The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) invites eligible entities to submit competitive grant applications for the Refugee Career Pathways (RCP) Program. RCP intends to address the obstacles faced by resettled refugees in initiating professional careers in their new communities.
The goal of the RCP program is to support refugees in attaining the knowledge and resources needed to begin a professional career in their new communities. Existing job training programs for refugees often focus on supporting initial job placement, which may not be adequate to securing long-term self-sufficiency. The RCP program will assist refugees in beginning professional careers that provide not only a salary but also greater job security and the possibility of career advancement. RCP will enable refugees to overcome the obstacles associated with obtaining skilled and/or professional employment following resettlement through the following objectives:
- Helping refugees achieve self-sufficiency by obtaining the means to secure professional certification or skilled employment.
- Increasing refugees' understanding of career pathways and equipping them with the knowledge and tools to succeed in their chosen career path.
The RCP program will meet its objectives through the following activities:
- Career Development Plans- A career development plan must be established for each participant based on that participant's skills, experience, credentials, and desired career path
- Training and Technical Assistance- Programs are required to provide refugee participants with training and technical assistance that will enable them to attain employment within their chosen career field.
- Direct Financial Assistance- There is the option to offer direct financial assistance to refugee participants for costs associated with career advancement. All direct financial assistance must be clearly related to professional development opportunities included in the participant's career development plan.
- Partnerships- Program must be implemented with support from a network of local community partners that focus on individual career advancement.
- Coordination with Refugee Resettlement Community- Programs must include regular coordination with resettlement agencies, State Refugee Coordinators or Replacement Designees, and other relevant community services providers to extend the effort of the outreach, awareness, and coordination with the refugee resettlement community
Grantees are encouraged to collaborate with professional associations, universities, and others with expertise in this area to facilitate career opportunities in ways that supplement, rather than supplant, existing services.
Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.