Employment Programs
The Employment Team works to ensure the economic independence of refugees who might be unfamiliar with American employment practices. We assist clients through three programs – The Matching Grant program, the Refugee Temporary Cash Assistance program, and the Refugee Social Services program. Through individual case management we help them build resumes, learn to search for jobs independently, and prepare them for the interviewing process. We also help clients by referring them to skill development and certification courses offered by community organizations and educational institutions. The goal of every Employment program is to facilitate growth, stability, and independence as clients build a new career.
The Matching Grant (MG) Program - VA
The MG program—a public/private partnership funded by The Office of Refugee Resettlement—offers an employment-focused alternative to publicly funded cash assistance. The purpose of the MG program is to help eligible clients attain economic self-sufficiency through the provision of comprehensive case management and services leading to employment within 120 to 180 days after a client’s date of eligibility. Enrollment in the MG program must occur within 31 days of the individual’s date of eligibility, and at least one member of the case unit must be deemed ‘employable’.
Refugee Transitional Cash Assistance (RTCA) - MD
RTCA, funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement and overseen by the Maryland Office of Refugee Assistance, is available to clients for up to 8 months following their date of eligibility. This cash assistance, coupled with careful case-management, gives clients time to seek employment. The requirements of and benefits available through RTCA are comparable to those of Maryland’s Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) program. However, RTCA is designed to help qualified immigrants without dependent children.
Refugee Social Services (RSS) Employment Program - VA and MD
The RSS program, overseen by the Virginia and Maryland Office of Refugee Assistance, is designed to enable refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible by providing job searching resources and tools, advising on employment barriers, and post-employment follow-up. Eligible clients must be 16 or older, be deemed ‘employable,’ need assistance in reaching self-sufficiency, and have resided in the U.S. for 60 months or less.