Last November we awarded a grant to Beautiful Day, a Rhode Island-based non-profit that provides refugee job training programs for adults and youth. Their mission rooted in helping refugees integrate into the workforce aligns with ours at Flore Foundation. We believe that a sustainable livelihood is achievable with community support. Beautiful Day incorporates grassroots methods to identify resettled refugees who need assistance to overcome barriers to enter the job market in Providence, RI. In this program they work with local businesses to employ refugee youth.
Youth employment is an important opportunity for teens to develop lifelong skills.
Beautiful Day recognized the need for these experiences for refugee youth and designed a special training and internship program to build skills around customer service to bridge the gap in cultural differences that form a barrier for immigrant youth entering the marketplace. Covering topics from emotional intelligence and communication to goal setting and career planning, refugee youth are equipped to compete for jobs, contribute to financially supporting their families and prepare for a future career. Due to the impressive achievements in learning, several students earned scholarships to attend university this year.
The students featured here depict the variety in experience, successes and perseverance of the 2021-2022 cohort.
We are so impressed with the outcomes from this program that we are thrilled to announce a second award to Beautiful Day for their youth training program for 2022 – 2023. Twenty youth were selected to be part of the 2022-23 cohort.
"In November, the youth will start working at their internships, applying the concepts learned in class in a practical job setting. They’ll work either in Beautiful Day’s kitchen making, packaging and selling granola, coffee and hummus, or at local businesses in the community. They’ll encounter joys and successes as well as challenges. And they’ll bring their challenges back to the class for discussion and support. They’ll graduate next June with work experience and a plan for their future. A few short years ago, these young people were struggling to survive in refugee camps. Now, they’ll be well-placed to succeed in college, build meaningful careers, and contribute to their communities as self-sufficient, confident young adults." From Rebecca Garland, Beautiful Day
Flore Foundation proud to continue to support refugee youth in the Beautiful Day training program. These students are given a chance to participate in the workforce alongside their local peers in their new community. They learn important customer service skills, build friendships and contribute to their families.