Idaho Office for Refugees | Information & Resources

Resources

For Employers
For Educators
For Medical Professionals
For Media
For Social Workers & Mental Health Professionals
For Housing Professionals
For Refugees
For Volunteers

FOR EMPLOYERS

Why Hire Refugees?

Good Work Ethic
Refugees are survivors of great adversity, having lost their homes, personal property and careers. Their personal need to regain self-sufficiency, their interest in acquiring new skills and their desire to attain economic stability for their families make them excellent prospects for hire at all levels.

Loyal, Skilled, & Productive
Refugees bring personal initiative, skills, and a strong work ethic to the workplace. They are dependable because they want long-term employment. All are pre-drug tested, punctual, reliable and honest, trustworthy, quick learners and very positive.

Availability & Retention
Refugees are fully authorized to begin working immediately in the United States by the US Justice Department. Furthermore, refugees are often willing to take entry level positions in order to enter the work force quickly to gain financial independence.

Good for business, economy and community
Refugee workers bring personal initiative, skills, strong work ethics and diversity to the workplace. Their job retention rates are high. And in addition, employer tax credits and training incentives are available in many cases. Most refugees are able to begin paying taxes within their first year in the US. Hiring a refugee not only helps your business but also demonstrates your commitment to building self-sufficiency, strengthening families and promoting more active participation of new arrivals to your community.

Support Services are Available for Employers
Federally-funded employment services for refugees provide pre-screening, work orientation, job coaching, vocational English language instruction and other services which facilitate entry into the workforce and promote on-going skills acquisition and good job retention. In addition, guidance in meeting federal employment verification (I-9) requirements is available to make the hiring process as easy as possible.

Websites:
www.refugeeworks.org

Publications:
Building Bridges to the American Workplace: Employment Counseling with Refugees and Immigrants

Did you know?

In 2008, 366 adult refugees entered the Idaho workforce.

FOR EDUCATORS AND PARENTS

Raising Children in a New Country
Training Manual for Teachers
Brighter Futures for Migrating Children
The Forum for Youth Investment: Out of School Time Policy Commentary #11
Stop Discrimination & Violence Against Girls (UNICEF Training & Discussion Module)
Refugee Children & Youth Backgrounder

RESOURCES FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

Technical Instructions for Cholera Screening and Treatment among Burmese refugees resettling to the United States from the Mae La Refugee camp, near Mae Sot, Thailand
Physicians for Human Rights: Examining Asylum Seekers
Reproductive Health Care in Refugee Situations: An Inter-Agency Field Manual
Delivering Care to Refugees (Training)
Refugee Reports: Language Interpretation in the Delivery of Health Care
National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care

FOR MEDIA

Fact Sheets:

Who is a refugee?
Definition Any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Individuals granted refugee status overseas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are brought to the United States for resettlement by the U.S. Department of State. Voluntary agencies and ORR through their programs assist with their resettlement and integration into the U.S. Refugees are eligible to receive ORR benefits and services from the first day they arrive in the U.S. (Office for Refugee Resettlement, US Department of Health and Human Services)

What is IOR?
IOR Fact Sheet

How does IOR work with the resettlement agencies?
Idaho Refugee Resettlement Organizational Chart

What services are provided the resettlement programs?
Idaho Office for Refugees: Core Services & Extended Services

How are refugees resettled in the US?
Security Screening of Refugees Admitted to the US: A Details and Vigorous Process

Refugee Owned Businesses

FOR SOCIAL WORKERS & MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

In Support of Refugee Minors- Training Program
Mental Health Interventions for Refugee Children in Resettlement

FOR HOUSING PROFESSIONALS

Mercy Housing: Refugee Housing Program
www.refugeehouse.org

Best Practices, Housing Orientation & More
This page on the Mercy Housing Website offers a variety of language accessible resources for property owners and tenants.

In Idaho:
City of Boise Fair Housing Information
Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority
Idaho Housing & Finance - Section 8 Information

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Who is a refugee?
Any person who is outside any country of such person's nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Individuals granted refugee status overseas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are brought to the United States for resettlement by the U.S. Department of State. Voluntary agencies and ORR through their programs assist with their resettlement and integration into the U.S. Refugees are eligible to receive ORR benefits and services from the first day they arrive in the U.S. (OFFICE FOR REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES)

Who works with refugees in Idaho?
Follow this link to find a list of resettlement agencies and information about the English Language Center. CLICK HERE!

How are refugee service agencies connected in Idaho?
Click here for an organizational chart. CLICK HERE!

How do I find out more about different cultures?
Click here for cultural backgrounders: CLICK HERE!
Click here for a list of national organizations and websites: CLICK HERE!

Where can I find more information on English Language Learners?
The National Center for Family Literacy has many resources on their website including information regarding Culture and English Language Learners, Principles of Adult Learning, Working with Adult Literacy Learners, and Working with Refugee Families. Visit their website: WWW.LITERACYCAMPUS.ORG

To connect with college programs and departments:
Boise State Service Learning Department
Northwest Nazarene University Home Page
College of Western Idaho: Adult Basic Education Program
College of Southern Idaho

To have your college or university department listed, please contact Wendy Morgan at wmorgan@idahorefugees.org

RESOURCES FOR REFUGEES

Microenterprise Training & Assistance (META):
META (MicroEnterprise Training & Assistance) is a nonprofit provider of direct and supportive small business assistance to new Americans, women, minorities, and other low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs in southwest and south central Idaho.

Achieving Self Sufficiency through Education, Training and Savings (A.S.S.E.T.S)
The objective of the A.S.S.E.T.S program is to increase the ability of low-income refugees to save; promote their participation in the financial institutions of the country; assist refugees in advancing their education; increase home ownership; and assist refugees in gaining access to capital.

Global Gardens
Global Gardens is a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees. We sponsor refugee agriculture projects at 5 locations in Boise and Eagle- including 2 farms and gardening plots for nearly 80 refugee families. We also offer training in horticulture production and marketing.

Library! at Hillcrest
English Corner
ELL Storytime
New Americans Resource Page