Pre- and Post-employment Services

The following describes some of the services available, subject to funding, eligibility and inclusion in a Family Self-sufficiency Plan. They are designed as pre-job placement services to help each participant become employed as soon as possible and as post-job placement services to help the assistance unit achieve durable self-sufficiency. (a) Assessment is the development of a composite profile of the participant's work history, training, education, physical condition, competencies, English language proficiency, present degree of employability, and existing barriers to employment. (b) Information and Referral provides the participant with an accurate and current knowledge of resources available to accelerate progress toward early employment and durable self-sufficiency and provides help to enable participants to identify and gain access to resources appropriate to their needs. (c) Pre-employment Orientation is an activity, including instruction that familiarizes the participant with American work habits and procedures and provides information and preparation necessary to find and maintain employment. (d) Job Counseling is interaction with the participant designed to help him or her in making decisions that will lead to overcoming barriers to employment and to acquire skills needed to be a competitive job seeker and productive worker. (e) Job Development is the development of entry-level employment opportunities and employment opportunities at higher levels that contribute toward the achievement of durable self-sufficiency. (f) Job Placement is the employment specialist's placement of a participant into a job. (g) Follow-up Services assist a participant in making the successful transition to employment by providing the necessary support to the participant and employer so that the participant is able to maintain his or her job and move toward durable self-sufficiency. (h) English Language Training (ELT) is language training designed to provide the participant with the language skills and cultural background needed to seek and maintain entry level employment. ESL may be available as a post-placement activity to provide the participant with the skills necessary to upgrade employment. (i) Vocational English Language Training (VELT) focuses on a given occupation or specific vocational area that reflect local employment needs. It provides the language skills needed to seek, retain or upgrade employment in a specific vocational area. (j) Vocational Skills Training (VST) provides short-term job skills training to assist refugees to upgrade current employment or to obtain new employment with clearly defined career advancement opportunities.