Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington’s Migration Refugee Services (MRS) in Fredericksburg, Virginia, launched a new initiative, Women in Business. This new group is open to female clients enrolled in the refugee employment program who are interested in networking and enhancing career skills. Each month, a new topic and invited guest speaker is scheduled. The mission of Women in Business is to encourage, support, and empower all women to enhance professional development, achieve employment goals and career advancement skills, and maintain a healthy work/life balance.
Every refugee client deserves the opportunity to gain experience and succeed in her career, and we are committed to providing the tools and resources necessary to make that happen. Whether it is through mentorship programs, networking events, or career development workshops, we are here to support our clients every step of the way.
Challenge or Need
The Women in Business group was designed to provide an opportunity for newcomer female clients to network, expand their skill set, and be introduced to career opportunities. The refugee employment program’s main goal is for clients to strive towards economic self-sufficiency. This new initiative provides an added benefit to our refugee employment program. Relevant career topics are introduced each month, providing many opportunities for clients to enhance skills or possibly find another career for which they may be better suited; several clients needed extra support in beginning a new career in the United States. The main goal for the group is continued growth and to provide opportunities for professional development and career success.
Why It’s Innovative
The Women in Business group fosters an environment that champions the success of all women in business. The meetings involve collaborating with external community partners to serve as guest speakers for the meetings. External partners who have presented include representatives from local public schools, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Fredericksburg Health Department, and a former refugee who owns a local daycare.
The topics introduced so far include: work/life balance, workplace communication and building a support system, vision boarding, goal mapping, workplace rights and responsibilities, introduction to the doula profession, and best practices for operating a successful Daycare. In January, we had a vision board workshop called New Year, New You. This provided a wonderful opportunity to start the new year with clients sharing their goals, dreams, and aspirations. In April, we followed with a goal mapping workshop, expanding on the vision board workshop. The goal of this initiative is to create a community where refugee women can connect, learn, and thrive together as they rebuild their careers in a new country.
Program Impact
The launch of this new group has offered many benefits to the women attending the meetings. Representatives from Stafford County (Virginia) Public Schools were the guest speakers for November and December. At the latter, there were mothers in attendance with children enrolled in Stafford County Public Schools; the mothers were not aware of a What’sApp Afghan support text group. They shared their phone numbers with the Stafford County guest speaker and were added to the text chain. The ladies exchanged telephone numbers to share positive affirmations and words of encouragement after the meetings. One client who attended those meetings was hired as a Stafford County Public Schools substitute teacher. Her attendance at the meetings directly impacted her desire to work in the school system.
Following the presentation about the doula profession, two clients expressed interest in pursuing the doula certification training.
The meetings are designed to offer a safe space for female clients to openly share the successes and challenges of working and balancing multiple roles simultaneously with grace. Attendees are making friends, exchanging contact information, networking, sharing testimonies of exceptional courage, and really enjoying being together. The hope for the group is to continue personal growth and provide opportunities for professional development and career success.
Lessons Learned
The Women in Business Group would be an added benefit to Catholic Charities resettlement employment programs by creating a community where women can connect, learn, and thrive together. The employment team is very focused on every client’s professional success, and offering additional training opportunities to attain this goal is very effective. Every client should be encouraged to continue learning, developing an individual skill set, and enhancing their talents. The program is striving to foster an environment that champions the success of all women in business.