Six Graduate From ESOL MAP Program, Strengthening Communication and Care
Student and relief worker Imad Hamdan celebrates graduating from the ESOL MAP program.
In partnership with Greenfield Community College, ServiceNet’s ESOL MAP training helps staff build skills, confidence, and opportunity.
Six members of ServiceNet’s staff graduated May 8 from a program designed to open the door to more responsibility, higher pay, and new opportunities.
Developed for staff who speak English as a second language, ServiceNet’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Medical Administration Program (MAP) training prepares participants to earn certification in the state’s Medication Administration Program. The certification allows direct care staff to administer medication in residential and community programs.
For participants, passing the test isn’t just about learning the material. It’s also about navigating a highly technical exam in a second language.
“It’s not only the MAP part that’s challenging,” said Director of Learning and Development Antonio Fonseca. “Language is hard. There are so many names and so many different words, and then medical terms to learn. People can see a language issue as if someone isn’t doing the job right or isn’t good enough, when it’s actually a processing issue.”
Now in its second year at ServiceNet, the ESOL Behavioral Health Training Course, developed in partnership with Greenfield Community College, is helping to change that dynamic.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with ServiceNet to offer this unique training program to support behavioral health workers,” said Alex Carley, dean of workforce development at Greenfield Community College. “These workers are already doing essential, meaningful work, but they face barriers to career advancement in a highly technical field. This program helps them master the complex medical language and documentation standards needed to earn the MA MAP certification. When we support workers in this way, the quality of care across the community grows stronger.”
Students and instructors in the ESOL MAP Program. From left to right: MA MAP Instructor Tricia Dandrea, Sheila Navedo-Pantoja, Yachira Navedo, Stephany Guerrero, Imad Hamdan, MAP Course Supporter Corinne Marton, Serge Oualy, Katsiaryna Leskavets, and Director of Learning and Development Antonio Fonseca.
Focused on relief staff, the program trains employees for the MAP certification while also strengthening the communication skills they use every day. Participants attend an intensive six-week course, four days a week, where instruction is tailored to the realities of the job: medication terminology, documentation, progress notes, email etiquette, and clear, precise communication.
Such support can make a critical difference. The MAP test is widely considered one of the more challenging requirements for direct care staff, even for native English speakers. For those working in a second language, the complexity of medical terminology, abbreviations, and documentation standards can make it especially daunting.
ESOL Instructor Sally Olakanpo (right) presents a congratulatory bouquet to ESOL MAP program graduate Yachira Navedo as GCC Dean of Workforce Development Alex Carley looks on.
The results so far, Fonseca said, have been striking. In the program’s first year, all participants passed the MAP exam. According to Fonseca, interest has spread quickly through word of mouth — a sign of how deeply the need is felt across the organization.
Several participants noted that the new program allows them to move step by step, ask questions, and build understanding in a supportive environment. For ESOL learners in particular, this approach has made a meaningful difference in how MAP training is experienced.
“With this program,” participant Katsiaryna Leskavets said, “there’s enough time, it’s clear, it improves your English, and you can understand the process from the beginning to the end.”
Instructor Tricia Dandrea (center) and new graduate Serge Oualy share a celebratory hug at graduation.
Boosting confidence is one of the program’s most immediate impacts, and the effects extend well beyond acquiring skills for daily tasks. Participants spoke about looking ahead to full-time roles, exploring new positions within ServiceNet, and building careers.
“Taking this class,” Yachira Navedo said, “could open up other doors in the same company, instead of just worrying about finding another company, or another job. It’s like they want us to be able to prosper here, to be able to accomplish things.”
Fonseca sees such responses as closely tied to ServiceNet’s broader commitments. When employees are given the tools to succeed, he said, the benefits extend across teams and programs.
“When the organization provides resources for staff to be better, the staff know you’re invested in them,” he said. “It helps with loyalty and retention. It provides a higher quality of staff, and it deepens relationships and a culture of teamwork, because people are able to communicate better and understand each other.”
For ServiceNet, the ESOL Behavioral Health Training Course represents an investment in staff and quality of care. For participants, the class is about practical tools for care—but it can also fuel inspiration.
“It’s a way of showing my kids you can level up in life,” Navedo said. “That you could do anything that you put yourself into, no matter what age you are. Nothing is ever too late.”
To learn more about the ESOL MAP training or other learning opportunities, please contact the Learning and Development Department at [email protected].
