Forced to Flee: Abdifitah's Story
June is World Refugee Month.
Along with celebrating with an in-person event, we’re celebrating by sharing more about what CCS’ Migration and Refugee Services Department does day in and day out to empower refugee clients to reach self-sufficiency.
Catholic Community Services of Utah’s Migration and Refugee Services Department operates three programs—Refugee Resettlement, Refugee Foster Care, and Immigration. Within each program, there are teams dedicated to specific areas of self-sufficiency, working to provide clients with the resources and knowledge they need.
Let’s talk about a few teams working under Refugee Resettlement!
Case Management
The Case Management team works to offer support and services to refugees to help them successfully make a new home in the United States. Case Managers facilitate access to community resources and assist in building the skills and knowledge necessary for self-sufficiency and integration in Utah.
Case Managers provide clients with core services beginning their first day in the U.S. They assist clients in the big and little ways as they settle in. From assisting with appointments for Social Security and activating EBT cards, to budgeting and making community referrals, Case Managers are there every step of the way. As clients settle in, Case Managers also conduct client progress assessments to track their journey to self-sufficiency.
Job Development
The Job Development team's primary goal is to assist clients in achieving self-sufficiency by providing services designed to help them obtain employment. The team conducts intake assessments to understand each client’s needs and develops an individualized Employment Plan.
Team members provide one-on-one Job Readiness Orientations and assist with basic resume writing, job searches, and the job application process. As clients become more comfortable, Job Developers encourage clients to meet with them for possible career advancement and connections to local employment resources.
Digital Literacy
The Digital Literacy team provides CCS' adult refugee clients with learning experiences to build knowledge of technology, devices, and how to use them successfully. The team also helps clients make measurable progress in their education or employment goals by increasing their digital literacy.
Youth Services
The Youth Services team works to enroll refugee students in school and empower them on their academic journeys.
The team completes intakes with youth and families, takes students to school for enrollment, tracks grades and attendance, and supports youth who may be struggling with their mental health. The team has also developed a college and career preparedness course to assist graduating youth.
The Youth Services team also oversees the Youth Mentoring program, in which volunteer Youth Mentors become a friend to their mentee, help them adjust to a new cultural environment, discover and develop their strength, and engage with others and the community in positive ways.
Adult Education and Cultural Orientation
The team's goal is to deliver Cultural Orientation courses for new refugee arrivals. The Cultural Orientation course is a series of classes provided by CCS that help new refugee arrivals become acquainted with life in the U.S.
By the end of the Cultural Orientation course, clients are able to understand cultural values, attitudes, and practices that may be different from their own, learn to interact more comfortably with people from different cultures, meet CCS employees who will provide services to them while they are with our agency, and more.
Housing
The housing team promotes self-sufficiency by finding housing for newly arrived clients and ensuring that their housing is clean, safe, and sanitary. The team assists clients with the lease signing process, moving in, and more.
The team connects with apartment complexes, property management groups, and local landlords to find housing that is affordable and will accommodate the size of the family. The team aims to find housing for clients in Salt Lake County, and Weber County when needed, to ensure that they are near job opportunities, schools, and public transportation.
Health Services
The health service team provides clients with the necessary tools to become self-sufficient in their health care and to feel empowered in advocating for their needs.
The team:
- Coordinates initial health appointments, including health screening, primary care, and specialist visits.
- Teaches clients how to navigate the healthcare system.
- Screens and provides connections for mental health needs, ranging from support groups to therapy.
- Provides extra support for clients with greater mental or physical needs.
- Creates community partnerships and resources to develop a network for clients to rely on after case management.
Volunteer Programs
The volunteer team recruits, trains, and matches community members as volunteers to support our refugee clients. Our volunteers work with CCS staff to support clients in reaching self-sufficiency. Our programs include family mentoring, youth tutoring, health promotion, bus orientation support, and more. Learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Migration and Refugee Services department here.
Learn more about CCS’ Refugee Resettlement program here.
