Building Belonging in Spanish: What We Learned from Adapting GPS for Latino Immigrant Families

By Nallely Willis, GPS Program Director and Director of GPS en Español

When we decided to adapt the GPS Group Peer Support facilitator training into Spanish, our goal was simple but deep: Make sure the GPS model could be learned, felt, and carried forward in a way that honors Latino immigrant communities, not just through translation, but through real cultural connection.

Recently, we held a follow-up focus group to understand how the Spanish GPS Facilitator Training is landing in real community settings. What we heard was powerful. The focus group didn’t just confirm that the Spanish training works, it revealed why it works, and how it’s already shaping safer, more resonant spaces for families.

Cultural Adaptation Through Authenticity

One of the most significant aspects of GPS is the ability to implement it in individual populations, tailoring the model to meet the needs of the community. Participants in our Spanish training emphasized that the best adaptations were not changes to GPS itself, but shifts in tone, pacing, and cultural voice.

One person described learning to lead with authenticity rather than a forced facilitation style, noting that she “…realized it’s better to speak naturally… to connect authentically.”

Another shared a practical adaptation: using strategic pauses when emotions rise in the group:

“I implemented strategic pauses when frustration rises, and that helped me regain control.”

These reflections show what trauma-informed adaptation looks like: The model stays intact, and the facilitator brings their culture into it, naturally, relationally, with care.

Perhaps the most moving moments in the focus group centered on what GPS offers immigrant families at the deepest level:

“GPS is a space of belonging where immigrant families can breathe, share their truth, and feel accompanied far from their home country.”

That word breathe matters. Participants are describing a shift from survival to presence. From carrying everything alone to being held in community. Participants also offered a reminder about the communities they serve, with one sharing that “…trust is built little by little; when people feel safe, they flourish.”

Participants were clear that Spanish-language training matters because language is emotional safety. It allows families to speak from the heart without filtering or shrinking themselves.

As one participant shared, “…having sessions in Spanish was really important.”

That statement may sound simple, but in context it carries a lot of weight. For immigrant families navigating fear, isolation, and uncertainty, language access becomes belonging. Spanish isn’t just a medium—it’s a bridge into trust.

GPS as a Structure People Can Lean On

Again and again, participants described GPS as a grounding structure, a rhythm that helps both facilitators and families feel less overwhelmed. One facilitator said the model gave her direction and structure, comparing it to a compass. Another participant described how the model supports immigrant families who are dealing with so many responsibilities and challenges:

“The GPS structure helps reduce anxiety because it gives people a rhythm, a guide, and a reminder that they are not alone.”

In communities where daily life is shaped by uncertainty, including work demands, documentation fears, separation from extended family, this rhythm becomes a form of care. It’s not rigid. It’s a steady hand.

Moving Forward

Adapting GPS into Spanish is not an add-on. It is a pathway to deeper fidelity, deeper relevance, and deeper healing. GPS trainings in Spanish anchors facilitators, eases isolation for families, and builds communities where people can finally speak openly without fear.

We’re grateful to organizations like Crece Conmigo and United Migrant Workers (Washington), as well as others like the Latinx Community Center for Empowerment (LCCE), and their leaders, for carrying the GPS model forward, and we’re excited to keep building what comes next, together.

Bring MASStrong to Your Workplace

GPS’s MASStrong program offers free GPS trainings, support groups, curriculums, and toolkits for Massachusetts medical, behavioral health, and community care workers and organizations. Eligible organizations can also apply for GPS partnership support and grants up to $10,000. 

Interested in GPS Facilitator Training in Spanish?  Find upcoming opportunities on our calendar.