When 44-year-old Javier Arroyo and his wife came to Connecticut from Mexico three years ago, he hoped to find Spanish-language job-training classes that might help him get work teaching mathematics, as he had in Mexico.

What he found, he said, was a lack of job training and educational opportunities that left him and many other Spanish-speaking Hartford residents at a disadvantage.

Arroyo and 11 other Frog Hollow residents decided to take action. They recently participated in a program run by the Institute for Community Research in Hartford to identify obstacles to economic opportunities for Frog Hollow residents.

The research group, made up of parents and grandparents of students at Maria Sanchez School, surveyed 149 parents to see what types of problems they face in the community. They identified four major problem areas: the quality and quantity of bilingual services and job training; discrimination; lack of English fluency; and lack of education.

"Parents need and want viable jobs," said Nelba Marquez-Greene, a community-based research educator from the institute, who was a facilitator for the group. "How do we connect residents to efforts going on so they can advocate for themselves?"

The studies conducted by the group show that residents are most interested in receiving computer training to improve their employment opportunities. The research group is going to keep working together with the institute and hopes to start training courses such as computers, crafts, mechanics and home economics at the Sanchez School.

"Our hope is to see some of what we identified in the project... come to life and be real." Arroyo said.

Bethzaida Hernandez, a project participant who moved from Puerto Rico to Hartford 16 years ago, loves to make Spanish pastries. She said she would like to find a market for her talent, but there is a lack of training and programs to help her do this.

"I would like to own my own business. I discovered there were many barriers," Hernandez said.

She said some of these barriers are lack of training for adults, lack of program inside the community and no child care for parents while they are in training.

"It will be a really great day when we can help individuals and families have access to jobs and skills that will not only get them by, but will develop them as business owners - not only surviving, but thriving," Marquez-Greene said.

The research project, "Involucrate," which means "get involved," is part of the five-year Resident Engagement for Family and Community Strengthening Program at the Institute for Community Research funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Two other groups, from the north and south ends of Hartford, also conducted community research over the past year as part of the program.

The group recently presented its findings to the community and hopes to get the community involved so training programs can be created.

Teresa Rosario, a research participant who has lived in Hartford for over 25 years, said she hopes that with financial donations, sponsors and volunteers, training programs will get started.

"We are going to stick together as a group and if we need to fight, we are going to fight," Rosario said. "The community needs some pushing. We have this on paper right now but we want to make this a reality."

For more information call the Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044,
Ext 298.

Copyright 2003, Hartford Courant