant, intermediate, or limited working level of proficiency or below. Our native tongue is Amish.
We teach individuals who leave the community English language literacy and non-Amish cultural skills.
We also train social workers and law enforcement Amish cultural competency.
Law Enforcement Training
We support law enforcement who work on behalf of Amish sexual assault victims (and victims of other crimes). Our training and resources help enforce the law and promote cultural competence.
The Amish are US citizens and not exempt from the law, but because of the closed nature of the community, social workers and law enforcement are rarely aware of the crimes that are committed against children and women inside.
Amish perpetrators need to be prosecuted and the victims need to be protected.
For Professors, Interns, and Students
Social Work
- Invite our Executive Director Torah Bontrager to deliver a presentation to your class (in-person or via Zoom): What Every Social Justice Advocate Should Know About Amish Culture.
- Become an intern.
For Law Enforcement
Community Engagement
Please contact us to learn more about how you or your department can engage educationally with the Amish community in your jurisdiction.
“The Amish Heritage Foundation has provided me with life-changing emotional support, influence and guidance. I don’t feel so alone anymore.”
“When I escaped, I didn’t even know if I had a birth certificate. The Amish Heritage Foundation helped me get documented right away, so I could get a job and be recognized as an American citizen.”
“If it weren’t for The Amish Heritage Foundation and their dedicated staff, we would never have been able to stand up to the abuse inside our church. We would have just given up.”
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