Announcement
In recent years, the State of Maryland has welcomed a growing number of refugees from countries in which women have few rights and little access to meaningful lives. During the resettlement process we often hear our clients tell us about their previous lifestyle and how they had limited access to education, minimal power over decision-making, and no exposure to a society that prioritizes equal participation in work and family affairs. Despite coming from an oppressive environment and pairing that with their often difficult journey to the United States, many of our female clients show signs of hope and resiliency.
Two WEP students and staff at a socialization trip to the White House.
Photo: IRC
As one client states “when you are a refugee, you live on the mercy of others and hope you can adjust when you finally reach your new home.”
The IRC in Silver Spring having worked with large populations of women who have experienced social isolation and domestic violence from countries such as Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo realized that more could be done to adopt a women-centered progress to address the unique needs of these refugee women.
Stemming from this need led to the creation of the Women Employability Program (WEP) based out of the Silver Spring office. The IRC provides these vulnerable refugee women with the services they need to rebuild their life here. Staff focus on removing barriers refugee women have in receiving critical support services around English instruction, employment services, and socialization. Barriers are often lack of childcare support, limited employment opportunities, and increase chances of social isolation from their community. These barriers are amplified by their low English proficiency and little to no previous education or work history.
WEP attempts to mitigate these issues by offering a cultural orientation program that encompasses a caseworker trained in the specific needs of these women. Through this curriculum based program and supportive network of women, coordinators Neisha Washington, Emily Remillard, and summer intern Tala Al Tawil have been able to achieve their goal of addressing barriers that case management services don’t typically cover. Through WEP, refugee women improve their English-speaking abilities, learn about the American work environment, complete exercises to increase employability skills, and become part of a supportive group of other women.
Kate Christman, Cultural Orientation Coordinator who oversees the WEP program adds “hearing them trying to use English they had learned and generally enjoying each other’s company is what resettlement for women can look like. The classes teach employment skills, certainly, but they are also encouraging women to see themselves as a powerful, joyful, and capable force in their new country.”
In addition to these classroom activities, coordinator Neisha Washington assists the women individually in building various skills to become more employable. The social experience combined with the unique learning environment has instilled confidence and independence in the women participating in the WEP curriculum, as demonstrated by the fact that since the beginning of this program in December of 2015, 21 women have been placed in jobs in the DC/Maryland area. By encouraging these women to go out into the community and practice employable skills as part of the curriculum and actively practicing various skills learned through this curriculum, greater strides are being made towards the goal of getting a job and becoming more self-sufficient and confident in their abilities.
Just last week the fourth group of women completed the program and took part in a graduation ceremony where each woman was individually appreciated for her hard work and perseverance. Each graduate received a flower, ate a slice of cake and some words of wisdom from staff. The program aims to continue to provide refugee women with important training, resources, and a support network, as well as instill the women with self-confidence and determination.