First Step to Citizenship: AmeriCorps Initiative is a nationwide collaboration of organizations headed by Immigration and Refugee Services of America (IRSA) to improve citizenship and naturalization services for immigrants and refugees. In response to a growing need for citizenship classes and services nationwide, this initiative, funded through the State of Washington and the Corporation for National and Community Service’s (CNCS’s) AmeriCorps Program, seeks to increase community involvement with new Americans and help them through the naturalization process. Volunteers teach citizenship classes and help refugees and immigrants access naturalization services and become civically active in their communities. In addition to receiving assistance with the citizenship application, clients can also have help in filing a Fee Waiver Request.

Free Citizenship Classes are offered through this program. Individual students can choose between English-taught classes or Russian-taught classes, depending on his or her language proficiency. Class times and locations vary so that a maximum number of students may be able to participate. The classes allow the students to become familiar with questions from the standard Citizenship Test while introducing them to the basic elements of civic education. The Citizenship Program is an important service for new arrivals to this country because by becoming a citizen, refugees can legally call the United States their home.