JNRC Works – Connecting Refugees and Asylum Seekers with the Italian Job Market
Are you looking to hire a new employee for your business, your home or the home of a relative? JNRC Works, with its database of over 300 job-seekers, might have just the right person suitable for the role. Since 2016, JNRC Works has assisted refugees and asylum-seekers in finding employment, in positions including research assistants, gardeners, electrical engineers, cultural mediators, musicians, painters, chefs, kitchen staff and domestic help. We know that many in the Bellies Abroad community are often searching to employ people in roles such as caretakers and general household staff, by taking the opportunity to hire a JNRC guest you are not only supplying a paycheck, you are also promoting integration and giving stability and hope to someone determined to create a new life in Italy.
Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC) is a day center serving both the aspirations and immediate needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Rome. The center has been open for more than 30 years and is located at St. Pauls Within the Walls Episcopal Church in Via Napoli, not far from Termini Station. JNRC offers a safe space for its guests; not only a shelter where they can recharge and relax but also a place where they can receive help, support and encouragement to build their futures here in Europe. Essential to this journey is the opportunity to find a job to support themselves, and also in many cases, to support their families.
Many companies and individuals assume hiring refugees is fraught with challenges and barriers, when, in fact, studies show the total opposite. For example, statistics show that refugees and asylum seekers have lower turnover and higher retention rates. Employers report that this group of workers usually show high levels of ambition, as they often have fled war and other unsafe circumstances, they are seeking stability and are thus less likely to jump from job to job. Refugees and asylum-seekers are also known for being hard workers and fast learners which increases a company’s productivity. Why? Because nothing drives a person more than being forced to start a new life in a foreign country. The diversity that refugees and asylum seekers bring to the workplace has also shown to foster creativity, innovation and productivity which equals a successful business. (1)
This is where JNRC Works comes in. The team at JNRC Works is made up of experienced volunteers who, among other services, offer professional support in creating CV’s and cover letters in Italian for JNRC guests seeking employment. The team spends quality time with each and every job-seeker to understand their background and skill set so they can carefully match the right candidate with the perfect job-offer. JNRC Works thus functions as an employment agency that keeps an extensive database, with CV’s of carefully vetted and motivated job-seekers whom possess a broad range of experiences and skills. The majority of the candidates speak at least two languages, and often have a good knowledge of English and/or Italian.
“We strongly believe that one of the best ways to help refugees and asylum seekers integrate is by providing assistance in finding legal, safe employment so they can help themselves and their families.” Says Annika Milisic-Stanley, JNRC Program and Development Director.
“Many of our guests previously worked in a variety of careers before coming to Rome. Our job is to help them realise their potential in their new environment, with access to resources to develop their CVs, as well as talks with industry professionals about finding a job, preparing for a job interview, and knowing their rights as workers.” Annika adds.
The JNRC team is very experienced at what they do, and there are many success stories where JNRC guests have found employment with assistance from the program –
In early 2017 a young man from Guinea Conakry walked into the center. After a few months he became a volunteer and stayed for one and a half years teaching computer skills. Thanks to the network JNRC Works has with CPI-Centro per l’Impiego di Cinecittà, this man entered a program called ‘Garanzia Giovani’ by Regione Lazio and secured a twelve month internship in a work agency called SOLIDEA S.r.l. He is currently working hard and has been promised stable employment at the end of his internship.
Three years ago, a 23 year old woman arrived in Italy from Nigeria. She received Italian lessons and basic first aid courses at the reception centre where she lived for two years. When this young woman finally received her legal documents, she left the shelter and came to Rome where she found a temporary room at the Caritas center. After taking a course in caregiving for the elderly with the Sant’Egidio, she recently gained full time employment as a live in helper for an elderly lady.
It is, however, not easy for refugees and asylum-seekers in Rome to find work, and the unemployment rate among this population is extremely high. The road to employment is usually lengthy, complicated and paved with discrimination and racism. Even highly skilled migrants cannot just pick up where they left off in their home country, as diplomas and qualifications from the country of origin are rarely recognised in Italy. (2) Many refugees and asylum-seekers express feelings of hopelessness and despair after months of looking for work with no luck. Talent and skills are not of much use when there are very few job opportunities.
“JNRC Works is all in all about supporting a person to feel like there is a whole team behind them, helping them stay positive and focused on finding work, against the odds”, says Annika.
Between March 2018 to March 2019 JNRC Works assisted JNRC guests into 41 jobs, two paid internships and 18 vocational training placements for courses. And on top of this, many guests have used the CV writing service to find jobs on their own.
Do you believe JNRC Works can help you find the employee you are looking for? Please email admin@jnrc.it for any inquiries. (Please keep in mind that the center is closed in August.)
JNRC Works is also running different projects with the aim of promoting social-economic integration. The team is currently looking for professionals, or businesses, willing to come and hold informative talks about how their specific job industry looks like and how it links to the Italian work context. This helps the guests widen their knowledge on what kind of jobs are available, and what the requirements are for that position here in Italy. If you are interested in holding a presentation, please reach out to JNRC Works Coordinator Giulia Bonoldi at g.bonoldi@inwind.it
Many thanks to JNRC Works Coordinator Giulia Bonoldi and JNRC Program and Development Director Annika Milisic-Stanley for contributing to this article. For anyone interested in learning more about the amazing work JNRC does, please head to their website: www.jnrc.it
Resources:
- 5 reasons to hire a refugee for your next position: https://www.seekuk.org/5-reasons-to-hire-a-refugee/
- Migrants’ contribution to Italy’s welfare: https://italy.iom.int/sites/default/files/documents/IOM_Italy_Briefing_02_Oct2017_Migrants%27%20contributions.pdf
