NSC's Employment Team has the privilege of serving refugees from over 100 countries that arrive to Philadelphia seeking a safe and stable community to call home. Despite being forced to permanently flee from their jobs, schools, homes, friends, families, and countries due to war or persecution, each refugee possesses a great sense of resilience, and the desire to swiftly rebuild their lives through committed hard work. Each individual and family is invested in becoming fully integrated into the Philadelphia community as they work to regain financial security. The Employment Team is dedicated to engaging both employers and refugees through the following programs and services that ultimately enrich the Philadelphia community.
Employment Programs
Refugees are typically eligible, and are enrolled in either the Matching Grant (MG) program or the Refugee Employment & Advancement Program (REAP).
Matching Grant Program (MG)
The Matching Grant Program (MG) is a post-resettlement program that provides employment services to refugees and special immigrant visa holders to gain economic independence within 120 to 180 days of program enrollment. MG offers an initial 4 months of resettlement assistance, and 6 months of case management support, while refugees are in the initial process of identifying and securing job opportunities.
Refugee Employment & Advanced Program (REAP)
The Refugee Employment & Advancement Program (REAP) is a post-resettlement program that helps recently arrived refugees and asylees navigate the path towards long term self-sufficiency through obtaining and retaining employment. REAP's case management team uses a client-centered approach to provide comprehensive set of services designed to identify and remove potential barriers to employment and promote long term self-sufficiency. REAP clients successfully graduate the program when they have retained their job for 6 months and have become well connected to community networks and resources.
Employment Services
Facilitated by the Employment Team, each program provides comprehensive employment services comprised of the following:
- Job Development/ Community Outreach
- Employment Assessment
- Resume and Cover Letter Preparation
- Individualized Support/ Advocacy
- Interview Skills Training and Mock Interviews
- Job Search Training
- Job Placement
- Post Placement /Retention Assistance
- Job Upgrade Advice/ Assistance
Benefits of Employing Refugees
Businesses in Philadelphia greatly benefit from the wide range of employable experiences, multilingual skills, and unparalleled work ethic that refugees bring to any industry. Refugees instantly bring cultural diversity to the work force, and offer businesses a chance at widening their reach within the local community.
The Employment Team conducts its due diligence by matching the needs of employers with the skill sets of refugee candidates seeking employment. In doing so, the team screens each potential candidate, while also conducting training programs on US work culture, systems, and rules to pre-orient and prepare the respective refugees for their first jobs. Upon hiring, a member of the employment team remains as a liaison between employer and employee.
These services are available to all perspective employers at no cost.
Become a Refugee Employer
Are you interested in enhancing your business operations as you help rebuild the lives of new community members? Please contact the Employment Team at employmentteam@nscphila.org.