By Natasha Bryant
There’s an untapped source of reliable workers that you may not know about.
Every provider of aging services knows from experience that the field of long-term services and supports (LTSS) is in the midst of a workforce crisis.
That crisis comes as no surprise to providers who face ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining quality staff.
But those same providers may be surprised to learn that there is an underutilized source for reliable workers they may not be tapping.
That source is the refugee population.
WHO IS A REFUGEE?
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution or who has a well-founded fear of persecution, war, or violence. Individuals that meet this criteria and are currently living outside the U.S may be considered for refugee status. This differs from an asylum applicant who is already living within the U.S.
The top countries of origin for refugees resettled to the United States are:
- Democratic Republic of Congo (17%).
- Iraq (13%).
- Syria (12%).
- Somalia (11%).
- Burma (9%).
STUDYING THE ROLE OF REFUGEES
The immigrant population (not limited to refugees) is an important component of the LTSS workforce, accounting for about one-fourth of direct care workers or about 1 million people.
Over the past few years, the LeadingAge LTSS Center has been examining the hiring and employment of foreign-born workers, including refugees, to address staffing needs in the LTSS field. We conducted a study to understand the complex issues associated with attempts to expand the foreign-born LTSS labor pool and published articles on the immigrant LTSS workforce.
This work led us to explore the role of refugees as a potential pool of LTSS workers. A number of LeadingAge members have drawn from this pool and have reported very favorable results.
REASONS TO CONSIDER HIRING REFUGEES
There are many reasons to consider hiring refugees, but the most compelling reason, in my mind, is that both refugees and the organizations that hire them receive tremendous support from the federal and state governments and private nonprofit agencies. This makes your recruitment job easier—and a lot more likely to succeed.
Refugees undergo extensive vetting by specially-trained U.S. government officers and a health screening. They participate in a resettlement program that provides supportive services through a network of federal, state, and private nonprofit agencies.
Enrollment in that resettlement program means that refugees will come to your organization with initial services to help them transition to work and to live in the U.S. For example, they will receive:
- Specific financial support and access to job training.
- English language instruction.
- Help finding affordable housing.
- Funds to purchase food and clothing.
- Orientation to the American culture.
- Access to social, medical, and employment services.
- Federal government benefits, if they meet certain program criteria.
Agencies work with employers to:
- Identify qualified potential employees.
- Assist with new-hire paperwork, translation, and interpretation needs.
- Offer follow-up services.
TIPS FOR RECRUITING AND RETAINING REFUGEES
While you’ll have a lot of help hiring refugee workers, you’ll still need to put forth some effort to ensure that the match between the refugee and your organization is a good one. I’d recommend taking these steps:
- Work with resettlement agencies to help them understand the LTSS job market and positions available for refugees, and to prepare refugees for employment in the field of aging services.
- Provide cultural competency training, sector-specific English language instruction, and other workplace supports.
- Develop a career path for refugees.
- Provide job shadowing before and during employment. Refugees may have a skills deficit because they have changed fields, have gaps in employment due to displacement, and use different technologies.
- Provide training and on-the-job training. Your state’s Department of Labor may be able to leverage funds to provide the training.
- Arrange carpooling with other employees to help alleviate the transportation challenges that refugees may have. Ensure that shifts align with carpooling routes. Connect with local nonprofits that offer discounted cars to low-income populations.
- Employ multiple refugees to influence retention rates. Refugees prefer to work alongside other refugees.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
You can learn more about hiring foreign-born workers by reading Filling the Care Gap: Integrating Foreign-Born Nurses and Personal Care Assistants into the Field of Long-Term Services and Supports.
Natasha Bryant is managing director of the Washington, DC, office of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Her work focuses on developing, testing, and disseminating workforce improvement initiatives to attract and retain quality staff at all levels of aging services organizations.