← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 17985 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2005-04-27
2005-04-27 12:42 | User Profile
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[indent]Refugee Resettlement & Immigration Services
Lutheran Social Ministry of the Southwest, in participation with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Church World Service, and the Department of Economic Security, provides resettlement opportunities to refugees admitted to the United States from all over the world.
For our purposes, a refugee is a political exile who has been granted asylum in the United States. Refugees have been forced to leave their home countries due to a real fear of death, imprisonment, or other forms of persecution due to religion, race, nationality or political opinion. Refugees have legal residence status in the U.S.A.. and have been granted the immediate right to work by the U.S.A. Government.
Reception and Placement: When refugees arrive at the Phoenix airport, LSMS staff is there to welcome them. An apartment has been rented and basically furnished with donated materials; the electricity has been turned on; food is in the cupboard and refrigerator. Clothing is made available; and medical needs are attended to. Orientation is provided to the policies, rights and daily living in America. Staff is also available for translation, transportation, employment services, English classes, and tutoring. Matching Grant Program: The Matching Grant Program is part of the Refugee Program, but its main focus is to help new arrivals become self-sufficient by locating employment and providing in-house English training. The goal is to help refugees become self-sufficient within four months of their arrival without using the resources of public assistance. All donations of money, time and goods are given a dollar value which is matched 100% by the Federal Government.
Relocation Adjustment Program: This program provides adjustment assistance to achieve economic independence for individuals who relocate in new communities for up to 36 months after arrival in the U.S.A.
Employment: Refugee Program Job Developers provide assessment of skills, pre-employment orientation and introduction to the American workplace, pre-screening of applicants, bilingual assistance and on-the-job counseling and follow-up.
Refugee English Access Program: Arizona state certified instructors teach English as a Second Language (ESL) classes which are open to all refugees resettled in the Phoenix area. The program provides the refugees with American cultural information and English skills so they can attain self-sufficiency and find or maintain employment.
[/indent][url="http://www.azstarnet.com/nonprofit/lutheran-ministry/refugee.htm"]http://www.azstarnet.com/nonprofit/lutheran-ministry/refugee.htm[/url]