Since 1982, CAMBA’s Refugee Assistance Program has provided refugees and political asylees in New York City who face cultural and language barriers to employment with opportunities to obtain jobs and training and improve their English language skills. Services include English language classes, our Fast Track job readiness training, transitional support and case management to remove barriers to employment. We provide orientation to the American workplace and professional training classes in customer service, human services, and private security. Job development and placement services enable our clients to quickly obtain jobs with benefits. Like all of our workforce development programs, the Refugee Assistance Program promotes self-sufficiency by providing access to EarnBenefits, a CAMBA program that provides financial literacy assistance, tax planning, and help with public benefits and work supports. The Refugee Assistance Program currently serves 1,324 individuals a year.
Additionally, we also offer transitional support services to remove additional barriers to employment. These services are provided in our following programs:
Established in 2000, this early employment program for highly motivated refugees and political asylees provides participants with a cash grant as an incentive for going to work and avoiding public assistance. Participants receive case management, job placement, retention services and English language training. In our most recent year, 90% of asylee and refugee participants were employed and self-sufficient within six-months of their arrival in the United States, earning an average wage of $10.50 per hour. 375 participants from over fifty countries achieved self-sufficiency with 90% retaining self-sufficiency upon program exit at six months.
Established in 2003, this program assists immigrants and refugees with professional skill sets, and/or foreign licenses/certifications to become eligible for employment in the U.S. commensurate to their former experience. We provide these professionals with the tools and skills they need to successfully navigate difficult licensure, education, and employment systems in the U.S. and gain and retain higher wage employment. Each client receives an individual service plan to help them achieve U.S. licensure and employment in their field. We also offer access to services including evaluation of existing credentials, vocational English training, supplementary vocational training, test prep and enrollment, and assistance with U.S. licensure applications. We have successfully trained more than 300 such immigrant professionals who possess existing foreign qualifications, education, skill sets and professions requiring full leveraging to compete for higher wage jobs locally.