Immigrant Employment Services

Immigrant and Refugee Support

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

In the past five years, 4,013 refugees from over 30 countries have settled in Los Angeles County, according to the California Department of Social Services Refugee Programs Bureau. California is also home to over 3.5 million immigrants, according to the University of Southern California. These individuals face cultural, language, educational, and other barriers to full participation in the economy and stability. Currently, JVS SoCal is providing employment readiness and acculturation services to 2,899 refugees (including hundreds who arrived with humanitarian parolee status from the Ukraine), with 30 new enrolled participants daily, dramatically surpassing our projected caseload of 1,000.?The four most prominent countries of origin we are serving today are Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran and Cuba. As shown throughout the history of Los Angeles County, and the United States more broadly, a thriving and active immigrant population fosters a thriving community.

Funding for JVS SoCal's Immigrant Employment Services will support expansion of our available wraparound supports, job readiness services and engagement of employer partners to meet the growing need for services. To best support these expansion efforts, a job developer will establish employer partnerships, host job fairs and conduct job matching with ready-to-hire employers, prepare job seekers for available positions and monitor their progress towards employment. We also provide retention and follow-up services. Our workforce integration efforts focus on job readiness and vocational training for immigrants in positions and industries that offer thriving wage jobs and career pathways, resulting in improved economic stability. This continued contact prevents the need for emergency loans or other predatory practices people may turn to when they have a job but have not received their first paycheck, or when they are recovering from an extended time without reliable income. JVS SoCal provides transportation assistance, professional clothing and other work-related items, and assistance with childcare stipends as needed. This foundation will pave the way for immigrant families to achieve physical, emotional and financial health, and build generational wealth in their new homeland. As their new roots in Los Angeles County continue to deepen, immigrant families will become more invested and engaged with their local communities.

Currently, funding for our employment services to refugees and immigrants is provided exclusively through a contract with Los Angeles County. At this critical program juncture, JVS SoCal must grow the infrastructure and capacity of our Immigrant Employment Services so that no one is turned away. This approach to expanding immigrant and refugee services is an exact replication of the successful model JVS SoCal piloted in 2010 in our Veteran Services Department. We are actively pursuing other philanthropic investments such as LA2050 which will allow us to broaden our reach and serve more clients in their efforts to build family stability and self-sufficiency here in Los Angeles County. JVS SoCal considers our expansion efforts successful when we have moved toward a more equitable Los Angeles; one that includes comprehensive employment services for everyone, including the growing number of immigrants and refugees in need.

The overarching goal of Immigrant Employment Services is to pave the way for immigrant and refugee families to achieve physical, emotional and financial health, and build generational wealth in their new homeland. Key objectives the program has established to help achieve this goal include: 1) prepare immigrants and refugees for their job search; 2) assist in the creation of competitive and updated resumes; and 3) guide the participants in researching employers prior to the job fairs where the employers will be in attendance. The job developer supported by LA2050's grant funds will secure at least 5 new employer partners monthly and will host or bring our clients to attend at least 2 employer recruitment events/job fairs.